Biotechnology provides solutions for growing crop demand.
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Press Release Summary:
According to USDA's NASS August Crop Production Report, U.S. farmers are on pace to produce second largest corn crop and 4th largest soybean crop in history. Soybean production is forecast at 2.97 billion bushels, up 15% from last year, and corn yields are expected to average 155 bushels per acre, up 3.9 bushels from last year. Plant biotechnology helps contribute to crop yield increases, allowing farmers to meet growing demand for food, feed, and fuel.
Original Press Release:
Biotechnology Is Providing Solutions for Growing Crop Demand
USDA Crop Report Predicts Healthy Production of Corn, Soybeans
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Tuesday, August 12, 2008) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued today its August Crop Production report containing NASS's estimates of yield and production for corn, soybeans and other spring-planted row crops.
According to the report, U.S. farmers are on pace to produce the second largest corn crop and fourth largest soybean crop in history.
Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, executive vice president, food and agriculture for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), issued the following statement in response to the NASS August Crop Production report:
"Meeting the growing demand for row crop supplies for food and energy production is being achieved thanks in part to innovations in plant biotechnology.
"According to USDA's report issued today, soybean production is forecast at 2.97 billion bushels, up 15 percent from last year. Corn yields are expected to average 155 bushels per acre, up 3.9 bushels from last year. If realized, this would be the second highest corn yield on record, behind 2004.
"Plant biotechnology helps contribute to crop yield increases, allowing farmers to meet the growing demand for food, feed and fuel. Currently, 91 percent of soybeans and 73 percent of corn grown in the United States are biotech varieties, which enable these plants to resist insect and weed threats.
"In the very near future, biotechnology will allow crops to survive in drought and other adverse growing conditions. These breakthroughs will not only help American farmers, but farmers around the world."
USDA's Crop Production report is published monthly and is available online at nass.usda.gov.
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