The number of acres worldwide used to grow genetically engineered crops declined for the first time last year, according to a new report.
When we talk genetically engineered (GE) crops, we’re mostly talking corn, soybeans and cotton. The share of land worldwide dedicated to planting GE crops has shown steady growth over the last 20 years.
But buying the latest technology is expensive. When prices were good, farmers bought genetically engineered seeds. Now, as Mark Johnson from Iowa State University Extension says, grain prices are down worldwide.
“But now that we’ve got more traditional grain prices, it’s hard to pay for all that," Johnson says. "It’s like, I don’t have to have a Cadillac.”
If crop prices bounce back, expect to see more farmers once again buying, and planting GE.