Socio-economic research on genetically modified crops: a study of the literature

Catacora-Vargas, Georgina; Binimelis, Rosa; Myhr, Anne Ingeborg; Wynne, Brian

doi:10.1007/s10460-017-9842-4

Cited by 27 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The impression prevails that mostly socio-economic aspects rather than perceived risks for the environment or local people's health induced municipalities to become active and impose cultivation bans. This observation corresponds with previous studies, which identified socio-economic concerns as well as perceived risks as key drivers of the low public and political support for GMOs in the EU [51,53,60,71].…”

Section: Concluding Remarks and Implicationssupporting

confidence: 91%

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The Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms on a Local Level: Exploring the Determinants of Cultivation Bans

Hartung

Schaub

2018

Sustainability

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This study investigates municipalities’ regulatory activities in the field of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) for agricultural use. To explore the determinants of these activities, the case of Germany was selected as in this country, municipalities have legal possibilities to impose local GMO cultivation bans. Using data from 131 local council resolutions, the combination of qualitative and quantitative content analysis shows that, in most cases, no single factors, but a variety of factors lead to regulatory activity. The study reveals that functional motivations to prevent negative socio-economic effects or impacts on the environment or human health are decisive for municipalities’ decisions to regulate. Furthermore, the results of the quantitative analysis unveil that municipalities often refer to both socio-economic reasons and risks for the environment and human health when justifying their decisions. Moreover, the results indicate that local policymakers impose popular cultivation bans to promote their own political success. Finally, the horizontal diffusion of regulations between municipalities, but also vertical diffusion from higher political levels can be observed. Overall, the results of this study on GMOs on a local level further emphasize the importance of analyzing the interdependencies between agroecosystems and socio-economic systems in their full complexity.

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Section: Concluding Remarks and Implicationssupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Local policymakers might also be motivated to ban GMO cultivation due to socio-economic concerns that are related to GMO farming [51,52]. The industrial farming practices that are often associated with GMO agriculture are frequently considered to threaten traditional small-scale agriculture in rural spheres.…”

Section: Theoretical Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms on a Local Level: Exploring the Determinants of Cultivation Bans

Hartung

Schaub

2018

Sustainability

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“…Groups supportive and opposed to GM both use arguments based on sustainability, environmentalism, and social and economic development, but the exact long-term benefits and risks posed by the use of GM remain unclear (Kolodinsky 2018; Perry et al 2016;Zhang et al 2016). Additionally, while at the present time foods produced using GE have not been found to harm health, there is an emergence of literature highlighting shortcomings in research about the benefits of GE on society (Catacora-Vargas et al 2018). US consumers will be increasingly able to make choices about consumption of GE foods with the implementation of mandatory labeling of products produced using GE, expected in 2020 (USDA 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How consumers use mandatory genetic engineering (GE) labels: evidence from Vermont

2018

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Food labels legislated by the U.S. government have been designed to provide information to consumers. It has been asserted that the simple disclosures "produced using genetic engineering" on newly legislated U.S. food labels will send a signal that influences individual preferences rather than providing information. Vermont is the only US state to have experienced mandatory labeling of foods produced using genetic engineering (GE) via simple disclosures. Using a representative sample of adults who experienced Vermont's mandatory GE labeling policy, we examined whether GE labels were seen by consumers and whether the labels provided information or influenced preferences. Nearly one-third of respondents reported seeing a label. Higher income, younger consumers who search for information about GE were more likely to report seeing a label. We also estimated whether labels served as information cues that helped reveal consumer preferences through purchases, or whether labels served as a signal that influenced preferences and purchases. For 50.5% of consumers who saw a label, the label served as an information cue that revealed their preferences. For 13% of those who saw the label, the label influenced preferences and behavior. Overall, for 4% of the total sample, simple GE disclosures influenced preferences. For a slight majority of consumers who used a GE label, simple disclosures were an information signal and not a preference signal. Searching for GE information, classifying as female, older age and opposing GE in food production significantly increased the probability that GE labels served as an information source. Providing such disclosures to consumers may be the least complex and most transparent option for mandatory GE labeling.

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“…According to Mann [55] (p. 3), "socioeconomics should focus on the institutional arrangements people have given themselves to organize social, economic and political relations". Referring to GMOs, Catacora et al [57] state that there is no agreed definition of the term "Socioeconomic impacts (SEI)" but that it includes different social and economic factors. In this study, we define the socioeconomic impact of GE as possible changes, resulting from the use of genome-edited crops along agricultural value chains compared to conventional crops, which affect the actors involved, the environment, and society as a whole.…”

Section: Conceptual Framingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic Impact of Genome Editing on Agricultural Value Chains: The Case of Fungal-Resistant and Coeliac-Safe Wheat

2019

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Genome editing (GE) is gaining increasing importance in plant breeding, since it provides opportunities to develop improved crops with high precision and speed. However, little is known about the socioeconomic impact of genome editing on agricultural value chains. This qualitative study analyzes how genome-edited crops could affect agriculture value chains. Based on the hypothetical case of producing and processing fungal-resistant and coeliac-safe wheat in Germany, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with associations and companies operating in the value chains of wheat. A value chain analysis and qualitative content analysis were combined to assess the costs and benefits of the crops studied along the value chains of wheat. The results show that the use of fungal-resistant and coeliac-safe wheat can provide benefits at each step of the value chains. Fungal-resistant wheat benefits actors by reducing the problems and costs resulting from fungal-diseases and mycotoxins. Coeliac-safe wheat benefits actors by producing high value-added products, which can be safely consumed by patients suffering from coeliac disease. However, the results also show that low acceptance of GE by society and food retailers poses a significant barrier for the use of genome-edited crops in agricultural value chains.

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Socio-economic research on genetically modified crops: a study of the literature

Cited by 27 publications

References 67 publications

The Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms on a Local Level: Exploring the Determinants of Cultivation Bans

The Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms on a Local Level: Exploring the Determinants of Cultivation Bans

How consumers use mandatory genetic engineering (GE) labels: evidence from Vermont

Socioeconomic Impact of Genome Editing on Agricultural Value Chains: The Case of Fungal-Resistant and Coeliac-Safe Wheat

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