The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Crop Insurance Corp. has expanded the number of seed technologies it will accept for reduced crop insurance premiums beginning with the 2009 season. It also expanded the number of eligible states -- and includes both irrigated and non-irrigated acres in Nebraska. For details, click here.
The Biotech Yield Endorsement Program (BYE Program) includes technology from Pioneer, Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences and Syngenta and applies to approved corn hybrids that contain specific biotech traits -- those that offer protection against above-ground lepidopteron pests and below-ground corn rootworm damage, and provide tolerance to certain herbicides.
In Nebraska, however, it appears that only technologies from Monsanto (for irrigated and non-irrigated acres) and Syngenta (non-irrigated) have been given approval. Syngenta traits that are eligible include Agrisure CB and RW stacked and Agrisure 3000GT. Traits from Monsanto include YieldGard Plus with Roundup Ready Corn 2, YieldGard VT Triple and YieldGard VT Triple PRO.
The program is an expansion of the 2008 pilot BYE Program, of which Monsanto seeds were the only ones approved. According to Monsanto, growers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota in 2008 saved nearly $25 million the pilot program. The company said growers saved an average of $3 per acre on insurance premiums.
Many other seed companies products qualify, if they've incorporated Agrisure traits from Syngenta.
ReplyDeleteGood point - I should have said that in the post. It's the technology is approved - and technology is licensed to many different companies. I'll update the post to reflect that.
ReplyDeleteTraits from Syngenta that are eligible include Agrisure CB and RW stacked and Agrisure 3000GT.
Traits from Monsanto include YieldGard Plus with Roundup Ready Corn 2, YieldGard VT Triple and YieldGard VT Triple PRO.