BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:10 Years of Biotech Crops: Global Economic and Environmental Impac
 ts - Dr. Graham Brookes
DTSTART:20070517T190000Z
DTEND:20070517T200000Z
UID:TALK7385@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Daniel Guetta
DESCRIPTION:Genetically modified (GM) crops have now been grown commercial
 ly on a substantial scale for ten years. This talk will assess the impact 
 this technology is having on global agriculture from both economic and env
 ironmental perspectives.  We will examine specific global economic impacts
  on farm income and environmental impacts of the technology in respect of 
 pesticide usage and greenhouse gas emissions for each of the countries whe
 re GM crops have been grown since 1996.  The analysis shows that there hav
 e been substantial net economic benefits at the farm level amounting to $5
  billion in 2005 and $27 billion for the ten year period.  The technology 
 has reduced pesticide spraying by 224 million kg (equivalent to about 40% 
 of the annual volume of pesticide active ingredient applied to arable crop
 s in the European Union) and as a result decreased the environmental impac
 t associated with pesticide use by over 15%.  GM technology has also signi
 ficantly reduced the release of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture\
 , which\, in 2005\, was equivalent to removing 4 million cars from the roa
 ds.
LOCATION:Pharmacology Lecture Theatre\, Tennis Court Road
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR