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Question

how long does it take to make a gmo

Submitted by: aboyer


Answer

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Friday, 22/05/2015 12:38

This infographic illustrates the process and the length of time for a GMO to come to market from the beginning of the research and development work: 

 

 

As Wendelyn Jones, Global Regulatory Affairs at DuPont Crop Protection, explains:

 

“[I]t requires a tremendous investment of both time and resources to bring a new biotech crop to market. A survey completed in 2011 found the cost of discovery, development and authorization of a new plant biotechnology trait introduced between 2008 and 2012 was $136 million. On average, about 26 percent of those costs ($35.1 million) were incurred as part of the regulatory testing and registration process. The same study found that the average time from initiation of a discovery project to commercial launch is about 13 years. The longest phase of product development is regulatory science and registration activities, at about 5.5 years for traits introduced in 2011.

 

“While that price tag is significant, so are the losses from pests, diseases and other issues that these new traits are designed to help farmers combat. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has estimated corn rootworm causes $1 billion in damage to the U.S. corn crop alone each year. By delivering traits that can fight these pests, it increases farmers’ productivity.”