A 3-yr, multi-state survey of farmers who had planted transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn was conducted to evaluate perceptions of Bt corn performance and its utility as a management option for European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). A questionnaire was sent to farmers in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania who had grown Bt corn during the growing sea...

On June 19, 2003, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) issued “Planting Trouble: Are Farmers Squandering Bt Corn Technology?” That report presented data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that found significant noncompliance by farmers in Iowa (IA), Minnesota (MN) and Nebraska (NE) with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) refuge requirements for corn...

Introduction There are several methods to manage corn rootworms, including crop rotation, rootworm insecticides, and corn rootworm (CRW) transgenic traits. The use of CRW transgenic traits in corn hybrids has allowed farmers to manage CRW without using soil-applied insecticides. However, rootworm populations resistant to the transgenic traits have been confirmed in Iowa, leading some farmers to...

Biotechnology is offering farmers new crop production opportunities and challenges. Prior to selecting a transgenic variety, farmers must consider the cost of the technology fee, possible yield drag, potential pest infestations, possible reductions in pesticide costs, refuge requirements to minimize the development of insect resistance, and adjustments in cultural practices. Moreover, crop segr...

Bumper crops have quickly turned the corn and soybean price boom into a bust. Newcrop corn and soybean futures contracts are down 40 percent and 35 percent respectively in just a few short months. Of course, those farmers that had the foresight to lock in at high prices are completely unaffected by the drop in price. For them, market volatility has created profit opportunities. But all is not l...

Farmer adaptation to climatic variability is explored via an analysis of corn hybrid selection in southern Ontario. Corn hybrid varieties are available for a wide range of conditions, including accumulated heat, measured as Corn Heat Units (CHUS). Hybrids with higher CHU ratings generally have higher yields, so long as there is sufficient heat for them to mature. Farmers choose their hybrid var...

We examine the existence and identify the sources of advantageous selection in the Philippine crop insurance program for corn. Out of the many potential sources considered, we find that using hybrid instead of genetically modified seeds is a source of advantageous selection in this market as farmers who use hybrid seeds purchase more insurance and are also more productive. We also find that far...

Prior to the 2000 planting season, some industry obsemers predicted acreage of genetically modified crops would decline dramatically. However, actual 2000 plantings presented a puzzle. Farmers reduced their acreage of genetically modified corn, but concurrently increased their acreage of genetically modified soybeans. We demonstrate that it may be theoretically optimal for risk-averse farmers t...

The purpose of research was analyzing educational needs of corn farmer's regarding biological control Bracon parasitoid of corn Caradrina in Dezful Township, Khouzestan province, Iran. The method of research was correlative descriptive. A random sample of Dezful township corn farmers of Khouzestan province, Iran (n=350) were selected for participation in the study. A questionnaire was developed...

A farmer's decision on whether to control a pest is usually based on the perceived threat of the pest locally and the guidance of commercial advisors. Therefore, farmers in a region are often influenced by similar circumstances, and this can create a coordinated response for pest control that is effective at a landscape scale. This coordinated response is not intentional, but is an emergent pro...