GMO crops survey results listed

A new national survey on genetically modified (GMO) crops has found considerable farmer concern over the issues of segregation and liability.

It also showed overwhelming support for foreign countries having the right to choose between GMO and non-GMO commodities. The survey, commissioned by the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA), was conducted by RMA, Inc, of Sioux Falls, SD. This scientific, randomly selected, statistically valid survey of 500 corn farmers in 15 states has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.47%.

The survey was conducted as part of the ACGA's Farmer Choice-Customer First program that provides unbiased, honest and objective information to farmers surrounding the debate over GMOs. This information sharing allows farmers to make educated decisions concerning the use of genetically modified crops.

Survey results show that:

--66% of farmers are concerned that the responsibility for segregating GMO corn from traditional, non-GMO corn will rest with them.

--64.2% of the farmers say that their decision to plant more or fewer acres of GMO corn in the future will be influenced if grain elevators, grain processors and grain exporters require segregation.

--76.3% say they will plant fewer acres of GMO corn if the grain industry requires segregation.

--62.6% of farmers say they are able to segregate GMO from non-GMO corn with their existing on-farm storage system.

--53.2% expressed concern that farmers will be held liable for contaminating traditional, non-GMO cornfields with GMO corn through cross-pollination.

--81.8% of the nation's corn producers said that foreign export customers should have the right to choose between buying traditional, non-GMO corn or GMO corn.

"The survey reinforces the view that the issues of no-farm segregation, legal liability for cross-pollination and supplying the customer the products they desire are the paramount issues impacting farmer concerns over GMOs and the reasons that far fewer acres of GMO corn has been planted this year," said Gary Goldberg, chief executive officer of the ACGA.

"The results show that it makes no difference whether farmers like or dislike GMOs, but what they view the economic impacts to be on their continued use. Multimillion dollar public relations schemes or reports of environmental or health consequences will not determine future use of GMOs by agricultural producers. Those decisions will be determined by factors farmers cannot control, such as on-farm segregation, legal liability and customer buying decisions," concluded Goldberg.

Detailed results of the survey are available on the ACGA Websites, at www.acga.org.