Another Strike Against GMOs: They May Not Even Increase Crop Yields

One of the core reasons cited for the use of GMO seeds over the past 15 to 20 years is that these seeds help farmers produce a higher yield than conventional seeds. Countless times this so-called notion of greater gains (at the expense of our health and our environment) has been described as a benefit of these crops.

However, according to a new USDA report, GMO crops do not necessarily give farmers a higher yield.

According to a statement on the report via Inquisitr, “The USDA researchers did not find a ‘definitive’ yield increase during the first 15 years of commercial GMO crops production. Several of the researchers discovered ‘no significant differences’ between the net yield returns between farmers using conventional seeds and those using the GMO variety.”

What’s more is that, in some cases, it was even found that GMO seeds produced lower yields: “In fact, the yields of herbicide-tolerant or insect-resistant seeds may be occasionally lower than the yields of conventional varieties.”

In combination with the recent news from a USDA report that the use of GMOs may indeed be causing us major environmental risks, we’ve got yet another strike against GMOs and the so-called rationale beyond their use, Green Monsters. Vote with your dollars and steer clear of GMO foods whenever you can!

Image source: Ricardo Diaz / Flickr