Canada breaks own record in biotech crop farming

IN 2012, Canadian farmers planted close to 21 million acres of canola, more than 97% of which was enhanced through biotechnology, according to a report from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA). This makes Canada the fourth – up a notch from last year – on the list of countries that plant biotech crops in terms of acres farmed. In 2012, Canadian farmers planted about 29 million acres of biotech crops.

The global area of biotech crops has increased one hundred fold since these were first commercialised in 1996, making biotech farming the fastest adopted technology for crop production in recent history. (Photo courtesy: Hannah Castle | Agricultural Research Institute)