Source: PRESS RELEASE, 5/4/17

Today, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri‐biotech Applications
(ISAAA) released its annual report showcasing the 110‐fold increase in adoption rate of biotech crops
globally in just 21 years of commercialization – growing from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 185.1
million hectares in 2016. ISAAA’s report, “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2016,”
continues to demonstrate the long‐standing benefits of biotech crops for farmers in developing and
industrialized countries, as well as consumer benefits of recently approved and commercialized
varieties.

“Biotech crops have become a vital agricultural resource for farmers around the world because of the
immense benefits for improved productivity and profitability, as well as conservation efforts,” said
ISAAA Chair of the Board, Paul S. Teng. “With the commercial approvals and plantings of new varieties of
biotech potatoes and apples, consumers will begin to enjoy direct benefits of biotechnology with
produce that is not likely to spoil or be damaged, which in turn has the potential to substantially reduce
food waste and consumer grocery costs.”

Examining other benefits of biotechnology, ISAAA reports that the adoption of biotech crops has
reduced CO2 emissions equal to removing approximately 12 million cars from the road annually in recent
years; conserved biodiversity by removing 19.4 million hectares of land from agriculture in 2015; and
decreased the environmental impact with a 19% reduction in herbicide and insecticide use.i Additionally,
in developing countries, planting biotech crops has helped alleviate hunger by increasing the incomes
for 18 million small farmers and their families, bringing improved financial stability to more than 65
million people.

“Biotechnology is one of the tools necessary in helping farmers grow more food on less land,” explained
ISAAA Global Coordinator Randy Hautea. “However, the promises of biotech crops can only be unlocked
if farmers are able to buy and plant these crops, following a scientific approach to regulatory reviews
and approvals.”

As more varieties of biotech crops are approved and commercialized for use by farmers, ISAAA expects
to see adoption rates continue to climb and to benefit farmers in developing countries. For example,
among African nations where regulatory processes have traditionally created barriers to biotech crop
adoption rates, advances are being realized. In 2016, South Africa and Sudan increased the planting of
biotech maize, soybean and cotton to 2.66 million hectares from 2.29 million hectares in 2015.

Elsewhere on the continent, a new wave of acceptance is emerging as Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Ethiopia,
Ghana, Nigeria, Swaziland and Uganda make advances in regulatory review and commercial approvals
for a variety of biotech crops.

“Even with a long history of regulatory barriers, African farmers continue to adopt biotech crops
because of the value they are realizing from the stability and productivity of biotech varieties,” said
Hautea. “As more countries move forward with regulatory reviews for crops such as bananas, cowpeas
and sorghum, we believe biotech crop plantings will continue to grow in Africa and elsewhere.”

Also in 2016, Brazil increased biotech area of maize, soybean, cotton and canola by a remarkable 11% –
maintaining its ranking as the second largest producer of biotech crops after the United States. In Brazil,
biotech soybeans account for 32.7 million hectares of the 91.4 million hectares grown worldwide.

For 2016, ISAAA also reports that there were improvements in the commercialization and plantings of
biotech fruits and vegetables with direct consumer benefits. These included the commercial approvals
of the Innate™ Russet Burbank Gen 2 potatoes that were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration for sale in the United States and the Simplot Gen 1 White Russet™ brand potatoes that
were approved by Health Canada for fresh market sale in Canada. These biotech potato varieties have
lower levels of asparagine, which reduces the creation of acrylamide during high‐heat cooking.

Additionally, the first commercially saleable quantities of Arctic® Apples were harvested in 2016, stored
over the winter and are projected to be sold in U.S. grocery stores in 2017.

Additional highlights from ISAAA’s 2016 report include:
• Global area rebounded in 2016 with 185.1 million hectares of biotech crops versus 179. 7 million
hectares 2015, when global area for all crops was down, and 181.5 million hectares in 2014.
• In 2016, 26 countries in total, including 19 developing and 7 industrial countries, grew biotech
crops. Developing countries grew 54% of biotech crops, compared to 46% for industrial nations.
• Eight countries in Asia and the Pacific, including China and India, grew 18.6 million hectare of
biotech crops in 2016.
• 10 countries in Latin America, including Paraguay and Uruguay, grew a combined 80 million
hectares of biotech crops in 2016.
• In 2016, the leading countries growing biotech crops continued to be represented by the United
States, Brazil, Argentina, Canada and India. Combined, these five countries planted 91% of the
global biotech crop area.
• Four countries in Europe ‐‐ Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic Slovakia ‐‐ grew more than 136,000
hectares of biotech maize in 2016, an increase of 17% from 2015, reflecting EU’s need for insect
resistant maize.
• Biotech crops with stacked traits accounted for 41% of global area, second only to herbicide
tolerance at 47%.
• Biotech soybean varieties accounted for 50% of global biotech crop area. Based on global area
for individual crops, 78% of soybean, 64% of cotton, 26% of maize and 24% of canola planted in
the world were biotech varieties.
• Countries with over 90% adoption of biotech soybean are U.S.A, Brazil, Argentina, Canada,
South Africa, and Uruguay; close to or over 90% adoption of biotech maize are USA, Brazil,
Argentina, Canada, South Africa, and Uruguay; over 90% of biotech cotton are USA, Argentina,
India, China, Pakistan, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, and Myanmar; and with 90% or more of
biotech canola are USA and Canada.

For more information or the executive summary of the report, visit www.isaaa.org.

About ISAAA:
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri‐biotech Applications (ISAAA) is a not‐for‐profit
organization with an international network of centers designed to contribute to the alleviation of hunger
and poverty by sharing knowledge and crop biotechnology applications. Clive James, Emeritus Chairman
and Founder of ISAAA, has lived and/or worked for the past 30 years in the developing countries of Asia,
Latin America and Africa, devoting his efforts to agricultural research and development issues with a
focus on crop biotechnology and global food security.
i Brookes and Barfoot, 2017, Forthcoming