The United States had the largest area of genetically modified crops worldwide in 2023, at 74.4 million hectares, followed by Brazil with a little over 66.5 million hectares.
Genetically Modified Crop Market
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Regarding acreage [worldwide], the most commonly genetically modified crops are soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola as of 2019. In that year, 13.5 per cent of all the cotton grown worldwide was genetically modified. The same was true for 48.2 percent of all soybean plants. Because genetic modifications are proprietary, the market for genetically modified seeds and pesticides is heavily concentrated between a few major companies. Monsanto is the biggest player in the genetically modified crop market based on revenue.
Consumer Views on Genetically Modified Food
Genetically modified foods are very common in the United States. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a controversial topic in the United States, with 39 percent of U.S. consumers believing that GMOs are less healthy than non-GMO foods. Most U.S. consumers believe that products containing GMOs should be labelled as such.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been available for commercial purchase since the 1990s, allowing producers to increase crop yields through bioengineering that creates herbicide-resistant and insect-resistant varieties. However, consumer knowledge about GMOs has not increased at the same rate as the adoption of GMO crops. Consumers worldwide are displaying limited understanding, misconceptions, and even unfamiliarity with GMO food products. Many consumers report that they receive information about GMO food products from the media, Internet, and other news sources. These sources may be less reliable than scientific experts whom consumers trust more to present the facts. Although many in the United States support mandatory GMO labeling (similar to current European standards), consumer awareness of current GMO labeling is low. A distinction must also be made between GMO familiarity and scientific understanding, because those who are more familiar with it tend to be more resistant to bioengineering, whereas those with higher scientific knowledge scores tend to have less negative attitudes toward GMOs. This brings to question the relation between scientific literacy, sources of information, and overall consumer knowledge and perception of GMO foods.
