GM Fails To Boost Crop Yields

GM Fails To Boost Crop Yields

An important new report from Dr Doug Gurian-Sherman, a former biotech specialist with the EPA who is now with the Union of Concerned Scientists, shows that "despite 20 years of research and 13 years of commercialization, genetic engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop yields."

The report reviews the literature on yield for the primary GM food/feed crops, soybeans and corn (maize). The report also evaluates the USDA field trial record for GM traits associated with yield over the past 20 years, and discusses the challenges ahead for more complex yield genes, such as transcription factors and signal transduction genes, now being considered by the industry.

Dr Gurian-Sherman concludes, "If we are going to make headway in combating hunger due to overpopulation and climate change, we will need to increase crop yields. Traditional breeding outperforms genetic engineering hands down."

In addition to evaluating GM's record, "Failure to Yield" considers the technology's potential role in increasing food production over the next few decades. The report suggests that it makes little sense to support GM at the expense of technologies that have proven to substantially increase yields, especially in many developing countries.

In addition, recent studies have shown that organic and similar farming methods that minimize the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers can more than double crop yields at little cost to poor farmers in such developing regions as Sub-Saharan Africa.
http://tiny.cc/gNgsB

Failure to Yield - Frequently Asked Questions: http://tiny.cc/IcVzQ

Download the new report:
Failure to Yield: Evaluating the Performance of Genetically Engineered Crops
http://tiny.cc/eqZST

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