2001 ACGF Corn Producers Survey GMO's & Markets EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A majority (a combined 78%) of the respondents stated that it is either very important or somewhat important to consider the concerns of U.S. consumers and foreign markets on the issue of genetically modified commodities (GMOs) when deciding whether or not to plant GMO or non-GMO corn varieties.  Of those, 51% of respondents stated that it is very important.  Thirteen percent of respondents stated that it was neither important nor unimportant, 5% stated somewhat not important at all, and 5% stated that is was not important at all to them. The mean planted GMO corn acres reported by farmers in the survey dropped from 112 acres in 2000 to 105 acres in 2001, a reduction of 6%.  Using the USDA-NASS June 2001 Acreage report as a source of total planted corn acres for all purposes for each of the fourteen states in the survey, and the RMA survey percent of GMO corn acreage planted in 2001 in those 14 states, GMO corn acres represent 21% of total corn acres in the states surveyed. The fourteen states in the RMA survey represent 88% of total planted corn acres for all purposes in 2001, based on the USDA-NASS June 2001 Acreage report. Over half (56%) of respondents stated that they were aware of non-GMO marketing strategies by competing exporting countries. Forty-three percent of respondents stated that they were not aware of the current marketing strategies of competing countries. A majority (74%) of respondents stated that the rejection of U.S. GMO corn and soybeans by foreign countries is contributing to continued low commodity prices. Twenty percent of respondents stated that they did not think that the rejection of U.S. GMO corn and soybeans contributes to continued low commodity prices. Seventy-eight percent of respondents stated that they were willing to plant non-GMO corn varieties instead of biotech GMO corn varieties in order to keep customers satisfied and keep world markets open to U.S. corn.  Sixteen percent of respondents stated they would not be willing to grow more non-GMO corn varieties. Over half (56%) of respondents stated that the U.S. Congress should require the labeling of foods and export cargoes to show the level of genetically modified ingredients or GMO corn varieties. Thirty-one percent of respondents stated that we should not label GMO corn varieties as a marketing strategy to promote sales in the global market arena. Continue to Analysis Go Back to Table of Contents