In 2002, the planting area of genetically modified crops increased again

Lead: Washington (Reuters) - U.S farmers will grow more biotech crops this year, with three-quarters of soybeans and one-third of corn using seeds produced by gene recombination, the U.S Department of Agriculture said Thursday A new U.S Department of agriculture survey shows that growers continue to believe in new biotech crops because they can reduce the cost of chemicals and increase production The survey is based on data submitted by farmers who have purchased seeds and are preparing for spring ploughing When the actual cultivation is completed in June, the Ministry of agriculture will adjust its forecast again Although the planting area of genetically modified soybeans, corn and cotton increased in 2002, some green organizations still advocate that consumers should be aware of the safety of biotechnology food, which slows down the market introduction of new crops such as potatoes and rice "After more than five years of selling biotech products, only two crops account for the majority of GM food sold in Meigu supermarket," said Charles Margulis of Greenpeace Critics have called for stricter government controls and testing of biotech foods to ensure long-term safety for humans and animals In February, the report of an international academic conference prompted the USDA to assess the potential impact of new biotech crops on their environment before commercial use According to the biotechnology industry organization, USDA data shows that American farmers have recognized the value of crops produced by biotechnology It is clear that these improved varieties of seeds are conducive to making farmers' crops more resistant to pests, increasing per unit yield and reducing the use of pesticides, industry groups said The U.S Department of Agriculture said the biggest leap in biotechnology engineering in 2002 came from corn production This year, the corn planting area of farmers' planned biotech varieties surged to 32% of the 79 million hectare planting area Last year, 26% of corn fields were planted with genetically enhanced corn varieties Most of them are so-called biotech corn, which can produce natural insecticidal substances to resist those pests that feed on corn The U.S Department of Agriculture said 11 of the major corn growing regions, except Missouri and Ohio, will increase the cultivation of biotech corn According to the U.S Department of agriculture, biotech soybean cultivation this year will increase from 68% last year to 74% of the 73 million soybean planting area in the United States this year In fact, all biotech soybeans are Roundup Ready varieties, which allows farmers to spray a single chemical on their soybean fields to kill different kinds of weeds without any impact on soybeans All 14 major soybean growing states will increase biotech soybean cultivation in 2002, the USDA said A new U.S soybean evaluation has emerged amid concerns about China, which is a major buyer in the international biotech soybean market On Thursday, Beijing clarified its earlier rules on biotech food imports, saying U.S exporters don't have to have as many safety permits as they expected According to the U.S Department of agriculture, the planting of genetically modified cotton increased slightly in 2002, reaching 71% of the 14.5 million hectares of cotton planted in the highlands of the United States this year, and the biotech cotton accounted for 69% of the cotton planted in the United States last year However, according to the USDA report, farmers in Louisiana and North Carolina say they will slightly adjust their biotech cotton acreage (author:) share to feed Weibo share to: