monsanto 09-20-05b
TRANSCRIPT
Bt Corn in Spain
Miguel LeónLleida, September 21st, 2005
Some of the major milestones in agricultural biotechnology originated in Europe
• Agrobacterium transformation (Belgium)• First commercial GM plant (bromoxinil tolerant
tobacco, Rhone Poulenc, France)• First processed GM food: tomato paste
(ICI - UK)• First Bt corn grown in the USA (Novartis -
Switzerland)• First GM canola (spring oil seed rape) grown in
Canada (PGS - Belgium)• First Bt corn grown in Europe (Novartis -
Switzerland)
The EU has made significant advances in the adoption of ag biotechnology
• A completely overhauled, rigorous and comprehensive regulatory system
• End of the moratorium• New product approvals (NK603, GT73, etc.)• 17 Bt corn hybrids listed on the EU Catalog• Commercial plantings in 2005 in five EU
countries (Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and the Czech Republic)
• Over 200,000 Has of Bt corn grown in Spain since 1998
Indeed, the EU has been using and consuming GMO products since 1996
• Field trials:– Over 2,000 plant releases since 1991
• Imports:– 32 million MT of soybean products from
USA, Argentina and Brazil– 4 million MT of corn gluten feed from the
USA– 0.5 - 1 million MT of corn grain from
Argentina
Spain is an important agricultural countrywithin the EU
% contribution of each memberstate to the total agricultural
production in the EU -15
France: 23.1%
Germany: 15.4%
Italy: 15.4%
Spain: 12.5%
UK: 8.7%
The Netherlands: 6.8%
Corn is an important crop in many areas of Spain
Source: Ministry of Agriculture
15-1,0001,000-2,6002,600-6,1006,100-17,000
17,000-26,00026,000-51,000
Ha’s
AREA(KHa's)
Average YieldMT/Ha)
Production('000 MT)
France 1,900 8.5 16,000
Italy 1,150 9.4 11,000
Spain 450 10.2 4,900
Total EU (15) 4,425 8.8 39,000
Source: EU Commission, Coceral
Corn Borer infestations occur to some degree in all corn growing regions
Source: Syngenta SeedsNot significantLowMediumHigh
Corn borer pressure
Overall, about 20% of Spanish corn suffers some or severe economic losses because of
corn borer attacks
Corn borers tunnel into the ears and stalk causing extensive damage:
• Weak stalks, loss of yield• Damage to the ears
Damages are not only to yield, but also to grain quality
Corn borers are difficult to control with conventional (chemical) methods
Overwinteringlarvae
pupae
adults
larvae
eggs
adults
pupaeeggs
larvae
NOV-APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
• 2 - 4 generations/yr• Severe damage in the early stages of plant growth
Bt corn (Bt) offers many advantages to the grower and to the environment
• Season long insect protection to thewhole plant (leaves, stalks and ears)
• Healthy plants that yield more• Higher grain quality• No impact on beneficial insects• Easier crop management• Savings in time and money• Reduction in insecticide use
In 2004, more than 19 million Has of GM cornwere grown around the World
USA
Honduras
Canada
Argentina
Spain
Philippines
So. AfricaUruguay
Trials were done to study the benefits ofBt corn in Spain
02468
10121416
1997 1998
Corn yield (MT/Ha)
Conventional (untreated)Conventional (treated)Bt
In view of these results and the corn borer problems, Spain adopted Bt corn in 1998
• The Min. of Ag. approved 2 varieties of Bt corn (of which only one was actually planted)– Total surface had to be limited to about
25,000 Ha’s (5% of the total corn planted in the country)
– Seed company had to follow a 5 year monitoring plan
• In the period 1998-2005, over 200,000 Ha’s of Bt corn have been grown in Spain
The economics of Bt corn are very favorable for the farmer
200
8001,200
2,200
3,4003,800
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
10% 30% 50% 70% 90% 100%
Stalks with borer attacks
Yie
ld L
oss
(Kg/
Ha)
Cost of Bt
Good results and farmer satisfaction have resulted in substantial increase in Bt corn use
In 2005, there are 29 Bt corn hybrids approved for planting in Spain, 17 in the EU
22.5 22.5 22.5
15
22.5
32
58
48
BT
Cor
n Su
rfac
e (K
HA
's)
'98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05
Bt corn
Conventional corn
20%
80%
Penetration of Bt corn(% m.s. of the corn borer market)
The trade of corn grain and consumption of corn based products has not been disrupted
The trade of corn grain and consumption of corn based products has not been disrupted
• 85% of Spanish corn is used for feed
• 50,000 - 120,000 MT of locally produced GM-free corn purchased by major wet miller (corn processor for food):
- Traceability- Agreements with
individual coops or large farmers
- Testing of grain lots• Cost to the corn trade:
0.5% of price of grain
Biotechnology is the future. Good technologies ultimately succeed and prevail
“In the future, all crops will be transgenic”James Watson, 2005
“Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of human kind.As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times”
Thomas Jefferson, 1816