Educational Seminar for Extension Specialists: Insect Resistant Management Recommendations
Date: Friday, May 2, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m. CDT
Corn producers face a critical decision this spring: whether they fully comply with Insect Resistant Management recommendations that will help prevent insects from becoming resistant to today’s Bt traits.
DTN and the National Corn Growers Association would like to invite you to a special webinar training session designed for extension personnel that will address this critical issue.
In 2007, the number of acres planted to Bt hybrids rose greatly, and that acreage is expected to increase more this year. At the same time, compliance with nonBT refuge requirements has been falling, from a high of 95 percent compliance in 2003 down to near 80 percent in 2007. Farmers, pressed both for planting time given the general lateness of the season and wanting to maximize profits on each corn acre, may particularly be tempted to ignore refuge acre recommendations this spring.
The National Corn Growers Association is developing a series of training and educational materials specifically for Extension personnel and corn growers to spread awareness of issues facing farmers this spring, and to preview some of those educational materials that will be available soon.
Presenters will include:
Kevin Steffey, Extension entomologist at the University of Illinois.
Dr. Steffey has been involved in the issue of corn insect resistance management and the federal IRM guidelines since their inception in the early 1990s.
Martin Barbre, chairman of the National Corn Growers Association
Biotech Working Group.
A corn farmer from Carmi, Ill., Martin is a partner in Chestin Farms with his son and
son-in-law. Barbre will discuss NCGA’s new educational efforts in insect resistance management.
Nick Storer, chairman of the Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee, and Global Science Policy Leader, Biotechnology Regulatory Affairs
for Dow AgroSciences.
Storer will discuss seed companies' latest efforts to promote refuse requirements.
The webinar will be moderated by DTN Production Editor, Greg Horstmeier.
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