The first GMO in 1994, was Calgene's unsuccessful Flavr Savr
delayed-ripening tomato. In 1996, Roundup Ready soybeanswere introduced
followed by corn in 1998.  But you say "3 decades, which goes back to the
1980s.  How do we account for the lack of any change in the rate of yield
increases after GMOs became common?  Could it be that the GMO crops (corn
and soybeans, mostly) are not the primary factor?



The reference to 3 decades....  its 2017 so that only takes us back to 1987!
Were getting old!   The reference was to modern farming techniques such as
no till,  roundup and GMO,  oll the above combined.  

You seem to think we need to have some "identifiable" to you bump every time
a GMO is released.   Lets take roundup ready beans for example.  You seem to
think that there needed to be a yield bump to justify it,  but that's not
what it was  all about. Of course we expect a increase due to less weeds,
but  the main perk was to change tillage practices.  We already had methods
to control weeds in beans.  Called a cultivator.  Hell no ones cultivated
beens in 20 years easily!  So the perk was being able to control weed
without Driving the tractor thru  for hours.   A quick burndown is so much
faster and cheaper than a 12 row cultivator.  Not to mention it allows for a
LOT less tilling.  Many fields are planted beans after corn with ZERO
tillage,  and a roundup burndown just after emergence.  What this does for
soil quality and ersion is something you cannot even begin to fathom if your
not farming.  Add to that fuel and labor and yield bumps may just be a perk.

My point was  you correctly mentioned that many are not informed on the
topic,  many of the GMO/pesticides are not about a direct yield bump that
you can see in a chart,  but combinations of improved yields and lowered
inputs.  Since your not the customer, your knowledge of the "benefit" is a
bit off the mark in this case.  

FYI for those out there,  Roundup as pretty much run its course and is being
replaced.  Liberty link is the most common and promising,  with another one
"Dicamba" in the wings.   Dicamba is having some major rollout issues though
as it atomizes  readily at ambient tempeture and drifts horribly.  Tiny
amounts on the neighbors is being a huge battle.

Charles

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