Justus WesselerWageningen University, The Netherlands versus a later one. A non-trivial question is if they also weigh more than reversible benefits similar to irreversible costs but in the opposite direction. In this contribution, I will show that indeed irreversible benefits do weigh…

Ron HerringCornell University Science can say nothing conclusive about many important dimensions of the global cognitive and political rift on transgenic agricultural crops. Empirical studies will not answer questions in the realms of food preference, risk aversion, cultural constructions of rural society,…

Steven Sexton, David Zilberman, Deepak Rajagopal, and Gal HochmanUniversity of California, Berkeley Biofuel production has increased dramatically since 2000, impacting markets for food and fuel. This article uses a partial equilibrium model to simulate biofuel impacts. We find that US biofuel production…

Pasquale Lucio ScandizzoUniversity of Rome “Tor Vergata” The narratives characterizing the current debate on world agricultural research tend to be part of a discourse that rationalizes past experience and future tendencies along the lines of extreme recounts of successes and failures. Stories…

Gregory D. GraffColorado State UniversityGal Hochman and David ZilbermanUniversity of California, Berkeley This article develops a political-economy framework to analyze the formation of agricultural biotechnology policies. Going beyond accounts that largely attribute differences between US and European regulatory environments to consumer attitudes,…

Nicola Consmüller, Volker Beckmann, and Christian SchleyerHumboldt-Universität zu Berlin Since 2006, several varieties of transgenic Bt maize have been approved for commercial cultivation in Germany. The German regulatory framework for growing these crops comprises moderate ex-ante regulations as well as strict ex-post…

Theodoros Skevas and Justus WesselerWageningen University, The NetherlandsPedro FevereiroInstituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica (ITQB), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal This article investigates the attitude and practices of Bt and non- Bt maize farmers in Portugal. Thirty-seven Bt maize farmers were interviewed,…

Haruko OkusuCGIAR Science Council Secretariat The CGIAR is a strategic alliance of members, partners, and 15 international agricultural research centers that mobilizes science to benefit the poor. Agricultural research at the CGIAR Centers entails various technologies, including biotechnology, and the extent to…

Marnus GouseUniversity of Pretoria, RSAJenifer PiesseKing’s College, London and University of Stellenbosch, RSAColin ThirtleImperial College London and University of Pretoria, RSAColin PoultonUniversity of London This study uses data for the 2006/07 maize production season, for the Hlabisa, Dumbe, and Simdlangentsha districts in…

José B. Falck-ZepedaEnvironment and Production Technology Division (EPTD), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety allows the possibility of including socio-economic considerations in biosafety regulatory approval processes and decision making for genetically modified products. Divergent opinions about the…