U.S. Farmers Widely Adopt Genetically Engineered Crops Despite Consumer Acceptance Uncertainty

In its most recent report, the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA ERS) said that despite uncertainty about consumer acceptance, farmers in the U.S. have adopted genetically engineered (GE) crops widely since their commercial introduction in 1996. Soybeans and cotton have been the most widely adopted GE crops in the U.S., followed by corn.

Adoption of GE soybean reached 94 percent of the total soybean in the U.S. in 2016 (soybeans have only herbicide tolerant [HT] varieties). Adoption of all GE cotton, including the area planted with either or both HT and insect resistant/Bt traits, reached 93 percent of cotton acreage in the U.S. in 2016. Adoption of all GE corn accounted for 92 percent of corn acreage in 2016.

The U.S. has more hectares planted to GE crops than any other country, accounting for almost 40% of the global hectarage of 179.7 million hectares in 2016 alone.

For more information, read the Recent Trends in GE Adoption at the USDA ERS website.