Do genetically modified crops reduce pesticide use?
Each year billions of pounds of pesticides and herbicides are used for agricultural purposes. Many of these chemicals are neurotoxins that eventually wind up in groundwater, contaminating rivers and streams. Companies marketing genetically modified seeds to farmers have claimed their herbicide-tolerant products will require less chemical applications, thereby easing the work of the farmer and reducing environmental impact. Herbicides can be sprayed directly over the plants, most often corn, soybeans or cotton, without harming the crop itself. A 2003 report titled “Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use in the United States: The First Eight Years,” prepared by the Northwest Science and Environmental Policy Center, examined data collected by the USDA and concluded that pesticide use has in fact increased noticeably since the 1996 introduction of these crops. Individual farmers may not apply as many different herbicides as before, but the total amount has risen. The chem
