EPA Approves BOLLGARD® Cotton Phase-out Plan

The U.S. EPA has approved an amendment to the registration of Bollgard® cotton that will allow the planting of Bollgard® varieties in the 2010 growing season, and provides detail on the steps necessary to facilitate the final discontinuation Bollgard® varieties in the U.S. 

This transition is necessary to maintain the long-term effectiveness of biotech traits in cotton that control key insect pests by moving away from a single mode of action to a dual modes of action on Bt cotton products. 

Under the EPA approved plan, all sales of Bollgard® cotton varieties intended for planting in the spring of 2010 must be completed by September 30, 2009.   

The EPA has determined that Bollgard varieties may only be approved for planting in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida (north of Tampa), Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (excluding the ten prohibited panhandle counties of Dallam, Sherman, Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hartley, Moore, Hutchison, Roberts and Carson) and Virginia.  Bollgard seed will not be sold for planting in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico in 2010 because pink bollworm eradication programs are under way, or EPA determined that there was very little to no Bollgard planted in these states in previous years. 

We have a number of people who will be working closely with farmers, retailers and others to provide local information on Deltapine variety performance and to help growers understand the varieties that may be best suited for their farms in these restricted areas.

Information regarding the allocation process, ordering, invoicing, GPOS reporting, delivery and licensing/replanting will be posted at www.deltapine.com or www.monsanto.com/cotton. 

#   #   #

DETAILS OF INTEREST TO GROWERS

• All sales of Bollgard cotton seed must be made by September 30, 2009 by authorized cotton technology dealers.  Deltapine is the only brand that will have Bollgard products to sell for 2010 for planting in the states specified by the EPA.
• Monsanto sells its Bollgard cotton seed products only through a system of pre-approved distributors. Allocations have been made to the 2008 Approved Distributor group. At this time, all available Bollgard cotton seed has been allocated to distributors, and these distributors are working with this allocation based on their own independent business plans. 
• All Bollgard cotton seed will be shipped by February 28, 2010 to distributor/dealer locations direct from Monsanto based on sales invoiced by September 30, 2009, and reported via GPOS by October 15, 2009.   
• Growers and retailers are advised to immediately contact their distributor/retailer for availability of 2010 Deltapine® Bollgard products.  Again, all purchases must be made by September 30, 2009. 
• Farmers purchasing Bollgard cotton seed for a 2010 planting will receive an amendment to their limited-use license stating:

1.       Bollgard cotton seed can only be planted prior to July 1, 2010;

2.       Bollgard cotton seed will not be available for replants in 2010,

3.       Any remaining bags of Bollgard cotton seed not planted must be returned to the retailer/seed company for final disposition, and

An adequate amount of refuge seed must be sold for planting an appropriate refuge for Bollgard Cotton.  Purchase of refuge seed with the Bollgard® Cotton seed is mandatory and such seed must be purchased by growers in advance of their receipt of Bollgard Cotton seed.  Furthermore, any seed purchased for use as a refuge is non-refundable, unless the proportional amount of Bollgard Cotton seed that the refuge seed would have supported is returned at the same time.