First study shows what large-scale farmers think of GM crops

The biotechnological revolution of the past two decades has allowed scientists to design crops with specific properties, by manipulating their genes. Such genetically modified (GM) plants are controversial for a complex set of reasons. Arguments for and against range from concerns over long-term environmental effects and potential health impacts, to possible advantages such as the capacity to contribute in the fight against hunger in the developing world or the need to make crops resilient in an era of global warming.

With the advent of the worldwide transition to bioenergy, GM energy crops are set to add to the controversy. New transgenic crops have already been designed, such as trees that store up to 30 percent more carbon dioxide, crops that grow less lignin and more cellulose suitable for bioproducts, or that create their own bioconversion enzymes as they grow. Biopact takes a neutral stance on this matter, as we see both major advantages as well as risks. However, it is important to note that scientific projections show there is enough potential land to grow a large amount of biomass (1550 Exajoules by 2050, or six times the world's current oil consumption) while leaving enough room for food, fodder and fiber production, without there being a real need for GM crops.

Scientists in general tend to be rational about transgenic crops, with many seeing (and finding) potential advantages outweighing risks. A first of a kind, large meta-analysis recently came to this conclusion (previous post). However, other segments of society are more skeptical. For this reason there has been a substantial amount of social research into the public perception of GM crops, as well as into the views of NGOs, governments, and small farmers in the developing world (an example of an ethnographic study, here).

But now, for the first time, research funded by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) reveals what the big, large-scale commodity farmers themselves think of GM plants. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, they are strongly upbeat about these crops. A group at the Open University, led by Professor Andy Lane, has taken the first systematic look at what large farmers – not those mainly involved in organic growing - think about transgenic plants, such as corn, soy or cotton, for which a number of GM variants exist. This is the first proper look at the attitudes of the people who would actually grow GM crops, if given the opportunity.

Lane and his colleagues found that both farmers who have been involved in GM crop trials and those who have not, regard GM as a simple extension of previous plant breeding techniques, such as those which have produced today’s established crop types. They regard GM crops as an innovation which they would assess on its merits.

New technology such as GM is attractive to farmers. They want to produce high-quality food profitably and they want to farm in an environmentally sensitive way. GM may allow them to reconcile this conundrum by doing both of these things at once. - Professor Lane

Their real interest is in how GM crops would work in practice and whether they can contribute to the profitability of their farms. The research suggests that these farmers do not think that GM raises any issues of principle, or that it is a matter of right or wrong. They are merely pragmatic about the crops: are they easy to manage, do they carry concrete risks to farm operations, and most importantly, do they offer profitable opportunities or not?

(Note: very recently published (11 February) multi-year research found that in the case of GM cotton - planted on almost 93% of U.S. cotton acres in 2007 - the answer to this last question is actually a resounding "no"; more here):
energy :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: agriculture :: genetically modified crops :: transgenic :: biotechnology :: precautionary principle :: argicultural economics :: commodities :: sustainability ::

Notwithstanding these recent findings, the Open University team found that a particular advantage of GM - as seen by farmers - is its potential to allow growers to plant crops with high yields while using less herbicide. This involves new management practices. Lane and his colleagues found that farmers who have been involved in the Farm-Scale Evaluations to assess GM in action have found GM crops feasible to grow.

The researchers also looked at how farmers learn about new developments such as GM. They found that most of the learning farmers do is informal, for example by experimentation or from their networks, which are made up from a wide range of people not necessarily just farmers. These networks can extend over long geographical distances.

Many farmers disapprove of past cuts in public funding for agricultural advisory services. It is now complicated and expensive for farmers to get good advice. They also feel that there is poor communication between farmers and people involved in agricultural policy, and between farmers and relevant scientific research.

The research project ‘Farmers Understandings of GM crops within local communities’ was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council from the ESRC Science in Society Programme. Professor Andy Lane and Dr Sue Oreszczyn work at the Department of Development Policy and Practice, Open University.

The project used a relationship-building approach that involved farmers as participants in the research. It used discussion and mapping techniques to discover and categorise farmers’ views, and relied on telephone and face to face meetings as well as a workshop with farmers and other influential members of the farmers networks. In total 30 farmers in the east and west of England and 22 members of their networks were involved in the study in various ways.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It supports independent, high quality research relevant to business, the public sector and voluntary organisations. The ESRC’s planned total expenditure in 2007 - 08 is £181 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and research policy institutes.

References:
ESRC: What farmers think about GM crops - February 24, 2008.

Eurekalert: Is transgenic cotton more profitable? - February 11, 2008.

Biopact: Celebrity spotting: Marc Van Montagu and GM energy crops - July 05, 2007

Biopact: CGIAR developing climate-resilient crops to beat global warming - December 05, 2006

Biopact: Anthropological study explores the effects of genetically modified crops on developing countries - January 27, 2007

Biopact: Scientists: GM crops can play role in sustainable agriculture - June 10, 2007