The authors of the report, entitled “Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use,” used US Department of Agriculture data to look at America’s three largest genetically engineered crops – soybeans, corn, and cotton. They found that the amount of herbicides used on them has increased from 1996 to 2008 by approximately 7 or 8 percent, with a particularly sharp increase from 2005 on.
I was pleased to see the Christian Science Monitor pick up this story. The basic reason why more pesticides need to be used is that life evolves, including pesticide resistant weeds and insects that eat crops. I see the solution in diversification and rotation instead of trying to produce a new batch of GMOs that will probably end up having the same problems.
The full report referred to in the story is available online.