Since the first biotech crop was commercialized in 1996,
questions have been raised about why farmers are adopting
biotechnology (it’s more sustainable, more environmentally
friendly and less costly) whether or not biotech crops are as
safe as conventional crops (they are), and why foods derived
from biotech crops don’t require special labels. As the use of
agricultural biotechnology increases globally, people need
information about food production that is truthful, so they can
form opinions based on facts, not fear. Here are some common
questions that some people have about foods derived from
biotechnology: 1. Is biotechnology less safe than other plant
breeding techniques? No. Biotechnology is safe. It is a
refinement of breeding techniques that have been used to improve
plants for thousands of years. Biotechnology is simply a more
precise science, so scientists are able to isolate a specific
gene to make exact changes to a crop (for example, to make a
corn plant resistant to the corn borer insect.) Scienti