Extremely low-cost and high-yield Bt corn? Off-patent, generic Bt corn is rapidly approaching farmland and the price differential might cause buyer whiplash—a possible $100 spread. Further, the off-patent Bt corn is backed by new genetics with the reported potential for yields on par with current [varieties].
More than 20 years after the revolutionary advance of Bt corn and the subsequent giant shift toward transgenic crop production, Farmer’s Business Network (FBN) is developing generic Bt corn and projects market entry within two years. Currently, FBN is gathering data at maiden 2019 generic Bt test plots in five states, and preparing a submission package for EPA regulatory approval.
Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) corn commands a massive influence in today’s market, explains Ron Wulfkuhle, head of seed at FBN. “Bt corn covers almost 80% of the market ….
In the late 1990s, Wulfkuhle served on the team that …. launched the first patented Bt corn sold in the U.S. More than two decades later, the rate of price increases remains a surprise to Wulfkuhle …. “Fast forward to today and we’re talking $265 easy for traited corn and $175 for conventional corn …. [T]here is a possibility of a $100 reduction per bag from traited corn currently being sold.”
Read full, original article: First-Ever Generic Bt Corn Nears Farmland
