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Question

how many people in America would loose their jobs if GMO were banned?

Submitted by: debata


Answer

Expert response from Janet Carpenter

Owner, J E Carpenter Consulting LLC M.S. Agricultural and Resource Economics

Friday, 20/05/2016 18:07

There is very little research into the impacts of the introduction of GMO’s on jobs. For the U.S., I am aware of just two studies that address this question directly. In a study on herbicide tolerant corn, cotton and soybeans for 2001-2003, researchers found a significant reduction in household labor associated with adoption of herbicide tolerant soybeans, but no difference for corn or cotton (Gardner, et al., 2009). Another study, using data from 1996-2001, found that adoption of herbicide tolerant soybeans were associated with a significant increase in off-farm income, as farmers took advantage of the time-savings afforded by reduced managerial time and reduced tillage using weed management programs with herbicide tolerant soybeans (Fernandez-Cornejo, et al., 2007).

 

Beyond the impact on farmers, one might expect job impacts for the companies that develop and market GMO’s if they were banned. I’m not aware of any research on this question, but it would be reasonable to assume that jobs related to GMOs would be lost at these companies. However, at least some of those losses would be made up by job gains in pesticide development and marketing, perhaps within the same companies, related to a resurgence in pesticide use that has been reduced with the introduction of insect resistant GM corn and cotton.