November 4, 2003

Monsanto's YieldGard Plus Corn Gets Approval From US Environmental Protection Agency

Monsanto Co. has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its YieldGard Plus corn.

YieldGard Plus corn offers growers the first biotech product design to control both the corn borer and corn rootworm, the company said. Both pests are nicknamed the "billion-dollar bugs" as they each cost corn growers about $1 billion annually.

As part of the approval, the EPA is requiring that growers using the technology plant a corn refuge with corn hybrids that do not contain technologies to control corn rootworm or corn borers.

"YieldGard Plus corn is expected to provide numerous benefits to corn growers including improved yields, higher on-farm returns and reduced need for insecticides historically used to control these damaging insect pests," said Robb Fraley, chief technology officer for Monsanto, in a statement.