The latest report from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications shows the number of biotech hectares globally increased from 1.7 million in 1996 to 179.7 million in 2015. This 100-fold increase makes biotechnology the fastest adopted crop technology in recent times, and the United States leads the way. Currently, there are nine crops approved for commercial planting in the United States. These include apple, alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, papaya, soybean, sugar beet and squash, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Crop: Apple
USDA deregulated: Feb. 18, 2015
Developer: Okanagan
Purpose: Non-browning
Commercial Name: Arctic
Commercially available: 2015
Crop: Alfalfa
USDA deregulated: June 14, 2005 (fully deregulated)
Developer: Monsanto & Forage Genetics International
Purpose: Tolerant to glyphosate
Commercial Name: Roundup Ready
Commercial Availability: 2005-2007, 2011
Lawsuit filed
Crop: Canola
USDA deregulated: July 18, 2013
Developer: Pioneer
Purpose: glyphosate tolerant
Commercial Name: Optimum Gly
Crop: Corn
USDA deregulated: May 17, 1995
Developer: Ciba Seeds
Purpose: Resistant to Lepidopteran
Crop: Cotton
USDA deregulated: Feb. 15, 1994
Developer: Calgene
Purpose: Tolerant to Bromoxynil
Crop: Papaya
USDA deregulated: Sept. 5, 1996
Developer: Cornell U
Purpose: Resistant to Papaya
Ringspot Virus
Crop: Soybean
USDA deregulated: May 18, 1994
Developer: Monsanto
Purpose: Tolerant to glyphosate
Crop: Sugar Beet
USDA deregulated: March 4, 2005
Developer: Monsanto and KWS SAAT AG
Purpose: Tolerant to glyphosate
Commercial Name: Genuity Roundup Ready
Commercially Available: 2008
Lawsuit filed
Crop: Squash
USDA deregulated: Dec. 7, 1994
Developer: Upjohn
Purpose: To make it resistant to Watermelon Mosaic Virus and Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus.
