1. Senate Committee Hearing on the Use of Bt Corn
Erin Trumble, New York Senator (D)
Cathy Caiazza, Nebraska Senator (R)
Jackie Toner, Kansas Senator (D)

2. Nebraska Quick Facts: Position on Bt-corn: “Cornhusker State”
Ranks 3rd in U.S. corn production
96% of land used for agriculture
Net farm income ~$1.6 billion
Position on Bt-corn:
Policies should foremost assist family farms
Goal: to ensure farmers stay in business
Committed to strengthening agricultural economy

3. New York New York is vastly agricultural
Approx. 38,000 farms
Dairy/animal production = $2.22 billion
Corn production = $1.2 billion
Sweet Corn ~ $68.4 million (2nd nationally)
It’s not all for human consumption…
Corn for silage (3rd nationally)
Corn for grain (17th nationally)
Concerns…
“Writing in red” & net income decreasing

4. Kansas Quick Facts: Corn Earworm – sweet corn’s most serious pest
Corn Production (7th nationally)
409.2 million bushels of corn in 2001
(total in U.S.= 9.5 billion bushels)
Harvested acreage is 3.1 million acres
Kansas Department of Agriculture
Plant Protection and Weed Control Program
Pesticide and Fertilizer Program
Corn Earworm – sweet corn’s most serious pest
European Corn Borer – moderate levels of resistance to Bt insecticides or proteins

5. What is Bt Corn? Soil Bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
Bacterial gene transferred to corn plant
Bt corn produces toxic pesticide aimed at target organisms such as:
European/Southwestern Corn Borer
Moths (Indianmeal)
Corn Earworm

6. How Does Bt Corn Work? Insects ingest endotoxin
Protein binds to gut wall
Insect stops feeding within minutes
Gut wall breaks down
Normal bacteria invade body cavity
Bacteria multiply in blood, causing death
Bessin (1999)

7. How Does Gene Transfer Occur?
#1. Bt gene combines with marker gene to produce desired protein.
#2. Combination is injected into plant cells.
#3. Plant cells are grown in the presence of antibiotic.
#4. Cells with Bt gene are grown into plant.
Weber (1995)

8. Pros and Cons of Bt Corn Pros Cons
Reduces insecticide use and concerns
Bt technology costs less than insecticides
Available to all farms, no special equipment
Makes ethanol, clean-burning auto fuel
Used to make biodegradable plastics
Cons
Roots leak endotoxins into soil
Pests can become resistant
Non-target organisms affected possibly
Cross-pollination
Possible allergen
Affects consumer prices
Can’t control placement or amount of endotoxin
Rice (1997)

9. Questions to be addressed…
Are there or are there not legitimate concerns regarding the use of Bt Genes in corn?
What are the options to manage the use of Bt corn?
What additional research or legislation might be useful in addressing the first two items?