Impact of GMOs
Currently, scientists have conducted a colossal study - the largest study of genetically modified crops and pesticides.
A team of four scientists led by economist Federico Chiliberto at the University of Virginia looked at data from 5,000 soybean farms and 5,000 corn farms in the United States between 1998 and 2001. This study took 14 years, unlike typical studies that take data over a period of one to two years.
“The fact that we have data from farmers across the United States over a period of 14 years makes this kind of research very special,” says Kiliberto. "We repeated the observations of the same farmers, and this allows us to know when they used genetically modified seeds, and how this affected the use of chemicals."
There are two varieties of GMOs in corn and soybeans: one kills insects and the other contains glyphosate, a herbicide commonly used to control weeds.
The researchers found that the use of GMOs actually increased herbicide use by 28 percent. This is because glyphosate-resistant weeds grow on GMO farms.
According to Kiliberto, “at first there was a reduction in herbicide use, but over time the use of chemicals increased as farmers were forced to add new chemicals as a result of weed resistance to glyphosate.”
However, the use of GMOs has also led to a reduction in the use of insecticides: farmers who grow corn using GMOs are reducing their insecticide consumption by 11.2%. Insects have not developed resistance to insecticides because farmers have “safe zones” in their fields - places where there are no genetically modified crops.
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Harm to the environment
The results obtained may indicate a negative impact of GMOs on the environment. The increased use of herbicides, especially in the quantities found during the study, suggests the possibility of contamination of the environment with toxic chemicals.
At the same time, reducing the use of insecticides has the opposite effect and leads to a decrease in toxic chemicals in the environment.
These conflicting findings warrant further research on the use of GMOs and their impact on the environment, farmers, and consumers.