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Answers

Question

If GMOs are so safe, why do are there so many governments (ones where there aren't any Monsanto employees in the gov't) Ban GMOs?

Submitted by: Brenna Aune


Answer

Expert response from GMOAnswers Admin_1

Monday, 02/12/2013 21:02

There have been a lot of questions posted to this site about the number of countries that ban GM crops.  In fact, the number of countries that don’t allow the cultivation of biotech crops is small. In many cases, the country simply lacks a regulatory framework and the means to develop and implement one. In 2012, GM crops were approved for farmers to cultivate in 28 countries, but a total of 74 countries have approved either the cultivation of, or import of food and feed from, GM crops. 

Biotech crops are cultivated or imported in so many countries because they: 1. benefit farmers ($98 billion additional income for farmers since 1996); 2. Benefit the planet (saved greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 10 million cars); and 3. are safe. GM crops are some of the most researched and tested. For example, there are more than 1,000 studies on biotechnology available on www.biofortified.org. In addition, major scientific bodies and regulatory agencies around the world have reviewed the research on GM crops and determined they are as safe as their non-GM counterparts.