Genetically Modified Crops Occupy 55% of U.S. Farmland, USDA Reports

The USDA highlighted the increasing adoption of genetically modified (GM) crop varieties, extending beyond the traditional large-scale crops like corn, soybeans, and cotton. When considering GM crops such as canola, potatoes, and apples, approximately 55% of the U.S. farmland is now dedicated to GM variants, as per the Economic Research Service (ERS) report. Despite the rapid adoption of GM varieties in corn, soybean, cotton, canola, and sugar beet crops, many crops like wheat, rice, and barley remain primarily non-GM. Major companies lead the GM seed market, a shift influenced by legislative decisions allowing the patenting of these crop technologies. The USDA also noted that this year, biotech varieties constituted 93% of corn, 97% of soybean, and 95% of cotton plantings.