Brussels, 11 January 2006: The number of hectares planted with biotech crops worldwide increased by 9.0 million hectares (22 million acres) in 2005. This is according to new figures published today by ISAAA (The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (1). 

“More farmers are choosing to plant GM crops than ever before.  This is testament to the real advantages and benefits farmers worldwide are getting out of biotech crops,” says Simon Barber, Director of the Plant Biotechnology Unit at EuropaBio – the European association for bioindustries (2). “It is very encouraging to see that among the growing number of countries adopting biotech crops, a number of them are now European – farmers in 5 EU member states planted GM crops in 2005.”  

The advantages and benefits accruing to farmers using the technology are considerable.  A recent study produced by PG Economics (3) showed that farmers using the technology increased their income by US$27 billion during the period 1996 to 2004 with significant, additional  environmental benefits delivered; the accumulative economic benefits during the nine years to developing countries ($15 billion), exceeded benefits to industrial countries ($12 billion).

The benefits that can be achieved through biotechnology applied to agriculture have also prompted more than 3,400 international scientists to sign the AgBioWorld declaration of support for agricultural biotechnology to improve agriculture in the developing world. Signatories include 25 Nobel Prize winners.

In Europe, the European Council of March 2003 asked the Commission to support a European Technology Platform for "Plants for the Future" - a stakeholder forum on plant genomics and biotechnology. The platform has published a 20 year vision and a Strategic Research Agenda to set the scene for European agricultural development for the next two decades.  The project is supported by the European Commission and the major public and private stakeholders, and is coordinated by EPSO and EuropaBio.

For more information, contact

Adeline Farrelly

Tel: +32 2 735 0313    Direct: +32 2 739 1174    Mobile: +32 475 93 17 24

Email: a.farrelly@europabio.org

Simon Barber, Tel: +32 2 735 0313 Direct: +32 2 739 1172 Mobile: +32 476 44 24 20

Email: s.barber@europabio.org

(1) ISAAA
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) is a not-for-profit organization that delivers the benefits of new agricultural biotechnologies to the poor in developing countries.  It aims to share these powerful technologies to those who stand to benefit from them and at the same time establish an enabling environment for their safe use.

www.isaaa.org

(2) EuropaBio

EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, has 50 direct members operating worldwide and 25 national biotechnology associations representing some 1500 small and medium sized enterprises involved in research and development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of biotechnology products.

http://www.europabio.org

(3) PG Economics

PG Economics Limited is a specialist provider of advisory and consultancy services to agriculture and other natural resource-based industries. Its specific areas of specialisation are plant biotechnology, agricultural production systems, agricultural markets and policy.

http://www.pgeconomics.co.uk/

(4) AgBioWorld

The AgBioWorld Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Auburn, Alabama, and is run by Professor C.S. Prakash of Tuskegee University.

www.agbioworld.org

The Declaration - http://www.agbioworld.org/declaration/petition/petition.php

(5) European Technology Platform – Plants for the Future

http://www.epsoweb.org/Catalog/TP/index.htm