The role of biotechnology and biofuels in US Corn Belt cropping system changes

The effects of transgenic corn use and federal biofuel policies on state-level cropping patterns in the US Corn Belt region are investigated using state-level data from 2000 to 2019. During this time, producers moved away from diverse cropping patterns and toward simpler rotational practices. Empirical evidence indicates that the intensification of corn acres planted was positively impacted by the spread of genetically modified (GM) soybeans—used as a proxy for GM corn for biofuel usage—but the effects of biotech advancements on producer planting decisions vary across states. This suggests that future policy changes affecting corn production decisions at the farm level will also be heterogeneous across states.