That included half of last year's soybean crop modified to resist herbicide sprays, about 40 percent of the 1999 corn crop that was resistant to corn borer insects, and more than half of the U.S. cotton crop also bred with insect resistance. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association said a higher percentage of Minnesota farmers may be using the so-called Bt corn seed that was introduced by Novartis Seeds three years ago. Jerry Louwagie, a farmer and seed sales representative for two seed companies owned by Monsanto in southwestern Minnesota, said new genetics have produced record high yields the last two growing seasons while allowing farmers to cut back on using farm chemicals. Bt corn contains a gene from a naturally occurring bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis, that is toxic to European corn borers, the greatest pest problem for corn farmers. Inserting a bacteria gene into the corn plant strikes fear in some consumers, even though it is the same bacteria used by organic farmers on and around their plants as a natural defense against insects.
Farmers pay more for the new seeds, but they spend less on chemicals and fuel to work the fields.
Ed Shonsey, president of Novartis Seeds, tells farm audiences that use of GMO seeds is a trade off that benefits farmers so far, but not the life sciences and chemical companies producing the seeds. The stakes get even greater away from the farm. DuPont's chemical business provides herbicde and pesticide chemicals consistent with growing crops from Pioneer seeds. The company is in a race with the other major biotech firms to produce new GMO products at the same time it modifies its seed genetics to be compatible with its farm chemical products. Farm chemical operations are based in North Carolina.