www.raupp.info

While a lot of harvesting activity took place this past weekend across
the Midwest, there was one acre in particular that was important. A
group supportive of biotechnology has estimated that on Sunday the one
billionth acre of biotech plants was harvested ?True to the biblical
adage ?you reap what you sow?, somewhere in the world, the one billionth
acre of biotech crops is being harvested,? stated Dean Kleckner, an Iowa
farmer and Chairman of Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT). October
2005 by Gary Truitt.

A counter designed to track biotech crop acres as they are planted and
harvested around the world, researched by Ross Korves, economist and
policy analyst for TATT, has indicated that the one billionth acre was
harvested somewhere in the northern hemisphere on Sunday, October 2,
2005.

?While we don?t know exactly where this milestone-setting harvested acre
is located ? it could be soybeans grown in Iowa, canola produced in
Canada, a corn field in Spain or cotton in California, China or India ?
we do know that it is being harvested this weekend?, said Kleckner.
?This year, my organization has researched and tracked agricultural
statistics from around the world, establishing that the one-billionth
acre of biotech crops was planted in early May. The astonishing speed
with which farmers from around the world have adopted this technology is
significant. And soon, China will approve biotech-enhanced rice. A
tipping point moment. As China goes (the number one populated nation)
and rice goes (the number one global food staple) so goes the world.?

The TATT biotech counters are based on a starting point established for
planted and harvested acres by ISAAA Brief No. 32-2004 Preview- Global
Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2004 by Clive James of the
International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications
(ISAAA).

On December 31, 2004 the accumulated global biotech acres planted was
951 million acres. In 2004 alone, more than eight million farmers
planted 200 million acres of biotech crops in 17 countries. Ninety
percent of those farmers are resource-poor farmers from developing
countries. While the United States continues to dominate agriculture
biotechnology, more than one third of the 2004 biotech crop was grown in
developing countries. Biotech acres planted and harvested will continue
to grow rapidly as health-enhancing traits become available.

?Ten years of use and a billion acres harvested around the world have
clearly shown the economic benefits of biotech crops? said Korves.
?Documented analysis of producer experiences in both developed and
developing countries indicate increased economic return and
environmental benefits as a direct result of biotech crop production.
With more countries establishing regulations for the use of biotech
crops, the second billion acres will likely be harvested in only four
years as biotech crops continue to spread around the globe.?

------------------------------------------
Posted to Phorum via PhorumMail