New Insect Protection Technology From Monsanto Company Deregulat...(ting rootworm protection andRoundup Read...)

"This technology will offer corn growers the industry's first dual mode-of-action insect protection for corn borers, controlling a broader spectrum of insects above ground," said Andrew Duff, Corn Traits Marketing Manager, Monsanto Company. "The dual-effective dose offered by YieldGard VT Triple PRO has been approved for a refuge reduction in cotton-growing regions of the South and has the opportunity to further reduce refuge acres in the Corn Belt as well. This provides growers with an opportunity for increased yield and profitability on their farms."

Currently corn growers are required to plant a "structured refuge" or plots of corn that do not use Bt technology near corn acres using in-plant protection. The current required percentage of refuge acres varies based on specific geography, but in general is set at 50 percent in the southern United States and 20 percent in the Corn Belt. Beginning in 2009, southern growers can take advantage of this reduced refuge opportunity by planting YieldGard VT Triple PRO.

Research conducted by Monsanto and reviewed by scientists at key academic institutions indicates the use of dual protein technologies, like the dual proteins for corn borer in YieldGard VT Triple PRO, allows the percentage of structured refuge in southern cotton-growing states to be reduced without negatively impacting long term effectiveness of the technology. EPA previously granted a reduced refuge requirement for YieldGard VT Triple PRO in southern states dropping the corn borer refuge requirements from 50 to 20 percent.

With previous U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EPA clearances, the USDA deregulation allows the 2009 launch of YieldGard VT Triple PRO in the U.S. Key international import approvals for MON 89034 have been achieved in Japan, Mexico, Canada and Colombia with other import regulatory clearances in process.

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