For the fifth year in a row, a large majority of corn growers are adhering to insect resistance management (IRM) requirements designed for corn borer resistant Bt corn, according to an annual survey required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

More than 550 Bt corn growers in the Corn Belt and Cotton Belt were interviewed for the survey during the 2004 growing season. The results from the survey, which was conducted by an independent research firm for the Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee (ABSTC), highlight that more than nine out of 10 growers, or 91 percent, met regulatory requirements for IRM refuge size, while 96 percent met refuge distance requirements.

According NCGA President Leon Corzine, these results validate corn growers’ commitment to being good stewards of Bt technology as well as the effectiveness of a comprehensive, ongoing IRM awareness effort spearheaded by NCGA, the Bt corn registrants and other key stakeholders.

“Awareness is key to informed decision-making about why and how to comply with IRM refuge requirements,” said Corzine. “Product stewardship is everyone’s responsibility. As growers, we understand the economic and environmental benefits that Bt technology provides and want to do what we can to make sure Bt corn remains effective against pests and is a tool that is readily available for all of us.”

Each of the four Bt corn registrants -- Dow AgroSciences; Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc; Monsanto Company and Syngenta Seeds, Inc. -- are engaged in an aggressive and broad-based awareness campaign aimed at ensuring that Bt corn growers understand their IRM obligations, including extensive efforts that have been undertaken by the registrants individually, as well as coordinated efforts among the registrants and other stakeholders, such as NCGA and cooperative extension services. Some of these efforts include informative collateral material, a Web-based IRM training module, on-farm visits and other education and compliance based activities.

The Compliance Assurance Program (CAP) is another factor that has contributed to IRM awareness in the grower community. Introduced by the seed industry 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, 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 Corzine.

We’re clearly seeing the fruits of effort and will continue to work hard to meet our industry’s stewardship responsibility around this technology. The seed industry recognizes the importance of maintaining diligence in minimizing insect resistance and is committed to helping growers meet the IRM requirements. Being good stewards benefits our customers, industry and agriculture,” he continued.
Survey results indicate that seed company and one-on-one dealer interaction has been a critical factor in getting the word out to farmers. Ninety-six percent of survey participants ranked seed dealers and their seed companies as “important” sources of information — with 85% of growers recalling they had an individual conversation with a seed company representative.

Not only did the majority of survey respondents indicate they were aware of IRM requirements, but 96 percent of Bt corn growers said they received enough information to properly implement a refuge in 2004, which is seven percentage points higher than 2002 and 22 percentage points higher than 2001 survey results.

The IRM requirements established by the EPA, the Bt corn registrants and academics 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 minimize the probability of 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.

Corzine also credited the EPA for using both science-based as well as farmer-friendly practical information in developing refugre requirements. “The result is high compliance rates and a system that works,” he said. “After more than six years of using the technology, we have not found even one resistant corn borer in the growing fields of America.”

Looking ahead to the 2005 growing season, Corzine suggests growers consult with their seed dealers and seed company representatives to help ensure they understand and meet IRM requirements. Growers also can visit the “Know Before You Grow” section of www.ncga.com for more information on Bt corn and the IRM requirements.