Herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops, developed to survive application of specific herbicides that previously would have destroyed the crop along with the targeted weeds, provide farmers with a broader variety of options for effective weed control. Based on USDA survey data, HT soybeans went from 17 percent of U.S. soybean acreage in 1997 to 68 percent in 2001 and 93 percent in 2012. Plantings of HT cotton expanded from about 10 percent of U.S. acreage in 1997 to 56 percent in 2001 and 80 percent in 2012. The adoption of HT corn, which had been slower in previous years, has accelerated, reaching 73 percent of U.S. corn acreage in 2012.
To check out a graph displaying how the percentages of insecticide-resistant GM crops being planted per acre has increased in the past 15 years (and to read more) click here:
http://www.ers.usda.gov
