Genetically engineered crops continue to grow in Nebraska
The Grand Island Independent reported on the growth of biotech crops in the US. The article boosts that 80 percent of the nation’s corn crop is of the biotechnology varieties and 92 percent of the nation’s soybean crop has biotech traits. Amazingly, South Dakota farmers currently plant 95 percent of their soybean crops with biotech traits.
C.S. Prakash
Genetically engineered crops continue to grow in Nebraska
The Grand Island Independent
July 10, 2008
GRAND ISLAND — While genetically engineered crops remain a source of controversy worldwide, Nebraska and U.S. farmers have aggressively adapted to these new crop varieties since 1996, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to a recent USDA acreage report, 80 percent of the nation's corn crop is of biotechnology varieties and 92 percent of the nation's soybean crop is of biotech varieties.
The number of biotech corn acres planted this year was up from 73 percent last year, and biotech soybean acres are up from 91 percent from last year.
In Nebraska, farmers planted 9 million acres for all purposes in 2008, down 4 percent from last year but still the second largest planted area since 1936. Biotechnology varieties accounted for 86 percent of the planted acreage, up from 79 percent last year.
State soybean producers planted 4.75 million acres, up 25 percent from the previous year. Biotechnology varieties resistant to herbicides accounted for 97 percent of the planted acreage, up from 96 percent last year.
Nationwide, Nebraska is tied with South Dakota and Mississippi in the percentage of soybean acres planted to biotech varieties. Nebraska was fifth in corn biotech varieties behind South Dakota, 95 percent; Kansas, 90 percent; North Dakota, 89 percent; and Minnesota, 88 percent.
In Nebraska, 27 percent of the corn acres were planted to BT varieties that kill insects, down from 31 percent in 2007. Herbicide-resistant biotech varieties of corn planted in Nebraska were up from 23 percent last year to 24 percent this year. Stack gene varieties, which contain insecticide and herbicide traits, were up from 25 percent last year to 35 percent this year.
