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Question

What was the first GMO crop to be introduced in the marketplace?

What was the first GMO crop to be introduced into the marketplace?

Submitted by: Ashley Elaine Stein


Answer

Expert response from Fran Castle

Former Global Senior Manager, Communications, BASF

Thursday, 06/11/2014 15:22

Our Explore the Basics section discusses the first GM crop introduced into the marketplace, the Flavr Savr tomato:

 

“The Flavr Savr tomato was the first GM food crop to be available commercially in the United States, in 1994. It was created to be less perishable. Weak harvests and costly shipping methods combined to create an unprofitable tomato. As a result, the Flavr Savr tomato was commercialized for only three years.”

 

You might also be interested in the excerpt below, which includes a chart of the eight GM crops currently available in the United States: squash, cotton, soybean, corn, papaya, alfalfa, sugar beets and canola.

 

Here is a table outlining what year these crops became available commercially:

 

Squash

Upjohn (now Seminis)

1995

Cotton

Monsanto

1996

Soybean

Monsanto

1995

Corn

Ciba Seeds

1996

Papaya

Cornell University/University of Hawaii

1997

Alfalfa

Monsanto and Forage Genetics

2006

Sugar beets

Monsanto and KWS SAAT AG

2006

Canola

Monsanto

1999

   
If you have any additional questions, please ask.