Bt on the Chopping Block

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.

The phase-out plan, found in EPA's recent publication, "EPA Draft Proposal to Address Resistance Risks to Lepidopteran Pests of Bt," is only a proposal for now. EPA is seeking public comment from all stakeholders, including farmers, through Nov. 9, 2020. You can comment here: https://www.regulations.gov/…

Here is a comprehensive list, based on DTN's analysis of the EPA proposal, of every corn hybrid and cotton variety up for phase-out over the next three-to-five years, organized by their original registrant.

THREE-YEAR CORN PHASE-OUT

PIONEER & DOW AGROSCIENCES (Now under Corteva)

Herculex I; Herculex I Insect Protection
EPA Reg. No.: 68467-2; 29964-3
Bt trait: Cry1F

Herculex XTRA Insect Protection
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-5; 29964-17; 68467-6
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry34/35Ab1

PIONEER (Now under Corteva)

Optimum AcreMax l
EPA Reg. No.. 29964-6
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry34/35Ab1 seed blend

Optimum TRIsect
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-13
Bt Traits: Cry1F + mCry3A

SYNGENTA

Agrisure CB/LL; Agrisure GT/CB/LL; Agrisure 3010; Agrisure Artesian 3010A
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-1
Bt Trait: Cry1Ab

Agrisure CB/RW; Agrisure 3000GT; Agrisure 3011A
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-8
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + mCry3A

Attribute Insect Protected Sweet Corn
EPA Reg. No.: 65268-1
Bt Trait: Cry1Ab

MONSANTO (Now under Bayer)

YieldGard Corn Borer
EPA Reg. No.: 524-489
Bt Trait: Cry1Ab

FIVE-YEAR CORN PHASE-OUT

PIONEER (Now under Corteva)

Optimum Intrasect
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-7
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + Cry1F

Optimum AcreMax Insect Protection
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-12
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry1Ab seed blend

Optimum AcreMax Xtra
EPA Reg. No: 29964-11
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry1Ab + Cry34/35Ab1 seed blend

Optimum Intrasect Xtra
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-8
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + Cry1F + Cry34/35Ab1

Optimum Intrasect Xtreme
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-14
Bt Traits: Cry1F + mCry3A + Cry1Ab + Cry34/35Ab1

Optimum AcreMax Xtreme seed blend
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-16
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry34/35Ab1 + Cry1Ab + mCry3A seed blend

QROME
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-22
Bt Traits: Cry34/35Ab1 + Cry1F + Cry1Ab + mCry3A

QROME seed blend (RIB)
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-21
Bt Traits: Cry34/35Ab1 + Cry1F + Cry1Ab + mCry3A seed blend

Optimum AcreMax Trisect
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-23
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry1Ab + mCry3A seed blend

Optimum Intrasect Trisect
EPA Reg. No.: 29964-24
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry1Ab + mCry3A

SYNGENTA

Agrisure 3122
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-17
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + Cry34/35Ab1 + mCry3A + Cry1F

Agrisure 3122 E-Z Refuge Corn
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-20
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + Cry34/35Ab1 + mCry3A + Cry1F seed blend

Agrisure Duracade 5122 Refuge Renew; Agrisure Duracade 5122A Refuge Renew
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-24
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + mCry3A + Cry1F + eCry3.1Ab

Agrisure Duracade 5122 E-Z Refuge; Agrisure Duracade 5122A E-Z Refuge; Agrisure Duracade 5122 Refuge Advanced
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-25
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + mCry3A + Cry1F + eCry3.1Ab seed blend

Agrisure 3120 E-Z Refuge; Agrisure 3120A E-Z Refuge
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-31
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + Cry1F seed blend

Agrisure 3120 Refuge Renew; Agrisure 3120A Refuge Renew
EPA Reg. No.: 67979-33
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + Cry1F

MONSANTO (Now, under Bayer)

Genuity VT Double Pro
EPA Reg. No.: 524-575
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2

Genuity VT Double PRO RIB Complete
EPA Reg. No.: 524-597
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 seed blend

Genuity VT Triple PRO
EPA Reg. No.: 524-576
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry3Bb1

Genuity VT Triple PRO RIB Complete
EPA Reg. No.: 524-606
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry3Bb1 seed blend

Genuity PowerCore
EPA Reg. No.: 524-585
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F

Genuity PowerCore RIB Complete
EPA Reg. No.: 524-612
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F seed blend

SmartStax PRO
EPA Reg. No.: 524-632
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F + Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1 + DvSnf (RNAi trait)

SmartStax PRO RIB Complete
EPA Reg. No.: 524-631
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F + Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1 + DvSnf (RNAi trait) seed blend

MONSANTO & DOW AGROSCIENCES

Genuity SmartStax; SmartStax
EPA Reg. No.: 524-581; 68567-7
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F + Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1

Genuity SmartStax RIB Complete; SmartStax Refuge Advanced; Refuge Advanced Powered by SmartStax
EPA Reg. No.: 524-595; 68567-16
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F + Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1 seed blend

DOW AGROSCIENCES (Now under Corteva)

PowerCore; PowerCore Enlist
EPA Reg. No.: 68467-12
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F

SmartStax Enlist Refuge Advanced; SmartStax Refuge Advanced; Refuge Advanced Powered by SmartStax
EPA Reg. No.: 68467-16
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F + Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1 seed blend

PowerCore Enlist Refuge Advanced; PowerCore Refuge Advanced; Refuge Advanced Powered by PowerCore
EPA Reg. No.: 68467-21
Bt Traits: Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F seed blend

SmartStax PRO Enlist
EPA Reg. No.: 62719-706
Bt Traits: dvSnf7 (RNAi trait) + Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F + Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1

SmartStax PRO Enlist Refuge Advanced; SmartStax PRO Refuge Advanced
EPA Reg. No.: 62719-707
Bt Traits: dvSnf7 (RNAi trait) + Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2 + Cry1F x Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1

FIVE-YEAR COTTON PHASE-OUT

Widestrike (developed by Dow Agrosciences, now under Corteva)
EPA Reg. No.: 68467-3
Bt Traits: Cry1F + Cry1Ac

Bollgard II (developed by Monsanto, now under Bayer)
EPA Reg. No.: 524-522
Bt Traits: Cry1Ac + Cry2Ab2

TwinLink (developed by Bayer, now under BASF)
EPA Reg. No.: 264-1096
Bt Traits: Cry1Ab + Cry2Ae

The current owners of most of these traits, Bayer, Syngenta and Corteva, declined to comment on these specific corn hybrid and cotton variety phase-out proposals.

However, Bayer and Syngenta both provided statements saying that they were analyzing the draft and were planning to comment to EPA as a group, via the Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee (ABSTC).

"We remain committed to working with the EPA on practical approaches for IRM [integrated resistance management] while preserving grower choice and will use the timeframe provided before making any decisions on next steps," a Syngenta statement emailed to DTN said.

In his statement, Graham Head, head of resistance management at Bayer, echoed that sentiment and added, "The EPA stresses that this is a draft proposal and they are still seeking feedback per the public comment period. Specifically, EPA says it will 'modify the proposal as appropriate and work with registrants to finalize a new IRM framework for Bt corn and cotton PIP registrations.'"

Once again, any member of the public can comment on this EPA draft proposal here through Nov. 9, 2020: https://www.regulations.gov/…

Emily Unglesbee can be reached at Emily.unglesbee@dtn.com

Follow her on Twitter @Emily_Unglesbee.

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