Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that protect crops from specific insects require additional assessments to confirm that they are safe for other non-target insects.

A large scale field trial was conducted to determine if genetically modified (GM) corn protected from corn rootworm damage affects other insects, including beneficial insects like the ladybird beetle. To capture data from different climates, multiple field locations were evaluated across three regions including the United States, Argentina and Brazil. The results show that GM corn had no adverse impact on beneficial insects. In addition, this publication shows that corn fields are very similar around the world in terms of beneficial insects. Given the similarity of the insects in corn fields, data from one world area could be used to confirm the safety of the GM crop in other world areas. The full journal article can be accessed here: bit.ly/1MigfNx.