EPA Taking Public Comments on Planned Phase-Out of BT Corn Traits
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking comments on a plan that would phase out many of the existing Bt corn and cotton plant protection traits.
The agency wants to implement many recommendations from a scientific advisory panel that are designed to delay insect resistance to the plant protection traits and prolong the effectiveness of plant protection products.
The EPA says Bt resistance has been reported for corn earworm, fall armyworm, western bean cutworm, and the southwestern corn borer. The agency reports insect resistance risk factors including a lack of high-dose toxin in pests, cross-pollination with non-Bt plants, and ineffective resistance monitoring methods.
Graham Head with Bayer’s resistance management team issued a statement saying, “We are currently reviewing the EPA’s recently released proposed IRM framework and are working through the Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee (ABSTC) to respond as an industry.” He says, “Bayer remains committed to stewarding its technologies while providing growers and producers choice and access to technologies that enable them to effectively manage pests such as cotton bollworm and corn earworm. We look forward to working alongside industry registrants of Bt technologies as well as researchers, government regulators, and industry associations to provide practical approaches for IRM. The EPA stresses that this is a draft proposal and they are still seeking feedback per the public comment period. Specifically, EPA says it will “modify the proposal as appropriate and work with registrants to finalize a new IRM framework for Bt corn and cotton PIP registrations.”
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The agency wants to implement many recommendations from a scientific advisory panel that are designed to delay insect resistance to the plant protection traits and prolong the effectiveness of plant protection products.
The EPA says Bt resistance has been reported for corn earworm, fall armyworm, western bean cutworm, and the southwestern corn borer. The agency reports insect resistance risk factors including a lack of high-dose toxin in pests, cross-pollination with non-Bt plants, and ineffective resistance monitoring methods.
Graham Head with Bayer’s resistance management team issued a statement saying, “We are currently reviewing the EPA’s recently released proposed IRM framework and are working through the Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee (ABSTC) to respond as an industry.” He says, “Bayer remains committed to stewarding its technologies while providing growers and producers choice and access to technologies that enable them to effectively manage pests such as cotton bollworm and corn earworm. We look forward to working alongside industry registrants of Bt technologies as well as researchers, government regulators, and industry associations to provide practical approaches for IRM. The EPA stresses that this is a draft proposal and they are still seeking feedback per the public comment period. Specifically, EPA says it will “modify the proposal as appropriate and work with registrants to finalize a new IRM framework for Bt corn and cotton PIP registrations.”
Click Here to read more.