EMAC researchers publish new article
EMAC researchers Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes and Alexandre Magnier authored new article titled: A Profile of non-GM Crop Growers in the United States.”
In the US, the management of coexistence between GM and non-GM production systems has been left to market forces. GM crops that successfully complete required regulatory safety reviews are considered substantially equivalent to conventional varieties and can be freely commingled in the commodity supply chain. Non-GM products that are kept separate from their GM equivalents and organic crops are treated as value-added crops commanding premiums that vary according to prevailing supply and demand conditions. These premiums compensate farmers and traders for any incremental costs they incur, including those imposed by the segregation of non-GM from GM crops (through field isolation, buffer zones, etc.) and identity preservation (IP) throughout the supply chain. Hence, unlike the EU, in the US non-GM growers assume the costs of coexistence and, in turn, pass those costs on to purchasers of non-GM crops. There is an active non-GM crop production segment in the US that supplies both the domestic market and export destinations such as Japan, South Korea and the EU. The article provides a profile of non-GM crop producers in the US.
Kalaitzandonakes, N. and A. Magnier “A Profile of non-GM Crop Growers in the United States” Eurochoices, 15(1): 64-68, 2016