More biotech corn being planted

PEORIA, Ill. -- Despite objections from some overseas buyers and a scare that shook the market two seasons ago, Illinois farmers are planting more genetically engineered corn than ever before.

Almost a full quarter of the crop is expected to consist of biotech varieties this season. Farmers and others involved in agribusiness say they expect the trend to slowly continue as these varieties become more and more accepted.

"The growth has been very gradual," said Mark Lambert, spokesman for the Illinois Corn Growers' Association. "This is an evolutionary process."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Illinois farmers intend to plant about 24 percent of total corn acreage in biotech varieties, an increase of 8 percent over the previous year. Nationally, about 32 percent of the corn crop will be of biotech varieties, compared with 26 percent in 2001.

Biotech crops are genetically engineered to be toxic to insect pests or resistant to a popular weedkiller. They require fewer chemicals, making them easier and cheaper to grow.

Lambert said most of the biotech corn grown in Illinois is modified to resist the corn borer, an insect that eats into corn stalks, weakening the plant and stealing nutrition from developing ears.

Emerson Nafziger, a University of Illinois crop scientist, said the increase in biotech corn in Illinois is linked to a larger-than-usual outbreak of corn borer last season.

"It wasn't devastation, but certainly it caused injury and yield loss," he said.