EPA Renews Biotech Corn Registration

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has renewed the registration for biotech corn for another seven years. "Bt corn has been evaluated thoroughly by EPA, and we are confident that it does not pose risks to human health or to the environment. Consumers should be assured that these corn varieties show no signs of any adverse effects to human health," said Stephen L. Johnson, assistant administrator of EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances.

"The safeguards incorporated into these registrations will ensure that farmers can continue to use an effective, low-risk pest control alternative, which helps to protect the environment by reducing the amount of conventional pesticides used," Johnson added. The companies holding registrations for Bt corn are Monsanto, Syngenta, Pioneer/DuPont and Mycogen/Dow.

"Renewing this registration is great news for the more than 150 seed companies and tens of thousands of U.S. farmers who plant biotech-enhanced corn hybrids," said Steve Rosenbloom, marketing director for Monsanto's corn genetics. "This technology is reducing farmers' input costs, improving their returns and allowing them to reduce the amount of insecticide they use while controlling a damaging insect pest."

The EPA's decision completes an extensive reassessment process for YieldGard Corn Borer that included evaluation of the numerous safety studies conducted on the product, examination of commercial-level environmental impacts and an assessment of required stewardship practices.

In its reassessment process, the EPA specifically considered a number of key food and environmental safety evaluation areas including: the impact of biotech corn on non-targets insects such as the monarch butterfly, the impact on endangered species, food safety including the potential for allergenicity, the effectiveness of insect-resistance management (IRM) programs, and the compliance assurance for IRM programs. EPA determined it posed no adverse human health or environmental safety concerns.

Bt crops contains a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a common soil microbe, allowing it to naturally protect itself against insect pests, thereby requiring fewer applications of chemical insecticides. The benefits often result in higher yields, decreased use of chemical applications, as well as increased grain and fiber quality.

EPA said the renewed registrations continue to include specific requirements for companies to routinely monitor and collect data to ensure that the products' continued use does not lead to insect resistance or unexpected human health or environmental effects. In order to ensure that Bt corn continues to be a safe and effective tool for farmers, EPA also mandated several provisions to strengthen insect resistance management, to increase research data on potential environmental effects, and to improve grower education and stewardship.

Companies marketing Bt corn seed will be required to monitor for the development of insect resistance, provide annual reports on the efficacy of resistance management plans, and implement remedial action plans in the event that resistance is detected among pest populations. The companies also must educate growers about the best methods of planting Bt corn to minimize any potential development of insect resistance.

To enhance grower stewardship and compliance with the insect resistance management provisions, all growers must sign contractual grower agreements. These agreements, coupled with the grower guides, set forth the terms and conditions for use. Companies are now required to implement a system to secure signature of the grower agreements prior to receipt of any seed, and to make the grower agreements available to EPA. To monitor the enhanced requirements, an independent, third party compliance survey of licenced growers will be conducted annually for the duration of the registrations.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) says the decision is a "dual win" for corn producers. "First, it's a win for the science-based regulatory system that NCGA has supported that provides U.S. growers with access to this technology," said Leon Corzine, NCGA Biotech Working Group member and Assumption, IL, corn grower. "Second, the EPA's insect resistance management (IRM) requirements are based on the initial guidelines NCGA helped EPA develop more than two years ago and the recommendations NCGA made during the recent EPA comment period."

"It has been proven time and time again that Bt corn does not affect Monarch butterflies or the environment," said Corzine. "Hopefully, this will end the argument once and for all and allow us to focus our attentions on other pressing topics, such as granting President Bush Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and getting the Farm Bill passed."