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Graham Brookes


Position: Director, PG Economics

Education: M.A. European Economic Studies; B.A. Agricultural Economics, University of Exeter

Notable: Specialist in agricultural economics, agricultural policy, evaluation, trade and marketing and assessing the economic impact of new technology

The economic and the environmental benefits associated with the technology can only get greater.
The economic and the environmental benefits associated with the technology can only get greater.
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ADVANTAGES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE AFFECT ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT
Ag Economist Graham Brookes Discusses Impact on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Large and Small Farm Income

In the last 12 years, more than 12 million farmers in 23 countries on six continents have grown genetically modified (GM) crops — increasing large and small farm income and decreasing the impact of agriculture on the environment.

“If you look at the adoption of biotech crops, there’s been a fairly substantial upward curve in the area planted,” says Graham Brookes, an agricultural economist and director of PG Economics.  “The primary reason for that is very simple. It’s because the economic benefits that farmers get from the technology are so significant that once they’ve tried the technology, they will use it again.  They will tell their friends, their peers, and more farmers will use the technology.”

Brookes recently completed a review of the global contributions GM crops made to large and small farm income and the environment, specifically in respect to greenhouse gas emissions and pesticide applications.  “We were surprised at the magnitude of the benefits both economic and environmental — especially the environmental benefits,” says Brookes.

Net economic advantages of biotechnology in agriculture at the farm level amounted to a cumulative total of US$34 billion. “In 2004 alone, it was about between six and seven billion. So it was a very significant increase in farm income.  Now that increase in farm income has been spread across all the countries that have used the technology, both in the developed world and in developing countries.”

His research concluded GM crops have reduced pesticide spraying by 289,000 metric tons and reduced the environmental footprint associated with pesticide spraying by 15.5 percent.  “That is a six percent reduction in pesticide usage across the four main biotech crops,” comments Brookes.

In 2006 alone, the advantages of biotechnology in agriculture included a reduction in the release of greenhouse gas emissions — or carbon dioxide — by 14.8 million metric tons. “Now that is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide released by 20 percent of the cars on the roads in the United Kingdom. So in other words, it’s equivalent of taking 20 percent of the UK cars off the road for a year.”

Editor’s Note: Pesticides registered by the U.S. EPA will not cause unreasonable adverse effects on man or the environment, when used in accordance with label directions.

© 2005 Monsanto Company.  All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.

Video Transcript



My name’s Graham Brookes.  I’m the director of a company called PG Economics, which is based in the UK. … And, we have just completed a global review of the economic and the environmental impact of biotech crops as it enters the tenth planting season. ...

We were surprised at the magnitude of the benefits both economic and environmental — especially the environmental benefits … in terms of pesticide reduction and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. …

… In terms of the pesticide use changes, since 1996 there’s been 172 million kilograms less pesticide active ingredient put on biotech crops.  That is a 6 percent reduction in the usage across the four main crops. …

If you move on now to greenhouse gas emissions, in 2004, the amount of carbon not released into the atmosphere associated with the use of biotech crops was 10 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide.  Now that is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide released by 20 percent of the cars on the roads in the United Kingdom.  So in other words, it’s equivalent of taking 20 percent of the UK cars off the road for a year. …

… And this latter environmental benefit is associated with the technology facilitating and allowing farmers to switch their production system from a plow-based system to a system where they don’t plow.  It’s called no- or reduced-tillage. …

On the economic side, the study also identified very significant economic benefits at the farm level.  Since 1996, global farm income has increased by 28 billion U.S. dollars worth of extra income.  In 2004, it was about between six and seven billion.  So it was a very significant increase in farm income.  Now that increase in farm income has been spread across all the countries that have used the technology, both in the developed world and in developing countries. …

The key points that I take from the analysis is that the technology has delivered very significant economic and environmental benefits. ... If you look at the adoption of biotech crops, there’s been a fairly substantial upward curve in the area planted to the crops.  The primary reason for that is very simple.  It’s because the economic benefits that farmers get from the technology are so significant that once they’ve tried the technology, they will use it again.  They will tell their friends, their peers, and more farmers will use the technology. …

… And that means that — that level of economic and environmental benefits are gonna increase incrementally and further in each year going into the future.  So I think the important message is the economic and the environmental benefits associated with the technology can only get greater.

Editor’s Notes:

  • 1 kg = 2.2 lbs
  • Pesticides registered by the U.S. EPA will not cause unreasonable adverse effects on man or the environment, when used in accordance with label directions.

© 2005 Monsanto Company.  All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.