But our ability to market goods developed with biotechnology is more than just an economic issue. It's a humanitarian issue, it's an environmental issue, and it's an issue of global food security. It is one of our best defenses against the deforestation, land erosion, and water depletion that can destabilize entire populations. And it is critical to the livelihood of U.S. producers. America's farmers and ranchers now find their income tied more directly to the market than in recent memory.
Biotechnology can be one of the most important tools to maximize market returns.
For example, a corporate developer of Bt corn reports average yield increases across the United States for Bt corn of 11 percent, with yield gains of up to 25 percent in areas of heavy infestation by the European corn borer. These developments contribute directly to a producer's bottom line. Producers are already seeing the benefits from what is just the first generation of biotech products, so it is not surprising that plantings of genetically modified crops have increased. A significant percentage of U.S. cotton area was planted to genetically modified varieties last year. It is likely that the area for genetically modified crops will expand again this year.