Managing the co-existence of conventional and
genetically modified maize from field to silo
A French initiative
Pascal COQUIN
AGPM
23-25, avenue de Neuilly
75116 PARIS, France
The A.G.P.M. : French Corn
Growers Association
• The maize organisation since 1934
•  150 000 maize growers
• Maize in France :

1,5 million ha of grain maize
1,4 million ha of silage maize
25 000 ha of sweet corn
48 000 ha of seed maize
2 main missions

An economic mission and trade-union

A lobbying mission at national and international levels
A.G.P.M. position on the G.M. maize
 Maize growers must have the possibility to get all the production
inputs adapted to their farm, the way of production and the
markets they choosed : conventional, organic or G.M..
 The G.M. technology is subordinated to precise and rigorous
authorization ’s procedures conducted by scientific, lawful and
political authorities
 on the G.M. event by the E.F.S.A. and the national
food safety agencies
 on the G.M. varieties by the national Agencies in
charge of the variety registration
A.G.P.M. position on the G.M. maize
 The G.M. varieties have assets :
- on a technical view
 development of European Corn Borer + Stem Corn Borer
 News pests (Corn Root worm)
 problem of mycotoxins
- on a environmental view
 reduced and reasoned use of the plant protection products
- on an economic view
 protection of the yield
 better competitivity
 real markets for G.M. maize
Brief regulatory situation
 European level :
one of the most strong regulation in the World




release into the environment,
traceability,
labelling,
post market control.
By directive 2001/18 following 90/220
Regulations 1829/2003, 1830/2003, 65/2004, 641/2004
3 GM maize events authorised for culture
5 GM maize events authorised only for import and
consumption
Brief regulatory situation
 French level :
- authorisation to grow the 3 GM maize events … in
authorised varieties
- coexistence rules : not yet at official level …but
professional rules are used
Bt maize production in France
Background
• 1997 - 1998 :
15 Bt maize varieties authorised in France
• 1998 :
between 1 800 and 3 000 ha cultivated
• 1999  2004 :
- No commercial production, no market
- Few studies on co-existence and benefits
- EU rules (0,9 % for labelling)
- P.O.E.C.B. : defining professional rules
Operational Programme for Evaluation of
Biotechnology Crops (POECB)
2002 – 2004 Results
Project background
 an experiment to examine traceability of GM maize
crops under controlled natural conditions from field
to silo
Result: an analysis of the conditions governing
co-existence between conventional and GM maize
based on the specificity of each crop
 a programme conducted by a Scientific Committee made
up of experts from research and industrial organisations
Three programme objectives :
 Feasability study of coexistence between conventional and
GM maize crops in real field conditions
– thematic “pollen dispersal”
– thematic “traceability”
 Analysing benefits of maize tolerant to ECB and sesamia (Bt
technology) and providing platforms for biovigilance studies
– thematic “biovigilance”
 Obtaining operational scientific information on crop
traceability and economics from field to storage
– thematic “co-existence management”
POECB : A three-year experiment
• Identical crop configuration:
0,5 to 2,5 ha of Bt maize surrounded by isogenic maize
• Worst-case scenario conditions to obtain
maximum cross-fertilization
– Bt maize and conventional maize are isogenic
– Synchronous pollen emission
– Conventional maize is sowed downwind of the Bt emitter
crop
Results at the field level
(case of representative plots)
Prevailing
wind direction
Conventional maize
100 m
Bt maize
200 m
=0.5% GM <0.1%
DNA
GM DNA
<0.1%
GM DNA
< 0.1%
GM DNA
Conventional maize
< 0.1% GM
DNA
<0.1%
GM DNA
200 m
200 m
Cross-pollination levels in the
conventional field identical in size to
the Bt plot, and sowed downwind, are
less than 0.9 %.
100 m
Bt maize
= 0.15% GM DNA
= 0.2% GM DNA
< 0.1% GM DNA
200 m
LQ = 0.1%
LD = 0.01%
Traceability from field to storage
 Setting up a Quality Management System with traceability procedures
at each step of the maize chain
• sowing
• harvest
• transport
• drying
• storage
 A controlled harvest
Harvest is planned after sampling analysis to measure the cross pollination rate,
Checks on maize harvester, trucks and transport
 Drying and storage
PCR analysis of maize batches
From seed … to feed industry
How to ensure traceability?
Analysis and controls along the maize chain to better
identify contamination, …
Sowing
Pre-harvest
Harvest
Flowering
Seed purity
analysis
and seed
drill checkl
Pollen
dispersal
evaluation
Sampling
strategy &
PCR
analysis for
harvest plan
Transport
/storage
Transport
Harvester
check
Dryer
Trailers
control
procedures
Control
procedure
s & PCR
analysis
Trailers
control
procedures
Feed
industry
Control
procedures
… to control critical factors and ensure traceability
Trials designed to assist the maize sector
Gathering scientific data
From POECB … to PACB
• 16 maize producers
• 100 ha of Bt maize
• 7 regions in France
• GM plots from 1 to 25 ha
Utilisation of the scientific information gathered by POECB with a Good
Practice Guide for GMO cropping, safeguarding the specificity of each
type of production.
PACB
Programme d’Accompagnement des
Cultures issues des Biotechnologies
Co-existence guidelines
Dissemination of technological information
•
Information
•
Buffer zone (10 m border
strip)
•
Cleaning of equipment
•
Quality Management
System
PACB
Programme d’Accompagnement des
Cultures issues des Biotechnologies
A basis for co-existence legislation in France
Professional standard guidelines
Benefit n°1 : yield protection
Grain maize production concerned
Economical risk : larvae number > 0,8/plt
20%
Low risk
35%
low attack
Economical
risk
Direct interest
25%
20%
Between 300 000 to 700 000 ha
Benefit n°1 : yield protection
Economical interest for the farmer
• Yield protection level (on average) : 7 % = 70 €
• Cost of an insecticide treatment : 50 €
• Cost of the technology : 40 to 50 €
• Level of efficiency :
• Insecticide = 75 %
• Bt ~ 100 %
Benefit n°1 : yield protection
Average situation
Type
1 Tr.
2 Tr.
Bt
Yield (t)
10
10
10,7
Cost (€)
50
100
45
+ 75
+ 125
-
Gain (€) *
Bt/other
* Price basis : 100 €/t
1<Larvae number/plt<2
Benefit n°2 : grain quality
3 examples (2005)
(ppb)
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
Fumonisines B1
2500
Fumonisines B2
2000
1500
1000
500
0
BT1
C1
BT2
C2
BT3
C3
Benefit 3 : Reduce the impact on environment
Non-targeted insects population evolution
Bt maize
Isogenic spraid
Isogenic
180
160
140
Spraying
9/07
120
100
80
60
40
20
Arvalis, 2002
2-oct
25-sept
18-sept
11-sept
4-sept
28-août
21-août
14-août
7-août
31-juil
24-juil
17-juil
10-juil
3-juil
26-juin
19-juin
12-juin
5-juin
0
Dates
Tomorrow : crop perspectives
•
2006 vs 2005 : Bt maize development confirmation
within the European Union :
- Czech Republic
- Germany
- France
- Portugal
- Spain
•
 1 200 ha
 1 000 ha
 5 200 ha
 1 250 ha
 65 000 ha
(x 5),
(x 4),
(x 10),
(+ 50 %),
(+ 25 %),
2007 and after : increase of Bt maize area
based on 2006 technical results
Thank you for your attention