by staff
American Soybean Association President Richard Wilkins responded to what he called ?the inaccuracies and false conclusions in the article,? written in the New York Times about yield benefits and pesticide use when cultivating GMO?s. He said the article lacks any reference of reduced or eliminated tillage as a result of increased use of GMOs.
He said, ?GMO technology provides weed control without tilling the soil multiple times.? This fact has allowed farmers to increase use of conservation tillage practices, as well as reduced soil erosion, improved water quality, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The article called into question yield and pesticide results between the U.S. and Canada compared to western Europe. Wilkins said, ?the author fails to standardize data from France when comparing it to the U.S. because America has nine times the amount of arable land.
Also, the author made sensational and false links to Agent Orange and sarin gas.? Wilkins said the article fails to distinguish between even the most basic types of chemicals used. Over the past twenty years, farmers have replaced more toxic herbicides with less toxic options, even when applied at a higher poundage.
