Pocket guideto GM crops and policies

1

2

Table of contents
1. Introduction

5

2. GMOs
The facts

9

3. GM crops, food and feedin Europe

23

4. GM Regulation in Europe

31

5. Global challenges
How can GM crops help?

37

6. FAQ
GM controversies

49

7. Principles

59

8. Index

653

4

Agriculture faces serious
challenges in the years ahead –but Europe can help the worldface these challenges.

41. Introduction

56Agriculture faces serious challenges in the years ahead — from a rapidly growing global
population that will put increasing strain on the world’s food supply, to climate change and its
effect on water availability and arable land, to concerns about the environment and biodiversity.
Europe can help the world face these challenges. How? By using less water, increasing ourland’s productivity to help fight global food insecurity, exploiting less land in other countries
for our food needs, and addressing the effects of climate change.
But this can happen only if policymakers give farmers the tools they need to compete andsurvive in a changing world. The technologies offered by crop science and genetic engineering
have a long history of improving agriculture and play a critical role in addressing the challenges
of today and tomorrow. GM crops are not the only answer, but their environmental benefits andhigher yields make them an option that farmers should have the freedom to choose.
For 15 years GM crops have been increasingly cultivated and consumed all over the world.
Concerns about possible negative effects on health and the environment have proven to be
unfounded. Around the world, 15.4 million farmers are planting GM crops on 148 million hectares.
But Europe has been slow to embrace the technology. This guide aims to provide fact-based
information to policymakers, journalists and the wider public, and to show why European farmers
should have the freedom of choice that their counterparts in other countries are already exercising.
Time and technology are moving on – is Europe ready to move with them?
78“What farmers think”

Name: Gabriela
Profession: 4th Generation Farmer
Country: Portugal
Challenges: Soil erosion, water
conservation, sustainable farming“GM crops are a way to keep
farmers on their land in Europe.
If we don’t have more GM crops,
we will become less competitiveand have to import more food aswell as use less sustainable farming
practices.”
All the hectares on her family’s
farm are part of an Environmental
Protected Area, under Conservation
Agriculture: No-Till and Zone-Till forover 12 years and under Integrated
Pest Management.

8

2. GMOs
The facts9	WHAT IS GENETIC MODIFICATION?
Genetic modification means that existing genes are
modified or new genes included to give plant varieties
desirable characteristics, such as resistance to certain
pests or herbicides, or for vitamin fortification.
Because only a few genes with known traits aretransferred, GM methods are more targeted and fasterthan traditional breeding. They are used alongsideconventional plant breeding.
WHY DO WE NEED TO ‘IMPROVE’ PLANTS?
Genetic modification allows scientists to help farmers
by adapting plants to certain specific conditions andimproving yields. For example, GM maize is better able
to resist the European corn borer, a pest that can cause
serious damage to maize crops and which increasingly
affects European fields and cannot be addressed withconventional means.

“There will be no silver bullet,
but it is very hard to see how
it would be remotely sensible
to justify not using newtechnologies such as GM.
Just look at the problems
that the world faces: water
shortages and salination ofexisting water supplies, forexample. GM crops should be
able to deal with that.”
Sir John Beddington,
UK Chief Scientific Advisor,
January 2011

GM technology can also help farmers respondto climate change by developing crops that can
resist floods or drought.

10

GM can also improve consumers’ health, for example byproducing better cooking oils that don’t include trans fats
and/or have higher levels of beneficial Omega-3 oils.
GM crops are being developed to help fight malnutrition.
For example, golden rice is bio-fortified with beta-carotene
to help combat Vitamin A deficiency, which is responsiblefor 3,000 deaths per day and 500,000 cases of infant
blindness per year in developing countries.

“GMOs or non-GMOs don’t
excite me all that much - it’sa question of innovation.
If Europe is going to say‘no’ to anything that is new,then we are condemned to
backwaters.”
John Dalli – Reuters
20 September 201011

	ARE GM CROPS SAFE FOR HEALTH AND
THE ENVIRONMENT?
Yes. All GM crops that are currently on the market have
proven to be safe. GM products all have to go through arigorous safety assessment by the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA).
>

Learn more in the section “GM Regulation in Europe.”

In 2000 and 2010, the European Commission released
two reports that cover 25 years of research on potentiallyharmful effects of GM crops or food on human health or
the environment: “A decade of EU-funded GMO research(2001-2010)” and “EC-Sponsored research on safety thegenetically modified organisms (1985-2000).”

The conclusion?
“According to the projects’ results, there is, as of today,
no scientific evidence associating GMOs with higher
risks for the environment or for food and feed safety
than conventional plants and organisms.”

DID YOU KNOW?
The first GM plant was
a tobacco plant, reported
in 1983, but no GM plants
were commercially grown until
a tomato was commercialisedin the US in 1994.
The tomato was geneticallymodified to slow down afruit-ripening enzyme, which
resulted in tomatoes with alonger shelf life, the so-called“Flavr Savr” tomatoes.
A similar tomato puree soldsuccessfully in Europe.

12Globally, more than 2 trillion meals containing
GM ingredients have been eaten over the last 15 years by
hundreds of millions of people without one health incident
having been identified.
The French Academies of Medicine, Pharmacy and Sciences
have stated: “No evidence of health problems exists in the
countries where GMOs have been widely eaten for several
years,” an opinion endorsed by academies of science andmedical councils around the world.

SourcesFrench Academy of Sciences. (2002,
December). Genetically modified plants(Report on science and technology No. 13).
Paris, France: Author.
A decade of EU-funded GMO research(2001-2010), DG Research, European
Commission.
EC-Sponsored research on safety thegenetically modified organisms (19852000), DG Research, European Commission.

GM worldwide
	HOW MANY FARMERS PLANT GM WORLDWIDE?
A record 15.4 million farmers grew GM crops in 2010,
up from 14 million farmers in 2009. Worldwide, 148 million
hectares were planted with GM crops in 29 countries –an 87-fold increase since they were introduced in 1996.
This is about the same size as the territories of Spain,
Germany and France combined.

13

160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20

COTTONMAIZE

RAPESEED

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

0
1996

million ha.

GMOs – Global Planting per year since 1996

SOYA

SourceGlobal Status of Commercialised GM/GM Crops, ISAAA, 201014

Estimate of future numbers of GM crops worldwide
140
120
100
80
60
40
20

COTTON

MAIZE

OTHER

SOYBEANSRAPESEEDPOTATOES

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

0

2008

Number of GM crops

Current numbers and estimations of future numbers of GM crops worldwide

RICE

SourceNature Biotechnology (2010) 28, 23-25 International trade and the global pipeline of new GM crops

15	ARE THEY ONLY ‘BIG’ FARMERS?
No. Over 90% of the farmers planting GM crops(14.4 million) are small growers in developing countries.

SourcePhillips McDougall, 2010

WHICH GM CROPS ARE GROWN AROUND

THE WORLD?
The main GM crops in terms of hectarage are soya, maize,
cotton and oilseed rape (canola). Other GM crops thathave been approved around the world include sugarbeet,alfalfa, papaya, squash, poplar, tomato, banana, sweet
pepper, potato, rice and various ornamental flowers.
SOYBEAN: 41.4%
Biotech seed market by crop
COTTON: 7.9%
MAIZE: 47.9%
In 2009, the value of the market
for plant biotechnology-based
products rose by 15.5% to reach$10,570 million.

CANOLA: 2.3%
OTHER: 0.5%
TOTAL = $10.570 MILLION

16	WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE THE MOST COMMON?
Most of the GM crops grown commercially today have
improved traits for herbicide tolerance (over 70%),
insect-resistance, or both. Other GM traits aim at disease
resistance, drought tolerance, health or nutrition benefits,longer shelf life or more efficient industrial use.
WHAT IS NEXT?
There are many more GM crops in the pipeline:• Enrichment of grains, such as ‘Golden Rice,’ a ricethat aims to decrease blindness in children caused
by Vitamin A deficiency• Healthier vegetable oils, such as those with fewer transfats, would also provide benefits to consumers aroundthe world• Drought-resistant GM maize will first be commerciallycultivated in the US. Other crops that help farmers copewith challenging agricultural conditions are likely to follow.
WHAT IS THE MARKET SHARE OF GM CROPS?
Market shares vary heavily from crop to crop and country
to country. Most of the world’s soybean harvest and about
half of its cotton harvest are genetically modified today.

Global adoption rates
for GM crops
SOYBEAN: 81%(93% in the US, 99% in
Argentina, 75% in Brazil)
COTTON: 64%(93% in US, 86% in India,
69% in China)
MAIZE: 29%(86% in US, 56% in Brazil,
86% in Argentina)
OILSEED RAPE: 23%(88% in US, 94% in Canada)

SourceGlobal Status of Commercialised GM/GM
Crops, ISAAA, 2010

17

18

“What farmers think”

Name: Maotang
Profession: Cotton farmer
Country: China
Opportunities: Since planting
GM cotton, a 10-fold increase inyield (1800-1900 k g per ha.),with income of nearly US $40,000
in 2008.
Challenges: Boll worms haddevastated his farm 15 years ago.
“As more and more modern
technology products are used by
farmers and our income increased
quite a lot, in my community,
farmers do not lack food andclothes anymore. You cannot finda child who cannot afford theireducation anymore.”18

10,570
9,150
7,062
5,855

1,405

1,915

2,195

2,778

3,140

3,709

4,476

5,095

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

460

1998

95

1997

12,00011,00010,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0

1996

$ Million

Growth of the biotech seed market

The largest share of the biotech crops sector is attributed to herbicide tolerant
crop varieties, which represented 51.3% of the value of the sector in 2009. However,
over the last few years the overall share attributable to stacked trait crop varietiesof maize and cotton has increased at a rate ahead of the overall market, to reacha value equivalent to 37.7% of the overall biotech seed market.
SourcePhillips McDougall, 201019

WHICH COUNTRIES ARE THE LEADERS IN GM CROPCULTIVATION?
The top ten countries planting GM crops each grew
more than 1 million hectares in 2010: USA (66.8 million
hectares), Brazil (25.4 million), Argentina (22.9 million),
India (9.4 million), Canada (8.8 million), China(3.5 million), Paraguay (2.6 million), Pakistan (2.4 million),
South Africa (2.2 million) and Uruguay (1.1 million).
Brazil, for example, has dramatically expanded its
planting of GM crops. In the crop season of 2010 to 2011,
more than three-quarters of the land used in Brazilian
soybean agriculture was planted with GM seeds.

DID YOU KNOW?
Oils from GM plants stillneed to be labelled inEurope, even though
the GM label does notrefer to any GM materialpresent in the oil.

20

WHY ARE FARMERS PLANTING MORE GM CROPS

WORLDWIDE?
• Higher yields• Higher farm income• Increased management flexibility• Easier adoption of no/reduced tillage practices,which save time and equipment usage• Improved weed control• Less worry about pest damage• Less time spent on crop walking and/or insecticide
application• Savings in energy use – mainly associated with lessspraying and tillage.
• Savings in machinery use (for spraying and possibly
reduced harvesting times)• Improved quality (e.g., lower levels of mycotoxins
in GM insect-resistant maize)• Soil preservation

Sources“Plain Facts about GMOs” (2011)
Hungarian White Paper
Benefits Database of CropLife International
http://www.croplife.org/public/benefits_of_plant_biotechnology
ISAAA Global Knowledge Center on Crop
Biotechnology http://www.isaaa.org/kc/
James, C (2010), Global Status of Commercialized
Biotech/GM Crops: 2010. ISAAA-brief 42
http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/42/default.asp
Richard Fawcett and Dan Towery.
“Conservation Tillage and Plant Biotechnology:
How New Technologies Can Improve theEnvironment. By Reducing the Need to Plow.”Conservation Technology Information Center.
http://www.whybiotech.com/resources/tps/
ConservationTillageandPlantBiotechnology.pdf“Six questions on the basics of biotech.” EuropaBio
Factsheet, 2010. http://www.europabio.org/
positions/GBE/PP_101209_basicsbiotech.pdf
Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot. ”GM crops:
global socio-economic and environmental impacts
1996-2009,” April 2011.

21

22

3. GM crops, food and feedin Europe

23Planting statistics for EU countries
In 2010, eight European countries planted GM crops
on a total of 91,438 ha.
Spain76,575 hectares Bt MAIZE

Portugal

4,868 hectares Bt MAIZE

Poland3,000 hectares Bt MAIZE

Slovakia

1,248 hectares Bt MAIZE

Romania

822 hectares Bt MAIZE

Czech
Republic

4,680 hectares Bt MAIZE
150 hectares GM POTATO

Sweden80 hectares GM POTATO

Germany

15 hectares GM POTATODID YOU KNOW?
Genetic modification is
also used to change thecolour of ornamental
flowers. The company
that put GM carnations
on the market has now
also developed GM roseswith blue flowers, which
are available in Japan.

24

Missed economic benefits
for European farmers
A recent study by the Universityof Reading (UK) has revealed that
European farmers are missingout on ¤443 and ¤929 million
each year because they are notallowed to grow GM crops.

Estimated increase annual income if GM maize
was planted across EU

For example, if farmers could
adopt insect-resistant Bt maize
in countries other than Spain,
the estimated value to farmers
could range from ¤157 million
to ¤334 million per year.
If insect-resistant GM cotton
was also available for cultivationin the EU, the potential benefit
of approximately ¤80/ha tofarmers with about 260,000 haof cotton in Greece and Spain
would result in ¤20.8M/year.

Country

From ¤M

To ¤M

Bulgaria

3.6

5.4

Czech Republic

4.6

9.2

Germany

25.7

42.4

Greece1.2

5.9

France

34.2

85.5

Italy

40.6

108.2

Hungary

6.2

12.6

Austria

12.0

16.8

Poland11.9

29.9

Portugal

1.4

2.4

Romania

12.1

21.5

Slovakia

3.6

5.9

Total

¤157 million ¤334 million
25

The estimated benefit of growing HT soybeans in Europe
would be between ¤5M and ¤19M. Introducing GM oilseed
rape to Europe would bring a potential annual benefit to
EU farmers between ¤195 and 318M.
Another recent study (Brookes and Barfoot, 2011) shows
how much GM crops have benefited farmers in the rest of
the world. Since 1996, farmers globally have gained morethan ¤44 billion in farm income thanks to GM crops, and
57% of this profit was due to increased yields.

SourceJulian Park, et al. “The Impact of the EU
regulatory constraint of transgenic crops
on farm income.” New Biotechnology,
February 2011.
Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot.
”GM crops: global socio-economic andenvironmental impacts 1996-2009,”
April 2011.

WHICH GMOS CAN BE CULTIVATED IN THE EU?
As of March 2011, just two GM crops have been approvedfor cultivation in Europe. The more widely grown of
the two, MON810, is a type of maize that helps fight off
pests, such as the European corn borer. The other isa potato for industrial use called Amflora, approved in2010. Its waxy starch content is useful for making paper,for example. Several member states have issued (legallyquestionable) bans on cultivation of one or both of thesecrops approved at EU level.

26	WHICH GMOS CAN BE IMPORTED INTO THE EU?
As of May 2011, a total of 36 GM crops were approved forimports and processing and/or for food and feed in Europe.
More than half of those crops were types of GM maize. Other
crops included soybeans, rapeseed, sugarbeet and cotton.

WHY DO WE IMPORT GMOs?
Europe imports a substantial portion of its animal feed,
and a large part of the world’s supply is GM. Around30 million tons of grain are imported, per year, from third
countries, including 13 million tons of soybeans, 22 million
tons of soymeal, 2,5 million tons of maize, 2 million tonsof oilseed rape and 0.1 million tons of cotton. European
animal farmers rely on soybeans imports for animal feed.
Europe imports most of the soybeans it uses, and thoseimports are mostly GM from North and South America.

Sources
DG AGRI Report (2011) Study on
the Implications of Asynchronous
GMO Approvals for EU Imports ofAnimal Feed Products.
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/analysis/external/asynchronous-gmo-approvals/
full-text_en.pdf
Danish Ministry of Food,
Agriculture and Fisheries (2009)
GMOs - what’s in it for us? Report
http://www.fvm.dk/GMO.aspx?ID=42573“EU experts approve trace GM in feed
imports: official.” Reuters, 22 February 2011.
http://www.reuters.comarticle/2011/02/22/
us-eu-gmo-imports-idUSTRE71L3V420110222

WHAT DO EUROPEANS THINK ABOUT GM?
Anti-GM groups claim that Europeans are
overwhelmingly opposed to GM food and crops.
But often they base these claims on incorrect readings ofpublic opinion polls. What do surveys actually say about
the current state of public opinion?
27

European public opinion
Some polling results and questions are misleading.
For example, some polls asked people to rank their levelsof concern and asked them to agree or disagree withstatements like “GM food is unnatural”, “makes you feel
uneasy” or “GM food is not good for you.” Questions that ask
people to quantify “how worried they are” obviously record
high levels of concern. Reliable public opinion pollsters don’t
use such methods; instead, they ask people to rank theirconcerns instead of prompting them with suggestions ofwhat those concerns might be.
Eurobarometer did this in 2010, asking 16,000 Europeans:“… in your own words, what are all the things that come toyour mind when thinking about possible problems or risks
associated with food and eating? Just say out loud whatevercomes to mind and I will write it down.”“It is important that we tone
down the debate on GMOs
to a rational level.”John Dalli,
EC Commissioner for Healthand Consumer Policy
on 17 March 2011

Only 8% of Europeans spontaneously say they are
worried about GM in food. People are more worried about:
1) chemical products, 2) food poisoning, 3) diet-relateddiseases, 4) obesity, 5) lack of freshness, and 6) foodadditives, colours and preservatives.

28

Consumer purchasing behavior
Although there is concern about GM and biotechnology,
consumers report a low level of knowledge about GM food.
When a consumer has no direct experience or verifiable
evidence to support concerns, he or she takes a much morecautious approach. In one recent survey, 34% of Europeansfound a clear deficit of information on GMOs; as a result, many
have yet to form their final opinion on the subject.
The EU Research Project CONSUMERCHOICE looked at the actual
purchasing behaviour of consumers when given the opportunity
to choose between GM and non-GM foods. The project found that
responses given by consumers when prompted by questionnaires
about GM-food are not a reliable guide to what they do when
shopping in grocery stores. Furthermore, the study concluded that
Europeans do buy GM-foods when they are physically present andlabelled on the shelves.

Sources
GMO Compass
http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/news/
stories/415.an_overview_european_
consumer_polls_attitudes_gmos.html
Special Eurobarometer 354,
2010 Food-related risks
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/factsheet/docs/reporten.pdf
Eurobarometer 336 (2010) Europeans,
Agriculture and the Common
Agricultural Policy
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_336_en.pdf
Special Eurobarometer Biotechnology, 2010
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf
ConsumerChoice:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/biohealth/research/nutritional/consumerchoice

Still, even now a large percentage of people recognise that
there are benefits. According to another Eurobarometer,
77% of Europeans said that they agreed that the European
Union should encourage its farmers to take advantage of
biotechnology in agriculture.
29

30“What farmers think”

Name: David
Profession: Farms cereals,
oilseed rape, and grass for seedCountry: Norfolk, UK
Challenges: Need to produce
more while also protecting theenvironment – but no GM crops
appropriate for UK cultivation
have been approved
Opportunities: Participated ina GM crop trial and sees theneed for GM crops in the UK“I think there is a big future withGM crops, but if we don’t get amove on, Europe risks denying
European farmers access to thebiggest environmental advancethat we have seen in the last 2030 years, and at a time when wereally need it. I for one would
like to grow GM crops again
given the opportunity”.

30

4. GM Regulationin Europe

31HOW ARE GMOS REGULATED IN EUROPE?
GMOs cannot be put on the market without prior EU
approval, whether it for importing a food or feed productmade from GM crops or for planting GM seeds. The EU
approval system is widely recognised as one of the moststringent in the world.

Submission application

EFSA Risk Assessment

WHAT IS THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR GMOs IN

THE EUROPEAN UNION?
1. Risk assessment is done on a case-by-case andstep-by-step basis.
2. When the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has
completed the environmental, human and animal healthsafety assessment, its recommendation, if positive,
forms the basis of a Draft Decision for approval by
the European Commission.
3. Post-release monitoring, traceability and labelling:
monitoring plans need to be approved prior to marketingthe product. Traceability is ensured by labelling andadministrative records throughout the food chain.
4. Public information: throughout the approval process,information is provided to the public.

Commission Proposal

Member State voting

Authorisation

Post-release Monitoring32

5. Subsidiarity: even in the European single market,
responsibility for some issues may be passed back to
Member States, such as the co-existence of GM, non-GMand organic crops.
6. Compliance with international trade rules: EU legislation
is in line with the international trade requirements of
WTO (it is clear, transparent and non discriminatory)
and with the trans-boundary movement rules of the UN
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. However, the politicalnature of the approval process in practice has led to
WTO disputes because of trade disruption.

HOW LONG DO APPLICATIONS TAKE AND

WHAT DO THEY COST?
It takes on average almost 4 years for a GM importapproval to be completed in Europe, which is roughly
twice as long as in other comparable jurisdictions.
Europe tends to have even longer waiting periods for GM
cultivation applications, partly due to political differencesamong the member states. Costs for applicant
companies arise mainly from the large number of studies
required and vary from ¤7 million to ¤15 million per crop.

“People are now beginningto think seriously about …
how we feed 9 billion people
in 2050. … I think to rule out
GM, which is this major new
technology, would be very
foolish”
Lord Sainsbury,
former UK science ministeron 14 September 201033

IS THERE AN IMPACT ON INNOVATION?

Developing new GM crops requires significant investmentsof time and resources. Logically, companies must focus
their investments mainly in jurisdictions with workableand predictable approval systems. The ban on mostGM cultivation in Europe puts European agriculture at
a competitive disadvantage compared to agriculture in
the Americas, for example, and increases Europe’s importdependency. It has been estimated that European farmers
could increase their annual revenues by up to nearly¤1 billion if they were allowed to cultivate GM crops, suchas maize, cotton, soybeans, oilseed rape, and sugar beets.

SourceJulian Park, et al. “The Impact of the EU
regulatory constraint of transgenic crops
on farm income.” New Biotechnology,
February 2011.

HOW IS THE SAFETY OF GM PRODUCTSASSESSED IN THE EU?
All GM plants used for food or food ingredients, feed, fibre
and fuel must undergo a rigorous review of their safety as
part of the authorisation procedure before they can be puton the market.
In the EU, this task is carried out by the EFSA, whose
panel of independent scientific experts cooperates

34

closely with national authorities on food safety.
Only products that have been deemed safe are allowed
to reach the market.
The safety of GM crops is deemed on two levels: the way
they are produced and their specific new characteristics
resulting from genetic modification. The goal is to ensurethat the GM product is safe and does not harm humans,
animals or the environment.

HOW IS CHOICE FOR CONSUMERS AND FARMERSGUARANTEED?
Labelling is mandatory within the EU for all food and feed
products consisting of, containing, or obtained from GM
plants when this is above 0.9% of that ingredient. This
allows consumers to make an informed choice. The 0.9%
threshold was determined by politics and has no foundationin any scientific finding or fact. It is important to rememberthat in many cases the introduced trait in the GM plant
simply helps improve the field performance of the crop.
For farmers, choice is guaranteed through coexistencemeasures for organic, GM and conventional crops. Acrossthe EU, co-existence measures have been very successful.
35

Current political situation for GM in Europe• Imports with GM material not yet approved in the EU:
To date, the EU operates a zero tolerance policy on
imported goods that contain even the tiniest traces of
GMOs. In February 2011, Member State experts agreed
to allow traces of less than 0.1% of GM material not yet
approved in the EU in animal feed.

DID YOU KNOW?
If EU farmers
were allowed to grow GM
crops, Europe’s economy
could be boosted by ¤443
and ¤929 million each year.

36

5. Global challenges
How can GM crops help?

37

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
2050

2040

2030

2020

2010

2000

1990

1980

0
1970

Population growth
From 1960 to 2007, the global
population grew from 3 billion
to over 6.5 billion. Projections
for future growth take that
number to nearly 9 billion
in 2050. The UN Food andAgriculture Organisation (FAO)
estimates that food production
must increase by 70% if we areto feed the world population.

Population growth, actual and projected 1960 - 2050

1960

We face increasing
demand for the world’s
finite resources

Population in billions

The global picture:

DEVELOPED COUNTRIESDEVELOPING COUNTRIES
TOTAL

3.0 billion
1960

6.0 billion
2000

9.0 billion
2050

38

Arable land
Around the world, the ratioof arable land to populationis steadily declining. Between
1960 and 2000, it declined byabout 40%, but in developing
nations the decline has been
fastest. In Africa, for example,
the ratio of arable land to
population declined by 55% in
the same period.

More food must be produced on less land (FAOSTAT)
Population in billions

3.0 billion

4.4 billion

6.0 billion

7.5 billion

1960

1980

2000

2020

This means more food will need
to be produced on less land toprovide enough food withoutharming the environment.

2.2

1.8

3.0
4.3

Arable land per person (hectares)

39

40

“What farmers think”

Name: Karim
Profession: Cotton farmer
Country: Burkina Faso
Challenges: Dry conditions and theneed to apply pesticides many times,
which means a lot of physical labour
Opportunities: 30% more cottongrown after using GM cotton and areduction of pesticide applications.
Would like to grow GM cereals that
resist drought and disease in the
future.
“We experienced a parasite problem
in 1987-1988. This was the year whenpeople treated their crops withpesticides up to 18 times. And sincethat year, when you grow cotton,
you put it in the ground and you areworried. You couldn’t even sleep
when you plant cotton because you
don’t know if you can cope with theparasites. But with GMOs, when you
plant, now you can sleep.”40

Climate change
Climate change is expected to increase the number ofpeople living in poverty by as many as 40 to 170 million
worldwide. Water scarcity is also expected to increase,affecting between 75 and 200 million people in Africa alone
by 2020. Cereal yields are expected to decline in more than
40 developing countries with average losses of 15%.
Drought and erosion
About 1 billion people, or about 15% of the global population,
have been affected by land degradation since 1981.
Over the past 30 years, droughts have dramaticallyincreased in number and intensity in the EU.
The number of areas and people affected by droughts
went up by almost 20% between 1976 and 2006.
Globally, between 20,000 -50,000 km2 of arable landis estimated to be lost annually through degradation,
especially soil erosion.

The United Nations
Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD)
estimates that by theyear 2050, half of thecurrent arable land will
become unusable.

41

CO2 emissions from fuel combustion,
1971 - 2007 IEA(2009)
Billion metric tonnes CO2

Carbon emissions andair pollution
A rise in carbon emissions has
resulted in a current level of390 parts per million (ppm) of
CO2 globally, much higher thanthe pre-industrial 18th century
level of 280 ppm.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
2007

2005

2000

1990

1980

1975

0
1971

Losses in crop yieldcaused by air pollutants
have been estimated tocause economic losses
for 23 arable crops inEurope, totalling¤4-8.4 billion/year.

OECD NORTH AMERICANON-OECD EUROPE

OECD PACIFICFORMER SOVIET UNIONOECD EUROPE

LATIN AMERICAAFRICAASIAMIDDLE EAST

CHINA

42

Water use
Water use has tripled over the last five decades. Agriculture
accounts for approximately 3,100 billion m3, or 71% of global
water withdrawals today. Without efficiency gains, this will
increase to 4,500 billion m3 by 2030 (a slight decline to 65%
of global water withdrawals).
A 1% increase in water productivity in food production canpotentially make an extra 24 litres of water available per day
per person.
On average, it takes about 3,000 litres of water per person
to produce our daily intake of food.

DID YOU KNOW?
In the US, the Keystone
Field to Market study
found that 50,000 fewer
gallons of water are
needed to grow anirrigated acre of corn
today, compared to
20 years ago.
Today, one irrigated acreof cotton requires about
30% less water than two
decades ago.

43

HOW CAN GM CROPS HELP?

Although they weren’t originally developed to copewith the effects of climate change, many GM crops
help conserve water, prevent erosion, decrease carbon
emissions, and grow more on less land.
GM crops can help:• Improve yields while using water more sustainably:
Yields can be increased by 6%-30% on the sameamount of land, avoiding the need to plough up
land that is currently a haven for biodiversity• Use low- and no-till farming methods. Fuel use
and CO2 emissions can be decreased thanks toless tillage. In 2009, this led to global emissions
reductions of 17.7 billion kg of CO2, equivalent to
7.8 million fewer cars on the road for one year.
• Protect soils from erosion through less ploughing,conserving soil moisture, too.
• Protect crops from insect damage, significantly
reducing the number of applications of pesticides,
herbicides and fertilisers.

Sources
UN World Water Report.
http://www.unesco.org/water/
wwap/wwdr/wwdr2/
Water Scarcity and Droughts,
Second Interim report (June 2007).
DG Environment, European Commission.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/quantity/eu_action.htm
Laure Gaufichon, Jean-Louis Prioul,
Bernard Bachelier. What are the prospects
for genetic improvement in drought-tolerant
crop plants?
Harald von Witzke and Steffen Noleppa.
“EU agricultural production and trade:
Can more efficiency prevent increasing‘land-grabbing’ outside of Europe?”
http://www.opera-indicators.eu/assets/files/
News/Final_Report_Humboldt_Opera.pdf
Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot.
“GM crops: global socio-economic andenvironmental impacts 1996-2009,”
April 2011.

44

Challenge: Sustaining biodiversity
Due to the increase in land cultivation, population growthand other environmental pressures, the diversity of plant
and animal life is at risk. The 2010 biodiversity target
to achieve a significant reduction of biodiversity loss,
set by world governments in 2002, has not been met
at a global level. Across the globe, natural systems that
support economies, lives and livelihoods are at risk of rapid
degradation, with significant further loss of biodiversity
becoming increasingly likely.

HOW CAN GM CROPS HELP SUSTAIN BIODIVERSITY?
According to a recent peer-reviewed literature review,“Impacts of GM crops on biodiversity”, GM crops havea number of effects that help to sustain biodiversity.

“GM can bring benefits infood to the marketplace.
There are benefits todeveloping countries, likedrought resistance orresistance to high salt content
in water. The principle of GM
technology is [OK] if used
well. The technology canbe beneficial.”
Caroline Spelman,
UK Environment Secretaryon 4 June 201045

1. By increasing yields on existing farmland, GM crops help
preserve natural habitats and our world’s biodiversity.
Researchers estimate that 2.64 million hectares ofland would probably be brought into grain and oilseed
production if GM traits were no longer used.

SourceCarpenter, Janet (2011)“Impacts of GM crops on biodiversity.”
Nature Biotechnology.

2. GM crops help facilitate conservation tillage practices,preserving soil and moisture.
3. GM crops have not decreased crop diversity.
4. Plant biotechnology is a powerful tool to help feeda growing world, sustainably.
5. Bt crops can provide area-wide target pest
suppression, reducing crop losses and the needfor pest control measures.
6. Mounting evidence shows that GM crops have nosignificant adverse effects on non-target organisms.

46

Challenge: Food security
Increase in hunger and malnutrition
FAO’s projections revealed that even before the surge
in food prices in 2008 and the global economic crisis in
2009, long-term trends of increasing hunger were alreadyapparent. FAO estimates that 1.02 billion people were
undernourished worldwide in 2009, representing an increaseof 178 million from the nearly 842 million in 1990-92.
In 2009, the FAO estimated world hunger to have reached ahistoric high with 1.02 billion people going hungry every day.
The recent food price spikes in 2010 and 2011 have further
contributed to hunger around the world, and experts, suchas economist Jeffrey Sachs, have called on G8 governments
to put their words into action by creating a $22 billion fundfor smallholder farmers as agreed in 2008.

“GMOs offer potential
of increased agricultural
productivity, improved
nutritional values thatcan contribute directly toenhancing human health anddevelopment”
World Health Organisation,
http://www.who.int/
foodsafety/biotech/
who_study/en/index.html

47

HOW CAN GM CROPS HELP FOOD SECURITY?

Ensuring plentiful and affordable food around the world
requires every tool available, including good policies thatare put into action, better incomes for farmers, improved
irrigation, stable food prices, among many other factors.
GM crops’ benefits, like higher yields on smaller areasof land, lower pesticide costs for farmers, and cropsthat grow better in local conditions, are just one partof the answer.

Sources
The Foresight project Global Food andFarming Futures final report:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/foresight/our-work/
projects/current-projects/global-food-andfarming-futures/reports-and-publications“Ugandan scientists grow GM banana as
disease threatens country’s staple food.”
The Guardian, 9 March 2011.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/
mar/09/gm-banana-crop-disease-uganda“Special on Feeding the World.”
The Economist, February 2011.
http://www.economist.com/node/18200678

48

6. FAQ
GM controversies

49

WHY DO GM CROPS HAVE PATENTS?
Agricultural innovation plays a key role in driving longterm agricultural productivity, rural development andenvironmental sustainability by encouraging new
solutions. For this reason, innovation needs to besupported and protected.
In any industry, the maintenance of Intellectual
Property Rights (IPR) is an essential basis forinnovation and progress.
• IPR encourages continued investment in researchand development, and ensures the plant science
industry maintains its strong innovative base.
• Patents form the cornerstone of intellectual
property protection• The protection of regulatory data and confidential
business information for biotechnology inventions
are important to support innovation and development.

“The Food and Agriculture
Organization estimates thatdeveloping countries will haveto boost their yields by half tomeet the challenge of global
hunger. We simply won’t
be able to meet that goal
without using all the scientifictools at our disposal.”Bill Gates,
Gates Foundation

The plant science industry is one of the world’s mostresearch-and-development-intensive sectors. It ranks inthe top four global industries in terms of percentage ofsales invested in R&D. For example, the industry’s top50

10 companies invest $2.25 billion, or 7.5% of sales, in the
research and development of cutting-edge products incrop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds andplant biotechnology. All of these products aim to improvesustainable agricultural production.
 RE GM CROPS SAFE FOR HUMAN HEALTH AND
A
THE ENVIRONMENT?
Yes. Two European Commission reports covering 25
years’ worth of research on the effects of GM crops on
health and the environment have shown no scientificevidence associating GMOs with higher risks thanconventional plants and organisms(A decade of EU-funded GMO research, 2001-2010and EC-Sponsored research on safety the geneticallymodified organisms, 1985-2000). More than 2 trillion
meals containing GM ingredients have been eaten overthe last 15 years by hundreds of millions of people
without one health incident having been identified.

DID YOU KNOW?
Burkina Faso, a small
West-African country,
cultivated on its own
almost 3 times as many
GM crops in 2010 than thewhole of the EU together.
80,000 small farmers
grew 260,000 hectares of
insect-resistant cotton in
Burkina Faso in its thirdyear of commercial
GM cultivation.

51

ARE BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANIES THE MAIN

BENEFICIARIES OF GM TECHNOLOGIES?
Farmers get a direct profit (12%-21% on average) fromgrowing GM crops via higher yields and lower pesticide
applications. A recent study (Brookes and Barfoot, 2011)shows how much GM crops have benefited farmers
throughout the world. Since 1996, farmers globally havegained more than ¤44 billion in farm income thanks to
GM crops, and 57% of this profit was due to increased
yields. In Europe, as in the rest of the world, two thirds ofthe benefits of growing GM are shared among European
farmers and consumers, while one third goes to thedevelopers and seed suppliers.

Sources
Demont, M., K. Dillen, and E. Tollens, 2007.
“GM crops in Europe: How much value andfor whom?” EuroChoices, 6(3):46-53.
Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot.
”GM crops: global socio-economic andenvironmental impacts 1996-2009,”
April 2011.
Park, Julian, et al. (2011).
The Impact of the EU regulatory constraintof transgenic crops on farm income.
New Biotechnology. Abstract.

Another recent study by the University of Reading(UK) showed that EU farmers are missing out on¤440-930 million each year, simply because they do nothave access to the GM crops that could be grown here.
Why do 15.4 million farmers choose to plantthese crops on 148 million hectares worldwide?
Because they benefit from the technology.

52

ARE GM PLANTS FERTILE, OR DO FARMERS HAVE TO

BUY NEW SEEDS EVERY YEAR?
All GM plants commercialized so far are as fertile as
their conventional counterparts. Nevertheless, GMO
opponents have claimed that companies plan to use
Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTS) — or socalled ‘terminator’ technology — to prevent farmers fromplanting saved seed in the following season. This has now
become something of an urban myth that “terminator”
seed is being sold.
There are no such crops in the marketplace. Recognising
the sensitivity of the subject, the major GM companies
have pledged not to use the technology. Note that
GURTS and hybrid seeds should not be confused.
Already, many farmers, particularly in developed
countries, prefer to buy new seed each year because
it produces better yields. In the case of some hybrid
crops such as maize and many vegetables, buying newseed is preferable, as the harvested crop does not breed
true. This has not prevented hybrid seed dominating themarket, even in developing countries such as India.
53

DO GM CROPS HELP REDUCE PESTICIDEAPPLICATIONS?
Herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant plants accountfor more than 95% of the GM crops at present; bothcontribute to a reduction in farmer’s application of plant
protection products.
A recent large project made an inventory of alteredagrochemical use per hectare of transgenic crops
compared with conventional crops by collecting datafrom public sources, including scientific literature andreports published by dedicated institutions. Several
major studies in the US reported lower herbicide use(up to 25-33%) in herbicide-resistant crops (oilseed rape,cotton, maize, soybean) compared to their conventionalcounterparts. The results have been published in
a comprehensive article by Kleter, et al.

DID YOU KNOW?
In 2010 only 79 GM fieldtrials were carried out inthe EU, more than half ofwhich were in Spain.
The number of GM fieldtrials is declining yearby-year and reflects theshift of research to otherparts of the world.

54

Also for insect-resistant Bt crops, many scientific studies
show a decrease in insecticide spraying. In France, it wasestimated that the 22,000 ha of Bt maize cultivated in2007 saved up to 8,800 litres of insecticide spraying. In
Spain, farmers growing Bt maize applied almost threetimes less agrochemical treatments per year compared
to conventional maize farmers.

DO GM CROPS REALLY HAVE HIGHER YIELDS?
GM crops allow farmers to protect and preserve yields
from damage from pest and weed pressure. A study
on the impact of nine years of commercial cultivationof Bt maize in Europe showed that there have been
important yield and net economic benefits at the farmlevel. In all European countries growing Bt maize, yieldgains were reported, ranging from 5-15% up to 25% inheavily infested regions.
A study by the Joint Research Centre showed that GM
maize increased farm income by up to ¤122 per hectare,led to higher average yields of 11.8% in an area of heavy
insect pressure, and resulted in a reduction in insecticide
costs by as much as ¤20.04 per hectare.

Sources
Kleter GA, Bhula R, Bodnaruk K, Carazo E,
Felsot AS, Harris CA, et al, Altered pesticide
use on transgenic crops and the associatedgeneral impact from an environmental
perspective. Pest Management Science
53:1107–1115 (2007a).
Orama report (2007) GM Maizein the field: conclusive results
http://www.agpm.com/en/iso_album/
technical_results_btmaize_2006.pdf

55

 AN GM, CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANICCCROPS COEXIST?
Yes. In Europe, for example, over 10 years of experience
with Bt maize in Spain has shown that farmers can anddo manage coexistence in practice.

“We need sophisticatedscientific technology to boost
our production.”

A labelling threshold of 0.9% has been set for GM content
in conventional and organic crops, as long as growers
have demonstrated that they have taken reasonableprecautions to prevent inter-mixing. In the vast majorityof cases, measured GM content falls well below the 0.9%
threshold. If not, labelling is required. As long as thisstandard can be maintained, coexistence is perfectly
possible and presents no problems.

Norman Borlaug,father of theGreen Revolution

HAVE THERE BEEN MANY CASES OF GMO CROSS-FERTILISING WITH NON-GM PLANTS? ARE FARMERS’LAND OR LIVELIHOODS BEING AFFECTED BY CROSSFERTILISATION?
There may be individual cases of cross-fertilisation, butthese are the exception. In Europe, for example, Spanish
farmers have grown GM maize next to non-GM maize
for over a decade, and there have been no co-existence-

Source“Can we coexist?”
Tomorrow’s Table blog by Professor Pamela
Ronald, University of California Davis.
http://scienceblogs.com/
tomorrowstable/2011/03/can_we_coexist.php

56

related problems through voluntary schemes. Spanish
farmers employ practical measures based on extensive
cooperation. These include: isolation distance and rows,
planting near other crops, different flowering dates,
cleaning of equipment, traceability and labelling,
testing, etc.
 RE INSECT RESISTANT CROPS TOXIC TOA‘NON-TARGET’ ORGANISMS, LIKE BUTTERFLIES?
There is mounting evidence that shows that GM crops
have no significant adverse effects on non-target
organisms. Many studies have confirmed that Bt is more
specific and has fewer side effects than conventional
pesticides. In fact, Bt has been used in organic farming
as an alternative to conventional insecticides foralmost 60 years. It is regarded as highly selective andenvironmentally friendly.
Two meta-analysis studies in the renowned scientificmagazines Science and Nature Genetics looked at
the effects of Bt. They concluded that:57

• Non-target organisms are generally more abundant in
Bt maize fields than in non-transgenic fields managedwith insecticides.
• Bt crops grown today are more specific and havefewer side effects on non-target organisms than mostinsecticides currently used. Bt technology can contributeto natural enemy conservation and can be a useful tool in
integrated pest management systems.

SourceCarpenter, Janet E. “Impacts of GM
crops on biodiversity.” GM Crops
2:1, 1-17; January/February/March 2011.

Bt has a long history of safe use for more than 40 years,
including by organic growers:
It has long been known that a common soil bacterium called
Bacillus thuringiensis (often referred to as Bt) produces
proteins that kill specific insect larvae, though it is harmless
to other animals and humans.
In fact, numerous spray formulations containing thecommonly occurring Bt soil bacterium have been used formore than 40 years for crop protection, including organic
farming operations. However, an additional environmental
benefit of Bt maize, as compared to maize sprayed withorganic and synthetic insecticides, is that the Bt maize
plants provide insect protection much more selectively,
without the need for spraying.

58

7. Principles

59

60

60

Principles
GMOs have been tightly regulated since their inception, and the EU system for GM approvals
is one of the strictest in the world. Cultivation and imports are only possible with previous
approval at EU level. Against this background, the biotech industry supports:

FREEDOM OF CHOICE
Both farmers and consumers should be free to decide whether they want to cultivate or consume
GM products or not. Europe has created a labelling framework to address consumers’ choice
as well as guidance on co-existence of different farming models (conventional, organic and GM).
EU farmers, however, are being given very little choice, because they are only allowed to grow
two GM crops. In the Americas, farmers can choose between more than 25 GM crops to grow.

FACT BASED DECISION-MAKING
An objective, scientific evaluation of the safety of GM products is rightfully the basis forapprovals in the EU and in other parts of the world. Safe products should be allowed onto
the market. Science-based decisions should not be misused for political purposes.

61

62

62

Principles
WORKABLE APPROVALS SYSTEM
There is a clear potential for to make the EU approval system more efficient.
Even the strictest approvals system should offer applicants a minimum level of predictability.
Currently, applicant companies comply with all requirements but have no certainty about
how many years it will take until a decision is made. Requirements are frequently changed
mid-procedure. Even once their product is proven safe, there is still no certainty if or when it
will be approved. There is a clear potential for speeding up the process whilst maintaining
the same strict standards.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY
The biotech industry plays an important role in increasing public understanding of thetechnology. Industry has always been and continues to be committed to communicating
about all aspects of GM food and crops.
Others must also play a role in responsible public communication, including politicians andofficials at national and international level, food manufacturers, traders and sellers, farmers,scientists and consumer, development and environmental groups.

63

“What farmers think”

Name: Carlos
Profession: Farmer
Country: Brazil
Challenges: Need for higher soy
production on existing land &remaining competitive“Biotechnology has delivered
increased productivity, reduced
costs and better soil management.
GM seeds make soil management
easier, they work well with thedirect seeding technique and help
to better control pests compared
to conventional varieties.”64

8. Index65

66

Biodiversity 7, 44, 45-46, 57-58
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), Definition of 58
Climate change
Coexistence 7, 10, 41-44, 56-57
Cross-fertilisation: see “Coexistence”
Drought and erosion 40, 41, 44, 45
European Commission 12, 28, 32, 36, 51
European Food and Safety Authority(EFSA) 12, 32, 34
Europeans’ opinion of GM 28-29
Environment 7-8, 12, 21, 30, 32, 35, 39, 45,
50-51, 57-58
Farmers 13, 16, 21, 25-26, 27, 29, 34-35, 47,
48, 51-54
Farmer profiles 8, 18, 30, 40, 64
Food security 47-48
Foresight report on global
food and farming 48
Genetic modification, definition of 10
Genetic modification, regulation of 26-27,
31-36
Golden rice 11, 17

GM crops, cultivation of 13-17, 21
GM crops, economic benefit of 21, 25-26, 52
GM crops, global hectarage of 13-16, 19-20
GM crops, market share of 17
GM crops, reasons for planting 21
GM products, approval process for 32
Health 7, 11, 12-13, 17, 32, 47, 51
IPR: see “Patents”
Labeling 32, 35, 56, 57, 61
Land 39, 41
Patents 50-51
Pesticide 40, 44, 48, 52, 54-55, 57
Population 38‘Terminator’ seed 53
Water 43-44
Yield 10, 18, 21, 26, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52-53, 55

67

For further information, please contact:

EuropaBio
6 Avenue de l’ArméeT. +32 2 735 0313
F. +32 2 735 4960

E-mail: gmoinfo@europabio.org
Website: www.europabio.org
Blog: www.seedfeedfood.eu
 EuropaBio andTwitter: @@SeedFeedFood

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