November 12, 2003

US Corn Farmers Adhere to Insect Resistance Regulations in Biotech Corn

92% of U.S. corn farmers are meeting regulatory requirements to prevent insect resistance to biotech corn and 93% have met requirements to keep a crop border around their biotech grain, according to the National Corn Growers Association.

Since the survey began in 2000, this means an increase from 87% and 82%, respectively. The annual survey is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the association said in a press release.

Surveyors said the results demonstrate the vast majority of farmers growing Bt corn borer resistant corn are adhering to insect resistance management requirements. The EPA requirements established in 1999 obligate growers to plant at least a 20% 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 and cotton areas of the South, growers are required to plant at least a 50% corn refuge. These 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 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 in conjunction with the NCGA.

The recent compliance assurance program is another factor that has contributed to increased awareness of insect resistance management in the grower community. Introduced by the seed industry in response to EPA requirements in 2002, the program was developed to further inform growers about the importance of complying with resistance management requirements and how to implement them on their farms.

Under the program, registrants of Bt corn borer resistant corn must conduct on-farm visits with growers to check for refuge compliance. Growers who do not meet their 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.

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, and 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 resistance management information each year, in addition to the onsite visits. Not only did the majority of survey respondents indicate they were aware of the requirements, but 94% 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.

In addition, surveyors said, 72% of growers who used insecticides regularly before the introduction of Bt corn borer resistant corn reported decreasing their insecticide use to control corn borers.