by the Council for Biotechnology Information

About the author: The Council for Biotechnology Information was founded by leading biotechnology companies to provide information about the benefits of this technology.

Q: What are the most common biotech crops? What crops are in development? A: According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates, about 55 percent of soybeans, 60 percent of cotton and 36 percent of corn grown in the United States in 1999 were derived through biotechnology. More than 60 million acres of biotech crops have been planted in the United States. Canola, corn, soybeans, and potatoes are examples of biotech crops widely grown in Canada. In 1999, more than half of the canola acreage and one third of the corn acreage was in varieties or hybrids developed using biotechnology. Researchers continue to work on a variety of new...