This study assesses the economic and environmental impacts that have arisen from the adoption and use of genetically modified (GM) insect resistant (IR) maize in Spain and Portugal in the 21 years since first planted in Spain in 1998. A total of 1.65 million hectares have been planted to maize containing these traits since 1998, with farmers benefiting from an increase in income of €285.4 million. For every extra €1 spent on this seed relative to conventional seed, farmers have gained an additional €4.95 in extra income. These income gains have mostly arisen from higher yields (+11.5% across the two countries using the technology). The seed technology has reduced insecticide spraying by 678,000 kg of active ingredient (-37%) and, as a result, decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide use on these crops (as measured by the indicator, the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ)) by 21%. The technology has also facilitated cuts in fuel use, resulting in a reduction in the release of greenhouse gas emissions from the GM IR maize cropping area and contributed to saving scarce water resources.

中文翻译：

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在西班牙和葡萄牙使用抗虫（GM）玉米已有21年：农场一级对​​经济和环境的贡献。

这项研究评估了自1998年在西班牙首次种植以来的21年中，西班牙和葡萄牙采用和使用转基因（GM）昆虫抗性（IR）玉米所产生的经济和环境影响。总计165万公顷自1998年以来，已经种植了具有这些特性的玉米，使农民从收入中增加了2.854亿欧元。相对于传统种子，每增加1欧元在该种子上的花费，农民将额外获得4.95欧元的额外收入。这些收入增长主要来自更高的收益率（在使用该技术的两个国家中，该比率为+ 11.5％）。种子技术减少了678,000千克活性成分（-37％）的杀虫剂喷洒，结果，将与使用除草剂和杀虫剂相关的环境影响降低了21％（以该指标衡量，即环境影响指数（EIQ））。该技术还有助于减少燃料使用，从而减少了转基因IR玉米种植区的温室气体排放，并有助于节省稀缺的水资源。