Comparative Environmental Impacts of Biotechnology-derived and Traditional Soybean, Corn, and Cotton Crops Published by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology for the United Soybean Board The Council for Agricultural Science and The United Soybean Board Technology (CAST) 16640 Chesterfield Grove Road, Suite 130, 4420 West Lincoln Way Chesterfield, MO 63005 Ames, IA 50014-3447, USA (800) 989-USB1 (8721) (515) 292-2125, fax: (515) 292-4512 World Wide Web: www.unitedsoybean.org e-mail:[email protected] World Wide Web: www.cast-science.org The United Soybean Board (USB) is a farmer-led organi- zation comprising 61 farmer-directors; it oversees the CAST assembles, interprets, and communicates science- investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. based information regionally, nationally, and internation- soybean farmers. ally on food, fiber, agricultural, natural resource, and related societal and environmental issues to our stake- holders—legislators, regulators, policy makers, the media, the private sector, and the public. CAST is a nonprofit organization composed of scientific societies and many individual, student, company, nonprof- it, and associate society members. CAST’s Board of Directors is composed of representatives of the scientific societies and individual members, and an Executive Committee. Citation: Carpenter, J., A. Felsot, T. Goode, M. Hammig, Copies of Comparative Environmental Impacts D. Onstad, and S. Sankula. 2002. Comparative of Biotechnology-derived and Traditional Soybean, Environmental Impacts of Biotechnology-derived Corn, and Cotton Crops are available on the web and Traditional Soybean, Corn, and Cotton Crops. at www.cast-science.org and www.talksoy.com Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, and from the United Soybean Board, 16640 Ames, Iowa. www.cast-science.org. Sponsored by Chesterfield Grove Road, Suite 130, Chesterfield, MO 63005 the United Soybean Board. www.unitedsoybean.org Phone: (800) 989-USB1 (8721). Comparative Environmental Impacts of Biotechnology-derived and Traditional Soybean, Corn, and Cotton Crops Janet Carpenter Allan Felsot Timothy Goode Michael Hammig David Onstad Sujatha Sankula Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Printed in the United States of America Cover design and graphics by Laura L. Angelly, Creative Impressions, Inc., 6233 Corporate Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana 46278. Printed using soyink. ISBN 1-887383-21-2 05 04 03 02 4 3 2 1 June 2002 Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Ames, Iowa i Authors Janet Carpenter, M.S. The National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy 1616 P Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036 Allan Felsot, Ph.D. Washington State University Entomology/Environmental Toxicology 2710 University Drive Richland, WA 99352 Timothy Goode Clemson University Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics 229 Barre Hall Clemson, SC 29634 Michael Hammig, Ph.D. Clemson University Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics 229 Barre Hall Clemson, SC 29634 David Onstad, Ph.D. University of Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences 1201 S. Dorner Dr Urbana, IL 61801 Sujatha Sankula, Ph.D. The National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy 1616 P Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036 Project Coordination Cindy Lynn Richard, CIH Program Coordinator Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) 505 Capitol Court, N.E., Suite 200 Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 675-8333, ext. 12 Linda M. Chimenti, MLS Managing Scientific Editor Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) 4420 West Lincoln Way Ames, Iowa 50014 Phone: (515) 292-2125, ext. 31 ii Table of Contents Tables and Figures List ......................................................v Foreword ..........................................................................vii I. Executive Summary........................................................1 II. Introduction ..................................................................5 III. Overview of Modern Biotechnology ..........................7 IV. Soybean ......................................................................15 V. Corn..............................................................................51 VI. Cotton ......................................................................101 VII. Literature Cited ......................................................135 Appendix I. Glossary......................................................179 Appendix II. Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols ..185 Appendix III. List of Reviewers ..................................189 iii Tables and Figures List Table III-1 Table IV-3 Source of trait genes and ancillary genetic elements Herbicide use trends in in Roundup Ready crops...........................................8 U.S. soybean 1995-2000.........................................27 Table III-2 Figure IV-8 Partial listing of endotoxins from different Bt strains Soybean herbicide application and their spectrum of insecticidal activity..............12 rates 1990-2000.......................................................27 Figure IV-1 Table IV-4 U.S. area harvested by crop 2000 ...........................16 Persistence of common soybean herbicides in soil .......................................29 Figure IV-2 World soybean production 1999/2000....................16 Table IV-5 No-till full-season soybean acreage Figure IV-3 in the U.S., 1995-2000............................................31 U.S. soybean production.........................................17 Figure IV-9 Figure IV-4 U.S. soybean yields 1960-2001 ..............................43 U.S. soybean production in 1990-2000 ..................17 Table IV-6 Figure IV-5 Comparison of known allergen Timeline of developments in and CPF EPSPS characteristics ..............................46 crop improvement ...................................................18 Table V-1 Table IV-1 Genetic characteristics of pest-protected Sources for genetic elements of and herbicide-tolerant corn plants...........................53 biotechnology-derived soybean ..............................16 Table V-2 Table IV-4 Major herbicides used over the last Persistence of common 10 years in U.S. corn production ............................58 soybean herbicides in soil. ......................................19 Table V-3 Figure IV-6 Comparison of Bt toxin no observable U.S. adoption of glyphosate-tolerant soybean........22 effects concentration (NOEC) in soil relative to the estimated environmental concentrations Table IV-2 (EEC).......................................................................83 Major herbicides used in U.S. soybean production from 1995-2000 ....................................26 Figure V-1 Relationship between yield and acres Figure IV-7 harvested during the last 100 years.........................85 Glyphosate use trend in U.S. soybean ....................26 Figure V-2 Relationship between yield, acres harvested, and yearly use of Bt corn during the crop years 1998 through 2000.........................................85 v Table V-4 Table VI-7 No observable effect level (NOEL) for mortality Economic data for traditional following exposure of rats to purified Bt toxin and Bt cotton 1997-2000.......................................129 protein .....................................................................86 Table VI-8 Table V-5 Traditional and Bt cotton economic data, Concentration of Bt Cry protein (microgram 4-year averages .....................................................129 per gram of wet plant tissue) in various corn tissues at plant maturity and estimated grams Table VI-9 of protein per acre of corn ......................................87 Estimated world cotton yield comparisons by region and years 1992-2000 (pounds/acre)......130 Table V-6 Concentration of protein (microgram Table VI-10 per gram of wet plant tissue) in various Estimated world cotton yield comparisons corn tissues at plant maturity and estimated by region and years 1992-2000 (kg/hectare) ........130 grams of protein per acre of corn............................89 Table VI-11 Table VI-3 Estimated yield comparisons of countries United States cotton production by state ..............127 growing biotechnology-derived cotton, 1992-2000 (pounds/acre) ......................................131 Table VI-4 Biotechnology-derived upland cotton Table VI-12 varieties in the United States by state; Estimated yield comparisons of countries 2000-2001 (percent of upland cotton growing biotechnology-derived cotton, acreage planted) ....................................................128 1992-2000 (kg/hectare).........................................131 Table VI-1 Table VI-13 World cotton production by country, Distribution of Economic Surplus global share, and 1000-480 lb bales Associated with Bt Cotton Planted (market year 2001/2001).......................................101 in the United States in 1996 to 1997) ...................132 Table VI-2 Table VI-14 Global area of biotechnology-derived Distribution of Share (percent) crops and cotton’s share........................................126 of Economic Surplus from Biotechnology-derived Bt Cotton Table VI-5 for Different Stakeholders.....................................132 Summary of on-farm Bollgard comparisons in Mississippi...................................128 Table VI-6 Summary of on-farm Bollgard comparisions over three cotton production regions, 1996-98 .................................128 vi Foreword Following a request by the United Soybean