Many studies have documented the economic benefits to growers from the adoption of GM crops (Finger et al. 2011; Brookes and Barfoot 2015). Specifically, benefits included production cost savings (fewer pesticide applications), higher yields due to crop protection against targeted lepidopteran and coleopteran insect pests, and an overall improvement in the economics of farming households that have adopted GM crops (Finger et al. 2011; Lee et al. 2012; Areal et al. 2013; James 2014; Klümper and Qaim 2014). Relative increases in yield and profits from cultivating GM crops have been shown to be higher in developing countries than in developed countries (Finger et al. 2011; James 2014; Klümper and Qaim 2014). In Argentina, the benefit to farmers derived from adoption of GM IR maize hybrids was a net increase in yields of about 5 %, achieved by preventing losses caused by Diatraea saccharalis (stalk borer) and Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm), and was estimated at US$170 M for the period 1998–2003 (Trigo 2011). The economic benefit in terms of cost reduction was US$20 ha−1 when using maize hybrids with stacked traits for IR and HT (Trigo 2011). Most of the cost reduction was likely due to decreases in insect control costs, with some additional savings due to reduced weed control costs. Other studies have confirmed such benefits (Qaim 2009; Solleiro Rebolledo and Castañón Ibarra 2013).