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Biotech Cotton Contributes to Economic and Environmental Sustainability...

The Australian cotton industry's8217;s investment in gene technology has been integral to the economic and environmental sustainability of the Australian cotton industry, which helps underpin the viability of many rural communities. In a new video interview and podcast available on the Conversations about Plant Biotechnology Web site: http://www.monsanto.com/biotech-gmo, Australian farmer Tom McKeon shares how biotech cotton with insect- and weed-control traits benefit the financial viability of his farm 's8211; increasing yields, reducing pesticide spraying and improving crop vigor.



's8220;Cotton will always have, I think, a main part to play in the Australian rural industries 's8211; principally because of the technology that it's8217;s been able to adopt,'s8221; says Tom McKeon, who farms 5,800 hectares (11,400 acres) in New South Wales (NSW) 's8211; an area that produces approximately two-thirds of Australia's8217;s cotton.



's8220;The market pressures are always there, making the financial viability of 's8230; any rural industry in Australia at the moment very hard,'s8221; says McKeon. 's8220;The only gains we are making on that financial viability is through improved varieties 's8211; the use of new technologies including Bollgard and Roundup Ready.'s8221;



Herbicide-tolerant biotech cotton can reduce the amount of tillage and herbicide required on cotton crops to control weeds. 's8220;What Roundup Ready has really allowed is the elimination of cultivation altogether. And cultivation is something that was causing us problems with soil structure. 's8230; We's8217;ve also seen, quite significant gains in crop vigor with lack of residual-type herbicides,'s8221; comments McKeon on this farming technology that was first adopted by Australian growers in 1996.



According to Cotton Australia, the use of transgenic cotton has also become a key component of the industry's8217;s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy, which combines natural controls with pest-specific chemistry to reduce the spraying or use of pesticides. During the last decade, the adoption of biotechnology has provided a foundation for the rapid adoption of IPM practices, which in turn have helped reduce overall insecticide use by 70 percent. (CRDC, 2005)



's8220;We have more to gain than to lose from the adoption of technologies. And, I certainly respect people's8217;s 's8230; reticence to take on and adopt new technologies,'s8221; says McKeon. 's8220;But, I think, if there's8217;s an open mindedness about the education process and learning about these technologies, people will come to accept them as not only being a part of what is happening, but a necessary part of what is going to happen in rural industries in becoming efficient.'s8221;



In addition to McKeon's8217;s video, visitors to the Conversations about Plant Biotechnology Web site can view conversations with four of his fellow Australian farmers 's8211; Robert Tuck, Paul Brimblecombe, Rob Newell and Betsy Turner 's8211; who discuss how biotechnology in Australia has decreased pesticide sprayings and increased net farm income.



Conversations about Plant Biotechnology is designed to give a voice and a face to the farmers and families who grow GM crops and the experts who research and study the benefits of biotechnology in agriculture. The Web site contains nearly 60 two- to three-minute, extremely candid, straightforward and compelling video segments with the people who know the technology best. The Web site is hosted by Monsanto Company 's8212; a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.



Editor's8217;s Notes:

>   
Bollgard cotton contains a protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that protects cotton plants from specific lepidopteron insect pests.

>   
Roundup Ready cotton contains in-plant tolerance to Roundup© agricultural herbicides. Roundup© is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company.

>   
Pesticides registered by the U.S. EPA will not cause unreasonable adverse effects on man or the environment, when used in accordance with label directions.



Contact:   


Ranjana Smetacek

314-694-2642

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