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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mimi Ricketts (NCGA)
636-733-9004 x112
Tom Slunecka (NCGA) 636-733-9004 x114
November 13, 2003
Survey
Shows Corn Growers Good Stewards of Bt Technology
—
Annual regulatory survey reports more than 90 percent of farmers adhering
to Bt stewardship requirements —
(KANSAS CITY) November
13, 2003 — The percentage of corn growers adhering to insect resistant
management (IRM) requirements designed for corn borer resistant Bt corn
rose significantly in 2003, marking the fourth year of an upward trend.
According to results
of an annual survey required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), 92 percent of farmers met regulatory requirements for IRM refuge
size, while 93 percent met refuge distance requirements — an increase
from 87 and 82 percent reported respectively in 2000 when the survey
began. These results demonstrate the vast majority of farmers growing
Bt corn borer resistant corn are adhering to IRM requirements.
The EPA requirements
established in 1999 obligate growers to plant at least a 20 percent
refuge — that is, corn that does not contain a Bt gene for controlling
corn borers — and ensure every Bt cornfield is located within
one half mile of a refuge. In certain corn/cotton areas of the South,
growers are required to plant at least a 50 percent corn refuge. These
IRM refuge requirements were enacted to help prevent corn insect pests,
such as the European corn borer, from developing resistance to Bt technology,
enabling the technology to be used well into the future.
More than 550 growers
were interviewed for the survey conducted during the 2003 growing season
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) in conjunction with the National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA).
The latest survey
results validate the effectiveness of a comprehensive, ongoing IRM awareness
effort, notes Ken McCauley, a corn grower from White Cloud, Kan., NCGA
Corn Board member and liaison to the NCGA Biotech Working Group.
“Bt corn borer
resistant hybrids provide growers with many economic and environmental
benefits, as well as improved grain quality in many cases,” said
McCauley. “Following IRM requirements is very important —
we’ve done a good job of complying so far and want to continue
along this track to help make sure Bt corn remains effective against
pests and a tool that is readily available for all of us.”
The recent Compliance
Assurance Program (CAP) is another factor that has contributed to increased
awareness of IRM in the grower community. Introduced by the seed industry
in response to EPA requirements in 2002, the CAP was developed to further
inform growers about the importance of complying with IRM requirements
and how to implement them on their farms.
Under the CAP, registrants
of Bt corn borer resistant corn must conduct on-farm visits with growers
to check for IRM refuge compliance. Growers who do not meet their IRM
refuge requirements in two consecutive years can be denied access to
Bt corn borer resistant corn in the third year by their Bt corn seed
provider.
“Our experience
has been that, as the number of information resources available to growers
increases, so does compliance with the requirements,” said Dick
Crowder, CEO and president, American Seed Trade Association. “We’re
clearly seeing the fruits of this comprehensive awareness effort and
will continue to work hard to meet our industry’s stewardship
responsibility around this technology. Being good stewards benefits
our customers, industry and agriculture.
“The seed
industry understands the importance of maintaining diligence in minimizing
insect resistance and is committed to helping growers meet the IRM requirements,”
he continued.
Survey results also
report that seed company and one-on-one dealer interaction has been
a critical factor in getting the word out to farmers. Ninety-four percent
of survey participants ranked seed dealers and their seed companies
as “important” sources of information — more than
three out of four growers (78%) recalled having an individual conversation
with a seed company representative. The survey also confirms that growers
are receiving, on average, more than three pieces of IRM information
each year, in addition to the onsite visits.
Not only did the
majority of survey respondents indicate they were aware of IRM requirements,
but 94 percent of Bt corn growers said they received enough information
to properly implement a refuge in 2003, which is five percentage points
higher than 2002 and 20 percentage points higher than 2001 survey results.
What’s more,
the survey indicates that 72 percent of growers who used insecticides
regularly before the introduction of Bt corn borer resistant corn (four
or five of the previous five years) report decreasing their insecticide
use to control corn borers.
Looking ahead to
the 2004 growing season, McCauley and Crowder both suggest growers consult
with their seed dealers and seed company representatives to help ensure
they understand IRM requirements now. Growers also can visit the “Know
Before You Grow” section of www.ncga.com for more information
on Bt corn and the IRM requirements.
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The National Corn Growers Association mission
is to create and increase opportunities for corn growers in a changing
world and to enhance corn’s profitability and usage. NCGA represents
more than 33,000 members, 25 affiliated state corn grower organizations
and hundreds of thousands of growers who contribute to state checkoff
programs.
The Agricultural
Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee (ABSTC) includes Bt corn
registrants Dow AgroSciences; Monsanto Company; Pioneer Hi-Bred International,
Inc., A DuPont Company; and Syngenta Seeds, Inc. The committee is working
with the EPA to enforce IRM compliance. The National Corn Growers Association
(NCGA) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), along with
various seed companies and universities, all support the Committee’s
IRM compliance efforts. For additional information on biotechnology,
go to www.ncga.com.
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