How many GE crops are currently in use in the United States, and who makes them?
The main U.S. GE crops are herbicide-tolerant soybeans and corn and Bt insect-resistant corn and cotton. In addition, virus-resistant GE papaya is grown in Hawaii, and very small amounts of virus-resistant summer squash have been grown. GE plums resistant to the plum pox virus have been approved and some may have been produced. In 2008, herbicide-tolerant sugar beets began to be planted commercially in the United States. Monsanto Company is by far the largest maker and seller of GE seeds. Other important GE seed companies include Dow Agrosciences, Syngenta, and DuPont. A handful of companies dominate the U.S. and international GE seed markets.
