The global scientific consensus on GM crop risk assessments

Initial risk assessments of genetically modified (GM) crops began in the early 1990 s, focusing on herbicide tolerance and insect resistance, with approvals by the mid-1990s. These assessments compare GM crops to non-GM equivalents, a framework unchanged for over 30 years. Since the first assessment in 1994, over 4,400 evaluations have been conducted across more than 70 countries for both cultivation and food/feed use. To date, none have identified increased risk relative to conventional varieties. This article analyzes three decades of GM crop approvals, highlighting the consistency of scientific assessment processes. Fourteen crops underwent 692 cultivation and 1,891 food-release assessments for herbicide tolerance, while insect resistance accounted for 523 cultivation and 1,396 food-release assessments, largely involving Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The findings underscore that GM crops are equivalent in risk to conventional varieties, supporting reliance on established international scientific expertise, particularly in resource-constrained regions.

By Luiza Favaratto, Savannah Gleim and Stuart J. Smyth Aug 10, 2026