The latest wave of biotech crops bring several advantages, from higher yields to better conservation. The most important practical benefit, however, is that they require much less pesticide in order to grow. Some have been genetically modified to produce natural toxins that are deadly to certain pests but harmless to every other living creature. So they don’t need as much chemical spraying. It’s a great benefit for farmers, who no longer have to apply nearly as much of the stuff–a big cost savings and better for their health. It also helps consumers. I think we all would prefer some pesticide on the plants we eat, but not too much–enough to keep the plants from picking up diseases that can hurt us, but not so much that the stuff affects our own bodies in bad ways. GM crops help make this possible.