Bt on the Chopping Block

[Mary Wilson]

EPA Proposes Phasing Out Dozens of Bt Corn and Cotton Products

9/29/2020 | 3:26 PM CDT

By Emily Unglesbee

ROCKVILLE, Md. (DTN) -- In an effort to stave off above-ground insect resistance, the EPA is proposing phasing out many current Bt corn hybrids, as well as some Bt cotton varieties, in the next three-to-five years.

Essentially, all Bt corn hybrids and cotton varieties that don't include Syngenta's Vip3A protein, the lone Bt trait on the market without documented insect resistance, are being considered for a national phase-out.

The proposal suggests removing many common and popular Bt-traited corn products, as well as one new rootworm trait package with a unique RNAi mode of action -- SmartStax PRO -- that hasn't yet been commercialized.

https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/w...bt-corn?referrer=twitter#.X3Oa6JT4IGc.twitter

 

[Mary Wilson]

As Biotech Crops Lose Their Power, Scientists Push For New Restrictions

October 29, 20205:00 AM ET
DAN CHARLES

Some of the most popular products of biotechnology — corn and cotton plants that have been genetically modified to fend off insects — are no longer offering the same protection from those bugs. Scientists say that the problem results from farmers overusing the crops, and are pushing for new regulations.

These crops were the original genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. They weren't the first ones invented, but they were the first to be widely embraced by farmers, starting in the late 1990s.

... Now all of those benefits are increasingly at risk. Bt crops are losing their power. New strains of bollworms, rootworms, and other pests have emerged that are able to feed on Bt plants without dying.

...Scientists have long warned about this risk. They've been engaged in a long-running argument with the companies selling Bt crops, such as Monsanto, which has been acquired by Bayer.

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/29/9271...rm=nprnews&utm_campaign=npr&utm_medium=social

 

[sharon sanders]

bump this