Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo, Charlie Hallahan, Richard Nehring, and Seth Wechsler
US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service
Arthur Grube
US Environmental Protection Agency

This study examines the extent to which adopting herbicide-tolerant (HT) soybeans affects conservation tillage practices and herbicide use. The model is estimated using a state-level panel dataset extending across 12 major soybean-producing states from 1996 to 2006. The results of our analysis suggest that HT adoption induces farmers to adopt conservation tillage practices. Our results also show that HT adoption leads to a decrease in quality-adjusted herbicide use.

Key words: Genetically engineered soybeans, herbicide tolerance, herbicide use, technology adoption.