who benefits from gm crops?

The report argues that GM crops are primarily grown for animal feed and fuels rather than human food, and that industry claims regarding yield increases and climate change mitigation are unsupported by evidence. It highlights the rise of herbicide-resistant 'super weeds' in the US and the Southern Cone, the displacement of indigenous communities, and the risks of corporate seed monopolies. The document advocates for agro-ecology as a sustainable alternative to the industrial GM model.

• The majority of GM crops are not produced for human consumption, but are instead used for animal feed, cotton, and agrofuels. Over 99% of commercial GM crops are limited to soya, cotton, maize, or canola.
• Industry data from ISAAA is criticized for using 'data tricks' to inflate growth figures, such as 'double counting' through 'trait hectares' and including 'ghost hectares' where official statistics are absent.
• In the United States, GM crops have led to an increase in pesticide use rather than a decrease. Research indicates that GM crop acres were treated with over 26% more pesticide per acre than conventional varieties in 2008.
• The widespread use of Roundup Ready crops has caused the emergence of glyphosate-resistant 'super weeds' in the US, Canada, Argentina, and Brazil, forcing farmers to use more toxic herbicide cocktails.
• In the Southern Cone of America, GM soy expansion is linked to deforestation, the violent eviction of peasant and indigenous communities, and significant environmental pollution from biocides.
• The report rejects the claim that GM crops are a solution for climate change, stating there is no evidence that they increase yields or store more carbon in plants than conventional crops.
• Claims regarding 'miracle' GM crops for drought and salt tolerance are described as speculative and not yet commercially available, with some companies admitting their products may still fail under severe water deficit.
• Corporate concentration in the biotech sector, particularly by Monsanto, has led to high seed prices and restricted access to genetic resources through the patenting of natural climate genes.
• Agro-ecology is presented as a proven, sustainable alternative to GM crops that can address food security and climate change by increasing soil organic matter and preserving biodiversity.

APA

Riley, P., Chandrasekaran, K., & Hall, R. (2010). who benefits from gm crops? Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/23-foei-gmo-report-2010-eng-colour-lr.pdf

Chicago

Riley, Pete, Kirtana Chandrasekaran, and Ronnie Hall. who benefits from gm crops? Friends of the Earth International, 2010. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/23-foei-gmo-report-2010-eng-colour-lr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Riley |first1=Pete |last2=Chandrasekaran |first2=Kirtana |last3=Hall |first3=Ronnie |title=who benefits from gm crops? |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=September 2010 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/23-foei-gmo-report-2010-eng-colour-lr.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{riley2010who, author = {Riley, Pete and Chandrasekaran, Kirtana and Hall, Ronnie}, title = {{who benefits from gm crops?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2010}, month = sep, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/23-foei-gmo-report-2010-eng-colour-lr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }