The adoption of genetically modified canola in 1995 in Western Canada was done to improve the control of weeds during cropproduction. Thirty years later, Western Canadian agriculture has witnessed a complete transformation, whereby the use ofsummerfallow as the leading form of weed control has virtually disappeared, to be replaced by continuous cropping, zero orminimum tillage land management practices. Of course there are trade-offs. The removal of tillage practices has increased soilmoisture conservation and reduced soil erosion, but it has also resulted in an increase in herbicide applications. However, theenvironmental impact from the current suite of herbicides applied are considerably lower than previous ones, which often requiredsoil incorporation instead of foliar application. All food production practices have impacts on the environment and biodiversity,however, the key is to identify best practices that contribute to increased production coupled with a lower environmental footprint.This article reviews the transition that Western Canadian agriculture has undergone over the past 30 years, highlighting the benefitsfor the environment and biodiversity.
Stuart J. Smyth· Indian Journal of Plant Gene...· 0 citations
ABSTRACT Initial risk assessments of genetically modified (GM) crops began in the early 1990 s, focusing on herbicide tolerance and insect resistance, with approvals by the mid-1990s. These assessments compare GM crops to non-GM equivalents, a framework unchanged for over 30 years. Since the first assessment in 1994, over 4,400 evaluations have been conducted across more than 70 countries for both cultivation and food/feed use. To date, none have identified increased risk relative to conventional varieties. This article analyzes three decades of GM crop approvals, highlighting the consistency of scientific assessment processes. Fourteen crops underwent 692 cultivation and 1,891 food-release assessments for herbicide tolerance, while insect resistance accounted for 523 cultivation and 1,396 food-release assessments, largely involving Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The findings underscore that GM crops are equivalent in risk to conventional varieties, supporting reliance on established international scientific expertise, particularly in resource-constrained regions.
Luíza Favaratto, Savannah Gleim, Stuart J. Smyth· GM crops & food· 0 citations
