{"id":1499,"date":"2020-06-02T14:50:37","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T13:50:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=1499"},"modified":"2024-02-18T18:27:03","modified_gmt":"2024-02-18T18:27:03","slug":"gmo-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/gmo-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"30+ Eye-Opening GMO Statistics (2024 UPDATE)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genetic engineering of animals and plants is one of the biggest environmental challenges of the 21st century, as you\u2019ll see from these <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO statistics<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO pros and cons<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> debate rages worldwide, we bring you the most important GMOs data to help you make an informed decision on the good and bad sides of GMOs and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">non<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO foods<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='what-are-the-top-10-facts-about-gmo-foods'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Are the Top 10 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts About GMO Foods<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are 10 commercialized types of GMO crops in the US.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than 60 countries worldwide have either banned or restricted the use and production of GMOs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The US planted 75 million hectares of biotech crops in 2018.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Close to 90% of field corn in the US is genetically modified.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s estimated that 77% of papaya grown in Hawaii is bioengineered.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About 94% of soybean is genetically modified.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">40% of dairy products in the US contain rBGH.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO statistics<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2019<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reported that the total acreage of GM crops worldwide was 191.7 million hectares.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since GM crops were introduced in 1996, pesticides have increased by 404 million pounds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hybridization in areas with both genetically modified and wild plants can reach 33%.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than 15 years after their commercial release, GMOs are still a debated topic regarding their safety.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biotech industry claims that GMO foods will feed us all. In contrast, scientists are concerned about the impact GMOs have on people&#8217;s health, animals, and the environment in general.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read on if you want to discover more about the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO environmental impact<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the genetics behind GM food.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='how-are-gmos-made'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Are GMOs Made<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most used <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO definition<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> describes genetic modification (engineering) as changing the DNA of a plant or animal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bioengineers insert genes from other plants or animals to create new food species consistent in flavor and resistant to insecticides and pesticides.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='1-there-are-10-commercialized-types-of-gmo-crops-in-the-us'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. There are 10 commercialized types of GMO crops in the US.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(GMO Answers)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO crops for commercial use in the US were approved in 1996, and their production increased rapidly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most common <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO examples<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Squash<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soybean<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Corn<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cotton<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Papaya<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canola<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alfalfa<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sugar beets<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Potato, and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apples.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These GM foods are often used as processed ingredients in everyday foods.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='2-tomato-was-the-first-bioengineered-food'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Tomato was the first bioengineered food.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ScienceDirect)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This occurred in 1994. The Flavr Savr tomato was engineered with an antisense gene that delays ripening to prolong shelf life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, gene editing also altered the tomato bulb composition, as the latest <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">facts about genetically modified food<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='3-roughly-75-of-processed-foods-contain-gmos'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Roughly 75% of processed foods contain GMOs.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Center for Food Safety)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foods that are <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">non<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO, meaning<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they were not bioengineered, make up only a tiny share of what we eat, which is a great cause for concern.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anything from sodas to soups, crackers to condiments, just about any type of food you can imagine probably has some genetically engineered ingredients.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='4-each-plant-cell-contains-approximately-30000-genes'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Each plant cell contains approximately 30,000 genes.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Royal Society)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All forms of animal and plant life contain genes, and these are but natural parts of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet, most of that DNA is either destroyed or degraded while cooking. The rest is digested into constituents that make up our proteins and genes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> state, genetic engineering adds approximately 1\u201310 extra foreign genes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='5-as-of-2020-gmo-labeling-is-obligatory-for-all-produce-containing-more-than-5-of-bioengineered-material'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. As of 2020, GMO labeling is obligatory for all produce containing more than 5% of bioengineered material.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Live Science)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO labeling<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has spurred many debates. The FDA issued a ruling in 2015 that required GMO labeling only if there was a material difference. One such material difference is the different nutritional profile between a GMO product and its non-GMO equivalent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, one of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">positive GMO facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is that this labeling rule has since changed, allowing end consumers to find out when they&#8217;re buying a GMO product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='6-currently-64-countries-require-gmo-labeling'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. Currently, 64 countries require GMO labeling.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Organic Authority)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes 28 countries from the EU, Japan, China, Australia, Brazil, and Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like Campbell Soup, some companies voluntarily label their products, even in countries that don&#8217;t require it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='7-over-60-countries-worldwide-either-ban-or-restrict-the-use-and-production-of-gmos-according-to-recent-gmo-safety-facts'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Over 60 countries worldwide either ban or restrict the use and production of GMOs, according to recent <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO safety facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Live Science)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most developed countries believe that GMOs aren\u2019t safe due to the lack of credible independent long-term feeding studies. Some of these include the EU, Australia, and Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, these plants are primarily modified to make them resistant to certain toxic chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The plants then feed on these chemicals and use them while growing, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/bee-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contaminating the food <\/span><\/a>for insects such as bees and<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0animals and humans.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='gmo-crop-yield-statistics'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO Crop Yield Statistics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genetic engineering is primarily used in agriculture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plants are engineered to become more resistant to chemicals, viruses, pests, droughts, and browning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bioengineering is also used to increase the yield of crops (the number of grains, pods, fruit, or the plant&#8217;s size).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='8-over-18-million-farmers-worldwide-choose-to-grow-gm-plants'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Over 18 million farmers worldwide choose to grow GM plants.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(GMO Answers)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides the record number of biotech farmers, the size of the land used for GM farming has also skyrocketed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMOs statistics<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal, the worldwide hectarage of GM crops has increased 100-fold. It grew from 1.7 million hectares in 1996, when GM foods production started, to over 175 million hectares in 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These substantial figures have made biotech crops the quickest adopted crop technology in recent history.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='9-28-countries-grow-gm-crops-on-473-7-million-acres'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9. 28 countries grow GM crops on 473.7 million acres.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ISAAA.org)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biggest producers are the US, Brazil, Argentina, India, and Canada. If we look at the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">percentage of GMO crops in the US<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, we see that it leads by a mile, contributing a whopping 40%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Europe, GMOs are primarily grown in Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Slovakia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, in Africa, GMOs are predominantly grown in South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Sudan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='10-the-us-planted-75-million-hectares-of-biotech-crops-in-2018-alone'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10. The US planted 75 million hectares of biotech crops in 2018 alone.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ISAAA.org)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A total of 26 countries planted biotech crops during the same year. The US covered approximately 39 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">percent of GMO crops in the world<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2018<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, 18 countries grew more than 50,000 hectares of biotech crops, rightfully earning the status of biotech mega-countries.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='11-studies-claim-that-gm-crops-provide-a-6%e2%80%9325-increase-in-crop-yield'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11. Studies claim that GM crops provide a 6\u201325% increase in crop yield.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Alliance for Science)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists claim that GM crops can increase crop yield by up to 25% and decrease mycotoxin levels by one-third, depending on the country and the soil.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mycotoxins are responsible for the majority of economic losses and health issues.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='12-gmo-statistics-from-2019-reported-that-the-total-size-of-gm-crops-worldwide-was-190-4-million-hectares'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO statistics<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2019<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reported that the total size of GM crops worldwide was 190.4 million hectares.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Statista)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The acreage of GM crops has been increasing rapidly since 2003, reaching its peak in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were 67.7 million hectares of biotech crops in 2003, and just three years later, that number crossed the 100-million threshold.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='13-the-global-value-of-biotech-crops-reached-186-1-billion-during-the-1996%e2%80%932016-period'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13. The global value of biotech crops reached $186.1 billion during the 1996\u20132016 period.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ISAAA.org)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The report on <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO statistics<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2018<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> revealed enormous economic gains from biotech crops. As a biotech crop leader, the US earned the most \u2014 $80.3 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[visualizer id=&#8221;6019&#8243;]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, Argentina, India, Brazil, and China also had good economic outcomes. They earned $23.7 billion, $21.1 billion, $19.8 billion, and $19.6 billion, respectively, for their GM crops shares.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What&#8217;s more, GM crops&#8217; global market value in 2017 was estimated at $17.2 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='genetically-modified-food-statistics'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genetically Modified Food Statistics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The overall percentage of GM crops has grown at least 600% since 1994.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some biotech crops, like corn, have increased by a mind-boggling 1,000% during the same period. Also, animals are given hormone injections and fed GMO food.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='14-close-to-90-of-field-corn-in-the-us-is-genetically-modified'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14. Close to 90% of field corn in the US is genetically modified.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(USDA ERS)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Corn (maize) has been modified to survive glyphosate herbicide (sold as Roundup) that destroys competing weeds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO corn facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> show that bioengineers have also modified corn with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bacillus thuringiensis<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is a bacteria that is toxic to corn-eating caterpillars, intending to help farmers reduce the use of pesticides.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='15-it%e2%80%99s-estimated-that-77-of-papaya-grown-in-hawaii-is-in-fact-bioengineered'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15. It\u2019s estimated that 77% of papaya grown in Hawaii is, in fact, bioengineered.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(The Non-GMO Project)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Papaya was the first-ever fruit bioengineered for commercial production. Today, there are two GM varieties developed in Hawaii \u2014 SunUp (or Sunrise) and Rainbow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the latest papaya GMO facts, the fruit was modified to resist the papaya ringspot virus. In addition, farmers from Hawaii harvested over 23 million pounds of the fruit back in 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='16-about-94-of-soybean-is-genetically-modified'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16. About 94% of soybean is genetically modified.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(FDA, The Non-GMO Project)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soybean (or soya bean) is the number one bioengineered plant globally. Some varieties were explicitly modified to produce more oil and 3 times more oleic acid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">soy GMO facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal that even though most of the soy produced in the US is GM, soy milk is actually GMO-free.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='17-more-than-90-of-canola-crops-grown-in-the-us-are-genetically-modified'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17. More than 90% of canola crops grown in the US are genetically modified.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Healthline)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This doesn&#8217;t mean that all the canola oil is GMO. Still, the great majority of canola crops are, in fact, GM to improve the quality of the oil and increase the plant&#8217;s resistance to herbicides.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='18-36-of-genetically-modified-corn-in-the-us-is-used-as-animal-feed'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">18. 36% of genetically modified corn in the US is used as animal feed.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(One Green Planet)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the <a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/factory-farming-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">use of antibiotics is a common practice in factory farming<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet, that\u2019s not all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The animals are also fed genetically modified food. According to new <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO meat facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, corn makes up most crops given to livestock, comprising approximately 95% of animal feed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, genetically modified soy plays a big part in animal agriculture. 98% of GM soy grown in the US is used as animal feed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keeping in mind that 99% of animals in America are raised for food and fed with GM produce, we can say with certainty that almost all the meat in the US is GMO.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='the-environment-and-gmo-statistics'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Environment and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO Statistics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The relationship between GMOs and the environment is complicated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While some GM crops help decrease the use of pesticides, like cotton, that&#8217;s engineered to be pest-resistant, others pose significant dangers to the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='19-since-gm-crops-were-introduced-in-1996-pesticides-have-increased-by-404-million-pounds'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">19. Since GM crops were introduced in 1996, pesticides have increased by 404 million pounds.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Greenpeace USA)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The world\u2019s top producer of GMO seeds, Monsanto, is also selling the most popular weedkiller \u2014 Roundup.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO statistics<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveal that since the introduction of bioengineering, the use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has risen by 15%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, glyphosate \u2014 the active ingredient of this herbicide \u2014 has been classified by the WHO as a probable carcinogen.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='20-depending-on-the-climate-glyphosate-stays-in-the-soil-for-up-to-6-months'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20. Depending on the climate, glyphosate stays in the soil for up to 6 months.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(OSU)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This chemical binds tightly to the soil and is broken down by bacteria in it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the latest <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, pure glyphosate is not extremely toxic to wildlife and fish. Still, it can be harmful in combination with other chemicals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nonetheless, it kills plants, and this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/deforestation-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">land clearing is affecting the habitats of millions of animals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='21-hybridization-in-areas-with-both-gm-and-wild-plants-can-reach-33'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">21. Hybridization in areas with both GM and wild plants can reach 33%.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(European Commission)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The EC has conducted a study on GM sunflowers, claiming they would be the most profitable plant for farmers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, their <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pro<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO facts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also reveal that insect pollination can spread the sunflower seeds more than 1 km from GMO fields. Thus contaminating wild plants and negatively affecting biodiversity in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='22-16-weed-species-in-the-us-have-become-resistant-to-pesticides'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">22. 16 weed species in the US have become resistant to pesticides.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(NCBI)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another downside of GMOs is weed resistance. Worldwide, 37 weed species have become resistant to glyphosate. This resistance to herbicides is leading to crop destruction, as well as the increased use of chemicals.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='faq'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAQ<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 id='23-what-percent-of-our-food-is-genetically-modified'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">23. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What percent of our food is genetically modified?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A considerable percentage of today&#8217;s most commonly grown crops are GM. Close to 90% of corn, 90% of cotton, 94% of soybeans, and 95% of sugar beets.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='24-what-is-the-risk-of-gmos'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the risk of GMOs?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMOs can cause allergic reactions, resistance to antibiotics, eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS), a flu-like neurological condition, and many other conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='25-what-gmo-ingredients-should-you-avoid'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What GMO ingredients should you avoid?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the GMO ingredients you should avoid include aspartame, a chemical that causes neurotoxicity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other ingredients include high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, non-organic and synthetic vitamins since many contain aspartame, vegetable, and canola oils.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='26-what-crops-in-the-us-are-gmo'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">26. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What crops in the US are GMO?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In total, 10 crops in the US are GMO, with more than 100 varieties. They include squash, soybean, corn, cotton, papaya, canola, alfalfa, sugar beets, potato, and apples.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='27-what-are-the-environmental-effects-of-gmos'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">27. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the environmental effects of GMOs?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMOs aren\u2019t dangerous to the environment per se, but they <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">do <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">influence it indirectly. The use of pesticides has increased since the introduction of GMOs. Plants and soil absorb these toxins and further endanger the health of animals, people, and the environment as a whole.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='28-what-are-the-5-most-common-gmo-crops'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">28. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the 5 most common GMO crops?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most common GMO crops are alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, and papaya.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='29-how-do-farmers-benefit-from-gmos'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">29. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do farmers benefit from GMOs?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farmers who grow GMOs have lower production costs, fewer pest problems, and better yields.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='30-what-are-the-benefits-of-gmos'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the benefits of GMOs?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are some obvious benefits of using GMOs, like increasing agriculture productivity and lowering production costs, leading to lower food prices and fewer pests.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='conclusion'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s clear that we live in a world where our interactions with nature have not just a significant impact on the environment but the planet itself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This list of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO statistics<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will help you stay informed about the everyday produce we consume and the ways modern agriculture affects the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After all, we don&#8217;t inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='sources'><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/allianceforscience.cornell.edu\/blog\/2018\/02\/gmo-crops-increasing-yield-20-years-progress-ahead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alliance for Science<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.bio.org\/articles\/gm-crops-are-preferred-choice-our-world%e2%80%99s-farmers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BIO<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.centerforfoodsafety.org\/issues\/311\/ge-foods\/about-ge-foods\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Center for Food Safety<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/environment\/integration\/research\/newsalert\/pdf\/64na3_en.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">European Commission<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/food\/agricultural-biotechnology\/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FDA<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gmoanswers.com\/current-gmo-crops\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO Answers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gmoanswers.com\/why-do-farmers-use-gmos-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GMO Answers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/usa\/sustainable-agriculture\/issues\/gmos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greenpeace USA<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/is-canola-oil-healthy#what-it-is\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthline<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.isaaa.org\/resources\/publications\/pocketk\/16\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ISAAA.org<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.isaaa.org\/resources\/publications\/briefs\/54\/executivesummary\/default.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ISAAA.org<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/40895-gmo-facts.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Live Science<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5443613\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NCBI<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.onegreenplanet.org\/environment\/connection-between-meat-and-menacing-gmos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One Green Planet<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.organicauthority.com\/buzz-news\/gmo-labeling-laws-around-the-world-the-64-countries-that-do-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organic Authority<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/npic.orst.edu\/factsheets\/glyphogen.html#env\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OSU<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/royalsociety.org\/topics-policy\/projects\/gm-plants\/how-common-are-genes-in-foods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Royal Society<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2213453016300295\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ScienceDirect<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/263292\/acreage-of-genetically-modified-crops-worldwide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Statista<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nongmoproject.org\/gmo-facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Non-GMO Project<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nongmoproject.org\/high-risk\/papaya\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Non-GMO Project<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nongmoproject.org\/high-risk\/soy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Non-GMO Project<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/data-products\/adoption-of-genetically-engineered-crops-in-the-us\/recent-trends-in-ge-adoption.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USDA ERS<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What percent of our food is genetically modified?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A considerable percentage of today's most commonly grown crops are GM. 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Keep reading to learn the GMO statistics and their impact in 2022. [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/gmo-statistics\/\">Read More&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> from 30+ Eye-Opening GMO Statistics (2024 UPDATE)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":1500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-stats-and-facts"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}