Biotech crops are still gaining ground with another year of double-digit growth and new countries joining the list of supporters, according to a report by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). In 2007, biotech crop area grew 12%, or 12.3 million hectares, to reach 114.3 million hectares.

In addition to planting more biotech hectares, farmers are quickly adopting varieties with more than one biotech trait. These “trait hectares” grew at a swift 22%, or 26 million hectares, to reach 143.7 million hectares.

In 2007, the U.S., Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India and China continued to be the principal adopters of biotech crops globally.