Farmer Welfare and Agricultural Biotechnology

I present three models that estimate the impact of genetically modified crops on farm labor, farm productivity and the environment. I find that genetically modified corn has no impact on farm labor usage, while genetically modified cotton and soybeans decrease farm labor usage. Corn that has been genetically modified to resist insects increases farm efficiency and puts downward pressure on farm size, while soybeans that have been genetically modified in order to tolerate herbicides puts upward pressure on farm size. My results also indicate that adopting herbicide tolerant genetically modified corn and cotton will lead to a decrease in the toxicity of herbicides applied to these crops.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural and Consumer Economics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Gardner, Justin G.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Carl H. Nelson

• Economics, Agricultural

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3301135

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82994