A new draft proposal from the EPA that could severely alter the availability of Bt corn and cotton may have considerable ramifications for farmers if adopted.

For the past few years, folks in Pennsylvania have heard reports from Midwestern states of continuous corn growers struggling to control populations of western corn rootworms that developed resistance to some Bt corn varieties.

Bags of corn seed that mix genetically modified hybrids with and without Bt toxins that kill insects provide farmers easier compliance with federal regulations but could, over time, hasten insect resistance to Bt, a Purdue University entomologist said.

Advances in transgenic technology and insect resistance management are occurring at a rapid pace, and it can be hard to keep current.

Dow AgroSciences showcased a new refuge-in-the-bag concept at the Farm Progress Show.