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  • From: "Kevin Ancell" <kancell AT goodearthgardens.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Interesting
  • Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2001 05:59:35 -0700


This is Interesting! I didn't think Bio-Tech Crops were going to survive the
"white-hot" light different groups are/where shining on them.

Regards to the Group,

Kevin Ancell
Good Earth Gardens L.L.C.
Joplin, Missouri - Santa Fe, New Mexico
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Farmers To Increase Biotech Crops


March 30, 2001
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By PHILIP BRASHER

AP Farm Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) via NewsEdge Corporation -
Farmers will sharply boost their plantings of genetically engineered
soybeans this year, despite opposition to biotechnology overseas and signs
of unease among U.S. consumers, the government said Friday.

About 63 percent of this year's soybean crop, or about 48 million acres, is
expected to be genetically engineered, up from 54 percent in 2000, according
to the Agriculture Department's annual survey of farmers' planting
intentions. The biotech soy is immune to the Monsanto Co.'s popular Roundup
weedkiller.

``Clearly farmers like using Roundup-ready soybeans,'' said Bill Nelson, a
commodity analyst with A.G. Edwards & Sons.

Slightly under 10 million acres of the cotton that farmers will plant this
spring, or 64 percent, is expected to be biotech, compared to 61 percent in
2000, USDA said. Biotech cotton is either resistant to insect pests or
herbicides, or both.

``The reports of our death are erroneous,'' said Lisa Dry, a spokeswoman for
the Biotechnology Industry Organization. ``It just shows that farmers see
the tremendous benefits of this technology.''

About 24 percent of the 2001 corn crop will be genetically engineered,
compared to 25 percent last year, USDA said.

The biotech industry was embarrassed last year when a gene-altered variety
of corn, known as StarLink, was found in the food supply without being
cleared for human consumption.

StarLink, one of the least used of the various biotech corn varieties, has
been withdrawn from the market. But farmers are concerned that stray seeds
from last year's StarLink crop may sprout in their fields and have been
encouraged to plant biotech soybeans on that acreage. Any wild StarLink
plants will die when the genetically modified soybeans is treated with
herbicide.

Although there is strong resistance to biotech food in Europe and Japan,
most U.S.-grown corn and soybeans are consumed domestically.

Yield-robbing weeds have long been a problem for soybean growers, so
development of the biotech varieties has made it much easier to grow the
crop. Many farmers have expanded their acreage as a result. In other cases,
the crop has freed up time for growers to take off-farm jobs to supplement
their incomes.

``There are a lot of different opportunities there,'' said Tony Anderson,
president of the American Soybean Association. ``There's no doubt about the
appreciation of the technology that Roundup-ready offers.''

A spokesman for Monsanto said there should be no shortage of seed, but
Anderson said some of the most prized varieties may not be available
everywhere.

The USDA report also confirmed that farmers are cutting back on overall corn
acreage this year largely because of higher energy and fertilizer prices and
switching to soybeans.

Farmers are expected to grow about 76.7 million acres of both crops this
year. That would represent a decrease of 4 percent in corn plantings from
last year and a 3 percent increase for soybeans.

In Iowa, which ranks No. 1 in both corn and soybeans, farmers will plant an
estimated 11.9 million acres of corn this year, down from 12.3 million in
2000. They are increasing their soybean acreage from 10.7 million to 11
million.

This year's wheat acreage is estimated at 60.3 million, a 4 percent
reduction from 2000 and the lowest level since 1973. Production of
spring-planted varieties, however, is expected to increase, with acreage of
15.5 million, up 2 percent from 2000. Most wheat is planted in the fall.

This year's cotton acreage is estimated at 15.6 million, an increase of less
than 1 percent from 2000.

^___=

On the Net: http://www.nass.usda.gov









  • Interesting, Kevin Ancell, 04/02/2001
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • Re: Interesting, Jill Taylor Bussiere, 04/02/2001

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