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Corn Growers Maintain High-Level Management of Biotech Hybrids, Survey
Shows
February
5, 2002
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Mimi
Ricketts, Director of Marketing Communications, 636/733-9004, ext.112
Tom Slunecka,
NCGA, 636-733-9004, ext 114
(ST.
LOUIS) Feb. 4, 2002 -- Corn growers continue to show responsible management
of the environment by practicing good stewardship of crops developed
through biotechnology, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)
announced today.
A recent survey
of U.S. corn growers who grow biotech hybrids showed the majority of
those farmers are implementing management practices that will help avoid
the potential of insect resistance to Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) corn.
Results of the survey conducted during harvest 2001 were forwarded to
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Jan. 31.
"This survey shows
U.S. corn growers understand the need to follow good insect resistance
management practices and are implementing these practices on a broad
scale. Nine out of 10 Bt cornfields were planted within 1/2 mile of
the appropriate non-Bt refuge," said Leon Corzine, a corn grower from
Assumption, Ill., and chairman of the NCGA Biotechnology Working Group.
"The survey results
demonstrate that when given the appropriate information corn growers
are responsible stewards of this technology. It's also an indication
of how we are working to maintain the long-term sustainability of new
technology as it becomes available. This is another example of how corn
growers are continuing to protect crops with products that are increasingly
environmentally friendly."
Corzine pointed
out the organization's nationwide membership of 32,000 has long been
promoters of stewardship of the biotech hybrids with the Insect Resistance
Management (IRM) program and through NCGA's Know Before You Grow information
campaign about corn hybrids. Information on both programs is available
at NCGA's website, www.ncga.com.
The survey reports
87 percent of growers planting Bt corn in 2001 met the guidelines established
by the U.S. EPA. The U.S. EPA requires growers of Bt corn to plant at
least 20 percent of their acreage with non-Bt hybrids in the Corn Belt.
In the Cotton Belt, the requirement is 50 percent because Bt cotton
can also be planted nearby. In each area, growers are also required
to plant their refuge within a half-mile of the Bt field, preferably
within a quarter mile of the field.
These standards
are to avoid the potential for insects to develop resistance to Bt.
Corn hybrids with Bt traits protect the plant against specific insects,
such as the European and Southwestern Corn Borers. Corn borers severely
damage corn plants, which dramatically cuts yields and reduces farmers'
incomes.
Insect specialists
say over time it's theoretically possible for some corn borers to naturally
develop resistance to any control strategy. IRM plans are designed to
keep the insects from developing resistance by providing a "refuge"
of non-Bt corn where susceptible borers can mate with borers that may
be resistant to Bt. To date, no Bt resistance has been detected within
cornfields.
The survey also
found that 89 percent - up from 82 percent in 2000 -- of those surveyed
met the requirement that all their Bt cornfields be within one-half
mile of a non-Bt field.
Ninety-two percent
of growers questioned said IRM plans for Bt corn were important. Also,
nearly seven of every 10 growers who regularly use insecticides to control
corn borers indicated their use of conventional insecticides to control
corn borer had either significantly decreased or decreased somewhat
since they started growing Bt corn.
More than 550 growers
responded to the survey conducted in October and November 2001 among
Bt corn users in the Corn Belt and Cotton Belt. The survey was conducted
by an independent research firm for the Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship
Technical Committee (ABSTC), a consortium of companies that provide
biotech products. ABSTC includes Aventis CropScience USA LP, Dow AgroSciences
LLC, Monsanto Co., Mycogen Seeds, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, and
Syngenta Seeds Inc.
Annual survey reports
are required under the U.S. EPA's Bt Corn Industry Insect Resistant
Management Plan, which was developed by ABSTC, the NCGA and university
scientists.
Besides its members
NCGA represents hundreds of thousands of corn growers through state
corn checkoff programs. For more information about biotechnology and
NCGA, visit www.ncga.com.
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