Report
Shows Steady Increase in Use of Biotech Hybrids, NCGA Notes (3-31-04)
Corn growers intend
to plant biotech corn seed on 46 percent of their acreage this year,
up 6 percent from 2003, according to a prospective plantings report
released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The report
proves more farmers are embracing the use of biotech seed, according
to the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).
“The numbers speak for themselves,” said
Helen Inman, chair of NCGA’s Biotechnology Working Group. “Growers
are recognizing the benefits of biotechnology, and each year we see
more acreage seeded to biotech corn. In 2001, biotech corn hybrids
were planted on about 25 percent of corn acreage. In just three short
years, we’ve nearly doubled that amount.”
The agency estimates insect resistant varieties containing
bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) will be planted on 27 percent of corn
acreage this year, up 2 percent from 2003. The use of herbicide resistant
varieties is expected to increase from 11 percent in 2003 to 14 percent
in 2004, while stacked gene varieties will be planted on 5 percent
of corn acreage this year.
Overall corn plantings are projected to increase slightly
from 78.7 million acres in 2003 to 79 million acres this year. USDA
says expected acreage is up from last year because Corn Belt growers
are hoping to take advantage of higher corn prices. However, most
states in the Southeast and southern Great Plains are expected to
decrease corn plantings as producers are switching to soybeans and
cotton due to more favorable prices relative to corn.
Increased demand is also fueling the expected uptick
in corn acreage. U.S. corn growers produced a record 10.1 billion
bushels last year, and analysts expect another record year in 2004.
Part of that demand is being driven by the surging ethanol market.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration announced earlier this
month that the U.S. ethanol industry set an all-time monthly production
record in January with 211,000 barrels per day.