The impact of genetically engineered crops on farm sustainability in the United States / Committee on the Impact of Biotechnology on Farm-Level Economics and Sustainability, Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on the Impact of Biotechnology on Farm-Level Economics and Sustainability.

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Crops--Genetic engineering--United States.

Crops.

Agricultural biotechnology--United States.

Agricultural biotechnology.

Plant breeding--United States.

Plant breeding.

Agriculture--Research--United States.

Agriculture.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (270 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, c2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"Since genetically engineered (GE) crops were introduced in 1996, their use in the United States has grown rapidly, accounting for 80-90 percent of soybean, corn, and cotton acreage in 2009. To date, crops with traits that provide resistance to some herbicides and to specific insect pests have benefited adopting farmers by reducing crop losses to insect damage, by increasing flexibility in time management, and by facilitating the use of more environmentally friendly pesticides and tillage practices. However, excessive reliance on a single technology combined with a lack of diverse farming practices could undermine the economic and environmental gains from these GE crops. Other challenges could hinder the application of the technology to a broader spectrum of crops and uses. Several reports from the National Research Council have addressed the effects of GE crops on the environment and on human health. However, The Impact of Genetically Engineered Crops on Farm Sustainability in the United States is the first comprehensive assessment of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of the GE-crop revolution on U.S. farms. It addresses how GE crops have affected U.S. farmers, both adopters and nonadopters of the technology, their incomes, agronomic practices, production decisions, environmental resources, and personal well-being. The book offers several new findings and four recommendations that could be useful to farmers, industry, science organizations, policy makers, and others in government agencies."--Publisher's description.

Contents:

""Front Matter""; ""Preface""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""Contents""; ""List of Tables, Figures, and Boxes""; ""Abbreviations and Acronyms""; ""Summary""; ""1 Introduction""; ""2 Environmental Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops at the Farm Level""; ""3 Farm-Level Economic Impacts""; ""4 Farm-System Dynamics and Social Impacts of Genetic Engineering""; ""5 Key Findings, Remaining Challenges, and Future Opportunities""; ""Appendix A: Herbicide Selection""; ""Appendix B: Tillage Systems""; ""Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9786612787256

9780309155908

0309155908

9781282787254

128278725X

9780309147095

0309147093

OCLC:

923282094