Big farms favour gene crops in USA

7 March 2000



Big farms favour gene crops in USA

LARGE US farms are tending to plant genetically modified crops, while smaller concerns favour a non-GM premium, reports the Financial Times.

A survey by the American Corn Growers Association, whose membership is tilted towards smaller growers, reported that indicated plantings of GM corn were likely to fall by 11% overall.

This figure increased to 16% among the group of 321 growers who used biotech seeds in 1999.

But the bigger National Corn Growers Association, which includes more large-farm members, sees a fairly stable situation.

Seed companies are also upbeat, with Monsanto last month predicting an increase in GM crop acreage.

An Ohio seed merchant tells the newspaper that big farms getting efficient yields from GM crops are sticking with them.

But smaller farms, hopeful of a non-GM premium and confident they can keep weeds and insects away by traditional methods, prefer conventional crops.

• US farmers warn over gene crops, FWi, 07 February, 2000

• US farmers warned over GM crops, FWi, 26 November, 1999
• Financial Times 06/03/2000 page36