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Monsanto gets regulators' approval for Bollgard II cotton (Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2002 -- CropChoice news) -- Monsanto press release:
Monsanto (NYSE: MON) announced today that it has received full
U.S. regulatory clearance for its Bollgard II insect-protected cotton
technology. This announcement means that U.S. cotton producers will have
access to cotton seed containing this technology for the 2003 planting
season.
"Monsanto is pleased that regulatory agencies in the United States and other
countries have confirmed the food, feed and environmental safety of this and
other plant biotechnology products, which are delivering tremendous value to
growers and the environment," said Robb Fraley, Ph.D., Chief Technology
Officer of Monsanto.
Bollgard II is the second-generation of insect-protected cotton developed by
Monsanto. This technology contains two different insect-control genes,
compared to the single insect-control gene in its predecessor Bollgard.
"Bollgard II cotton is expected to provide the grower with additional
benefits including a broader spectrum of insect-control, and increased
defense against insect-resistance, as well as similar agronomic advantages
as its predecessor, Bollgard cotton -- including increased yield and lint
potential, improved insect control, reduction in input costs, savings in
time, and reduced pesticide sprayings," Fraley said.
As part of the registration conditions, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) will require the same insect resistance management programs
that growers have been following the past several years. Insect resistance
management plans for Bollgard and Bollgard II cotton are designed to
maintain the effectiveness of these products against the target insect
pests. These plans require planting a non-Bollgard cotton refuge within a
specific distance from each Bollgard cotton field to serve as habitat for
susceptible insects.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) also confirmed the food, feed and environmental safety
of this technology earlier this year.
Limited quantities of seed containing Monsanto's Bollgard II technology will
be available for the 2003 season.
The clearance of Bollgard II cotton by U.S. regulatory agencies follows the
successful completion of regulatory reviews by the Australian government
earlier this year. In September, Australia's Office of the Gene Technology
Regulator (OGTR) approved the commercial use of Bollgard II cotton in the
growing regions of New South Wales and southern Queensland.
Monsanto's original Bollgard insect-protected cotton product, first marketed
in 1996, is being sold commercially in nine countries -- the United States,
China, India, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, Colombia, South Africa and
Indonesia. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech
Applications (ISAAA) recently noted that biotech cotton acreage was
approximately 6.8 million hectares in 2001 or 16.8 million acres. This is
an increase of 28 percent from the 2000 biotech cotton acreage, which was
approximately 5.3 million hectares. | |
