The United States produces more soybeans than any other country in the world. Even though soybeans are a common U.S. crop, we don’t normally see them in their natural form. Typically, oil and proteins are extracted from soybeans and then used as ingredients in food products for people or farm animals. Soybeans can also be processed to make soy milk, tofu, and even fuel! As of 2018, 94% of all soybeans planted in the U.S. were genetically modified to be herbicide tolerant (HT). HT crops have had their DNA modified to protect them from herbicides, or chemicals that kill plants. Unwanted plants near crops can hog water, sunlight, and nutrients, leaving crops undernourished as a consequence. Farmers that plant HT crops can spray herbicides on their farms, killing unwanted plants and leaving HT crops to grow unharmed.

Another common form of genetically modified crops are called Bt crops. These crops have their DNA modified to protect them from insects. Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacteria that creates a protein that is toxic to many insects. Most genetically engineered crops are HT or Bt or both! The popularity of these crops increased significantly in the 1990s and 2000s.

Option 2:

About 80% of food sold in the U.S. contains ingredients that have had their DNA modified. If you had 45 food products from an American grocery store, how many products would you expect to contain GM ingredients?