Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

! ! !!
"#$%&!'())!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@+!A142!"#5#81B152!
Insecticide Tolerance
Similar to glyphosate-tolerant and other HT crops, the economic and environmental results
of Bt crops vary depending on the crop type. Studies conducted in Georgia and Mississippi
reported Bt cotton to have a large economic advantage over non-Bt varieties and fewer
spray applications of insecticides. 589 A three-year study in Arkansas found that yields and
profits were higher for two of the years, but lower one of the years. Bt corn reported
increased yields, but only a small reduction in insecticide application. Total profit was
higher for Bt corn, including seed technology fees, because of the higher yields. 590 These
studies and others consider yield, pesticide use, and profit on a farm-level. The ERS
summarized these studies to illustrate the variability among them, the results of which are
shown in Figure 29. 591
!
Figure 29: Summary of the Effects of Genetically Engineered Crops
on Yields, Pesticide Use, and Returns 592
"$%"
!,342#.5#6/1!78$.%3/23$1!
9.21$#23$1!:1;.1