Since 1996, the year in which commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) plants has started, it has continuously been increased. In 2008, the global area cultivated with GM crops was already 125 million hectares, the majority of which was cultivated with GM soybeans, GM maize, GM cotton and GM oilseed rape. In the same year, some 258,000 hectares in the USA and in Canada were planted with a first herbicide-tolerant GM sugar beet variety. More than 13 million farmers in 25 countries already put their stake in this new technology. Genetic modifications enable the plants to protect themselves against pests or enable a simpler weed management. In addition,  GM papayas, GM courgettes, GM alfalfa and other crops of regional importance are being cultivated on smaller areas in field trials.

Compared with the worldwide development, the area planted with gm crops is still relatively low in Europe. Up to now, only a gm maize variety (bt resistant MON 810) has been authorised for commercial cultivation. This maize produces an agent that potects it against the most important maize pest in Europe, the European corn borer.