Southern corn growers will pull their planters out of the shed and into the field in only a few short weeks. Bt corn will be planted on millions of acres across the South, protecting plants from damaging insects like corn borer and corn earworm. But to ensure that the technology remains effective, farmers in cotton-growing areas must plant a structured refuge alongside their Bt corn.
“Planting a refuge is the single most important thing we can do to keep Bt traits working for years to come,” said Chad Wetzel, a farmer from Tom Bean, Texas, and member of the National Corn Growers Association Freedom to Operate Action Team. “If we lose Bt technology as a defense against insects, growing corn will change dramatically.”
Southern corn growers must plant their fields to include either a 20 or 50 percent refuge, depending on the Bt hybrid planted. The purpose of planting a refuge area is to prevent pests from developing resistance to the Bt technology. That refuge ensures that the insect population remains susceptible to Bt technology, keeping Bt corn effective for the grower.
A refuge is part of an insect resistance management plan, and farmers who do not comply with refuge requirements risk losing access to the technology, but it is also essential for Bt stewardship.
“I know all too well that planting a refuge may seem like a non-essential extra step during a busy time of year,” says Wetzel. “Taking short cuts now will only hurt us long-term. We can’t risk losing Bt technology like we’ve lost the effectiveness of some of our herbicide technologies.”
The Take Action program encourages farmers to take the necessary steps to preserve the effectiveness of Bt technology. In addition to planting a refuge, farmers should consider additional actions to keep the technology effective, such as:
- Use of multiple management strategies, including:
- Rotating crops
- Using pyramided traits
- Rotating Bt traits
- Rotating and using multiple modes of action for all insecticide seed treatments and insecticide applications
- Scouting to determine effectiveness of control measures used and identify whether further action is necessary
Farmers interested in learning more about Take Action and insect resistance management can visit www.IWillTakeAction.com.
COVID-19 Resources
NCGA is taking a series of actions to do our part to help contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the economic fallout it is creating for corn farmers and our customers. Short term, this means instituting policies to protect the health and safety of our stakeholders and the broader communities we serve. Long term, we’re focused on creating solutions to help corn farmers and our customers recover from the financial impacts of this crisis.
CommonGround
CommonGround is a group of farmers connecting with consumers through conversations about science and research and personal stories about food and misinformation surrounding farming. Supported by the NCGA and state corn organizations.
SHP
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health. Administered by NCGA the partnership has more than 220 working farms enrolled in 16 states. SHP’s mission is to utilize science and data to partner with farmers who are adopting conservation agricultural practices that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the farm.