A recent study by the USDA has shown that plantings of maize varieties possessing drought tolerance increased to reach 22% of the planted area in 2016. This represented approximately 8.4 million in 2016, an increase of 56.7% over the previous year. Within this figure, the highest utilisation rates were seen in Nebraska and Kansas with 42%, and 39% of their respective planted areas under drought tolerant varieties. The report highlights that of the 8.4 million hectares of drought tolerant varieties planted, 80% of those contained conventionally bred drought tolerance, with the remainder planted with seed genetically modified for drought tolerance.