Sanet:

A Monsanto Press Release of May 21, 1999 on the impact of Bt-corn on Monarch butterflies states that:

"-- In 1998 use of Bt insect-protected corn reduced or eliminated the use of broad spectrum chemical insecticides on some 15 million acres of U.S. farmland."

On May 19, 1999, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the results of the 1998 field crop chemical use survey. The data can be downloaded by anyone from the NASS siteto May 1999, and then to May 19 ag cemical survey.

Nationwide on corn, the following insecticides were applied. The percent following the active ingredient is the percent of 71,400,000 corn acres that were treated. In most cases, the target pest is known and listed. As is well-known and obvious to anyone, including Monsanto, the vast majority of corn insecticide use is pre- or at plant for control of corn rootworms, cutworms, and other soil insects. These applications are early in the year and pose very little risk to Monarchs. As anyone also knows, there has been little change in corn insecticide use, despite the planting of millions of acres of Bt corn in recent years.

1998 U.S. Corn Insecticide Use (NASS data)

Bifenthrin 2%, rootworms, soil insects
Carbofuran 1% rootworms, soil insects
Chlorethoxyfos 1%, rootworms, soil insects
Chlorpryifos 6%, rootworms, soil insects
Cyfluthrin 3%, rootworms, soil insects
Dimethoate 1%, possibly European corn borer
Fipronil 1%, rootworms, soil insects
fonofos 1%, soil insects
Lamba-cyhalothrin 2%, some for ECB, most soil insects
Methyl parathion 1%, rootworms, soil insects
Permethrin 2%, possibly part for ECB
Tebupirimiphos 3%, rootworms, soil insects
Tefluthrin 5%, rootworms, soil insects
Terbufos 6%, rootworms, soil insects

It is clear from the above that at most, Bt-corn may have reduced corn insecticide use by 1% to 2% of corn acres, or 714,000 to 1.4 million acres (NASS surveyed 71.4 million corn acres in 1998). Monsanto's claim of reducing or eliminating pesticide use on 15 million acres -- i.e. all acres planted -- is not accurate.

Some people on this list have asked why Monsanto seems to be such a lightning rod for criticism. Statements like the one above is one reason why.

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