Genetically modified (GM) crops have helped farmers increase the amount of food they produce and have a positive impact on the environment due to the farming practices they enable. For example, GM crops have revolutionized insect pest management by offering effective season-long control while significantly reducing the use of broad-spectrum chemical pesticides that kill both beneficial and pest insects. In addition, herbicide tolerant crops allow farmers to control weeds by spraying herbicides on their fields without killing their crop. Therefore, GM plants that contain multiple GM traits, called stacked-trait products, benefit farmers and society by helping to protect crops from in-field threats while minimizing the broader environmental impact of production agriculture. 

The single traits that make up stacked-trait products have been assessed by regulatory agencies and proven to be as safe as non-GM crops. Stacked-trait products combine multiple single traits into one plant through conventional breeding which has been established as a safe process for centuries.  Therefore, the stacked trait product should not need additional safety assessment, although additional safety testing is required in some countries.

Composition studies measure the levels of different plant components, including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, etc., and are one of the types of studies used to establish how GM-plants are as safe and nutritious as non-GM plants. This publication demonstrates that the composition (nutrient levels) of single-traited plants is maintained in stacked-trait products, which were produced through conventional breeding. The full journal article can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/2NyXu27