The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Agbiotech

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. Economic and Environmental Impacts of Agrobiotechnology: An Introduction

   • Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes

   Pages 1-18

3. The Impact of Agricultural Biotechnology on the Conventional Agrochemical Market

   • John McDougall, Matthew Phillips

   Pages 19-41

4. Trends in Pesticide Use Since the Introduction of Genetically Engineered Crops

   • Janet E. Carpenter, Leonard P. Gianessi

   Pages 43-62

5. Economic and Environmental Impacts of Herbicide Tolerant and Insect Resistant Crops in the United States

   • Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo, Cassandra Klotz-Ingram, Ralph Heimlich, Meredith Soule, William McBride, Sharon Jans

   Pages 63-88

6. Environmental Effects of Glyphosate Resistant Soybeans in the United States

   • Gerald C. Nelson, David S. Bullock

   Pages 89-101

7. Adoption of Cotton Biotechnology in the United States: Implications for Impact Assessment

   • Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, Pasu Suntornpithug

   Pages 103-118

8. The Economic Impact of Herbicide Tolerant Canola in Canada

   • Peter W. B. Phillips

   Pages 119-139

9. Deployment and Impact of Transgenic Bt Cotton in Australia

   • Gary P. Fitt

   Pages 141-164

10. Transgenic Crops in Spain

    • Francisco García-Olmedo

    Pages 165-182

11. Transgenic Cotton in Mexico: A Case Study of the Comarca Lagunera

    • Greg Traxler, Salvador Godoy-Avila, José Falck-Zepeda, José de Jesús Espinoza-Arellano

    Pages 183-202

12. Adoption of Herbicide Tolerant Soybeans in Argentina: An Economic Analysis

    • Julio A. Penna, Daniel Lema

    Pages 203-221

13. The Impact of Bt Cotton in China

    • Carl Pray, Jikun Huang

    Pages 223-242

14. The Adoption and Impact of Agricultural Biotechnology in South Africa

    • Johann Kirsten, Marnus Gouse

    Pages 243-259

15. Economic Effects of Bt Cotton Adoption and the Impact of Government Programs

    • George B. Frisvold, Russell Tronstad

    Pages 261-286

16. Substitution and Complementarities in the Biotechnology and Pesticide Markets: A Theoretical Framework

    • Stéphane Lemarié, Stéphan Marette

    Pages 287-305

17. Economic and Environmental Impacts of Agrobiotechnology: Conclusions

    • Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes

    Pages 307-319

18. Back Matter

    Pages 321-336

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After almost fifteen years in the laboratory and in the test plots, bioengineered crops arrived to the market in the mid-1990s. Adoption was rapid and wide­ spread. In 1996, less than 4 million acres in six countries were planted with bioengineered crops. By 2001, worldwide adoption had expanded to more than 115 million acres. Important questions quickly followed. What were the factors driving the widespread adoption and rapid diffusion of these first-generation agrobiotech­ nologies? What were their economic and environmental impacts? How were such impacts distributed among large and small producers, innovators and adopters, developed and developing countries, exporters and importers, domestic and foreign consumers? How were such impacts and their distribu­ tion affected by market structure and government policies? A growing body of literature has provided valuable answers to some of these questions. However, an assessment that accounts for the full range of differences in geography, weather, pests, farm structures, and institutions had not been completed. It brings together leading This book provides just such an assessment. authors from around the world who have analyzed the production, environ­ mental, and economic impacts of first-generation crop biotechnologies. By pooling experiences across various countries, time periods, crops, and traits, this global panel is able to synthesize a complete picture of the impacts of first-generation crop biotechnologies.

• biotechnology
• environment
• pesticide
• production
• transgen
• weather
• air pollution and air quality

"Utilizing a diversity of study design, 16 papers explore the production, environmental, and economic impacts of introduction of "first-generation" biotechnology into agriculture. Focusing on the impacts of insect resistant (IR) and herbicide tolerant (HT) technologies in the production of corn, soybeans, cotton, and canola in countries around the world, the studies look at microlevel and aggregate economic impacts, explore environmental results (focusing largely on decreased use of pesticides), and look for links between the two. The general conclusions are largely positive, indicating improved environmental results and greater benefits for small farmers in developing countries, however many important questions remain to be addressed."
(Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR)
"This is an extremely useful and informative volume that should play an important role in informing the debate on the commercial release of GM varieties in Europe and elsewhere, where the potential benefits are yet to be realized."
(Susannah Bolton, Rothamsted Research, Hertfordshire, UK)

• University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, USA

  Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes

Dr. Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes is the Editor of AgBioForum, as well as an editorial board member for several other related academic journals. As an active consultant and educator he has worked with the US and other international public organizations, industry organizations, and agrifood companies on biotechnology strategy. Dr. Kalaitzandonakes is a Professor of Agribusiness and the Director of the Economics and Management of Agrobiotechnology Center (EMAC) at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he teaches management and strategy of innovation and biotechnology. He received his BS in Agricultural Economics from the University of Athens and his MS and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Florida.

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