Adoption and performance of the first GM crop introduced in EU agriculture: Bt maize in Spain (2008)

This paper is relevant to the Socio-Economic, and Co-Existence categories in the following areas:

Abstract or Summary:

This report helps to fill these gaps by showing the results of a survey conducted amongst 402 Spanish maize farmers, some of them adopters others non-adopters of Bt maize technology. The objective is to identify the characteristics that make the difference between the two groups and to calculate the impact of Bt maize technology on farmers' yields, costs and returns over the 2002-2004 seasons.

All in all, it can be concluded that adoption of Bt maize in Spain has been a consequence of farmers trying to increase their profit, reduce the risk of yield losses due to corn borer or both. Empirical analysis has found that Bt maize can
increase yields and bring farmers tangible economic benefits. However, when considering the future adoption and impact of GM crops in the EU, a new dimension has to be added: the costs incurred in order to ensure co-existence with non-GM crops. EU Member States have targeted GM crop farmers as the ones who have to take any measures necessary at farm level. No such framework for coexistence targeted on GM crop farmers is in place in other parts of the world where GM crops are cultivated. This raises new questions for adoption of GM crops by EU farmers and its economic balance.

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