MON810

MON810 is variety of Bt corn made by Monsanto. It is sold under the brand name "YieldGard Corn Borer insect-protected corn." MON 810 has been genetically engineered so that every cell of the plant produces a toxin naturally made by the bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The insecticidal protein is intended to make the corn European Corn Borer Resistant. On March 15, 1996, the USDA announced the deregulation of MON 809 and MON 810, which it back-dated to August 22, 1995. Bt Crops and genetically modified organisms are controversial throughout the world.

1996: Deregulation in the U.S.
On January 17, 1996, Monsanto requested the USDA add two more Bt corn lines to its previous petition for deregulation that had been approved the previous August. The two new lines were MON 809 and MON 810. APHIS agreed to add the two new lines to the previous petition and granted deregulation that was back-dated to August 22, 1995. The deregulation was announced in the Federal Register on March 15, 1996.

Upon deregulation, the USDA reported in the Federal Register:
 * "Corn lines MON 809 and MON 810 express a CryIA(b) protein derived from the common soil bacterium Bacillus thurigiensis subsp. kurstaki which confers resistance to European corn borer. The subject corn lines were generated through the use of the particle acceleration transformation system to insert plasmid vectors PV-ZMBK0y and PV-ZMGT10, the same vectors used to transform corn line MON 80100 for which the August 22, 1995, determination of nonregulated status was issued by APHIS."

Commercialization
In 1997, Monsanto introduced Bt corn for the first time, branding its product "YieldGard Corn Borer insect-protected corn." The line sold was MON 810.

As Monsanto created more genetically engineered corn traits, it began combining them together in "stacked trait" seed varieties. In 1998, Monsanto introduced "YieldGard Corn Borer insect-protected corn stacked with Roundup Ready Corn. The product offers two traits in one seed - including Monsanto's YieldGard Corn Borer insect-protection and its Roundup Ready technology." Several years later, in 2004, Monsanto developed and sold "YieldGard Plus" corn, which combines two different Bt corn products (European corn borer resistance via MON 810 and Corn Rootworm resistance via MON 863) in one seed The next year, in 2005, Monsanto introduced "YieldGard Plus with Roundup Ready Corn 2," a corn seed with three different genetically engineered traits ("triple stacked"), including a Bt trait that kills European corn borers (MON 810), a second Bt trait to kill corn rootworms (MON 863), and the ability to withstand being sprayed with glyphosate herbicide.

Genetically Modified Traits
Both MON 810 and another variety, MON809, had genes added to their DNA to give them traits intended to resist two corn pests: the European Corn Borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, and the southwestern corn borer. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:


 * "Monsanto states that insect resistance is conferred by the insecticidal protein cryIA(b), which is reported to be identical to that found in nature and in commercial insecticidal formulations obtained from Bacillus thuringiensis. Tolerance to the herbicidal compound glyphosate was utilized as a selectable marker during the development of MON809 corn. The firm indicates that the protein conferring herbicide tolerance, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (CP4 EPSPS), is equivalent to that present in modified soybean and cotton lines, about which Monsanto has previously informed the Agency. Monsanto states that MON809 corn will not tolerate application of commercially acceptable levels of glyphosate and thus, will be marketed only for its insect resistant qualities. Line MON 810 does not contain the selectable marker which confers herbicide tolerance."

Studies
Monsanto conducted a study of broiler chickens fed MON 810 and MON 810 plus GA21 in 2003. They also published a 90 day feeding study on rats examining the safety of MON 810 in 2006. The study used 400 Sprague Dawley rats divided into 10 groups of 20 rats per sex per group. However, blood was only analyzed from 10 rats per sex per group.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * European Corn Borer Resistant Corn
 * Bt Corn
 * Bt Crops
 * Bacillus thuringiensis
 * Biotechnology
 * GMO Policies by Country
 * Genetically Modified Organisms
 * Monsanto
 * MON809
 * MON 80100

External resources

 * GM Crop Database, Center for Environmental Risk Assessment
 * Overview of GMO Events Commercially Available and Regulatory Status
 * Novel Food Decisions - Approved Products, Health Canada.
 * Charles Benbrook, "Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use: The First Thirteen Years" and Supplemental Tables, The Organic Center, 2009.
 * "Failure to Yield: Evaluating the Performance of Genetically Engineered Crops," Union of Concerned Scientists, 2009.

External articles

 * Barbara Casassus, "French Government Defies E.U. Court on GM Maize," Science Insider, September 12, 2011.
 * Stephanie Bodoni, "French ban of modified maize dealt blow in court: Monsanto, 10 other companies, challenged action," STLToday.com, September 10, 2011.
 * "EU states must tell Brussels of GM bans: court," Expatica.com, September 8, 2011.
 * Martin Banks, "Mixed response to ECJ ruling on GM crops," The Parliament, September 8, 2011.

Leaked U.S. State Department Cables
The following leaked cables mention MON810:

2009

 * U.S. Embassy Budapest, Hungary's Gmo Ban Will Stay, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 2, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, French Biotech Policy Measures Bogged Down, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 13, 2009.
 * U.S. Secretary of State, Demarche Request: Eu Regulatory Committee February 25 Vote On Biotech Corn, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 17, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, France's "no" Vote On Biotech Corn, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 26, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Scenesetter For French Minister Of State Borloo's Visit To Washington March 4, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 27, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Vienna, Europe's Agbiotech Nemesis On A Roll: Austria Follows Up Eu Council Vote To Uphold Cultivation Bans On Biotech Corn, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, March 18, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Budapest, Biotech Outreach To Hungary: Visit Of Jack Bobo, March 12-13, 2009, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, March 19, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Dr. Nina Fedoroff Presents The Case For Biotech To French, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, March 30, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Dr. Nina Fedoroff Presents The Case For Biotech To French, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, March 31, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Bucharest, Romania: Successful Biotech Outreach To New Government Officials, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, April 6, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Brussels, The Plight Of Mon810: Politics Trumps Science In The Eu, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, April 16, 2009.
 * U.S. Consulate Munich, Bavarian Csu Flirts With Becoming A Conservative Green Party, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, April 30, 2009.
 * U.S. Secretary of State, U.s.-eu Task Force Readout, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, May 4, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Berlin, Scenesetter For German Agriculture Minister Aigner's Visit To The United States, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, May 6, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Berlin, German Court Decision On Mon810 Creates Agriculutral And Political Problems, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, May 8, 2009.
 * U.S. Embassy Madrid, Spain's Biotech Crop Under Threat, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, May 19, 2009.

2008

 * U.S. Embassy Paris, France To Invoke Safeguard Clause Against Mon 810, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, January 14, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Growing Criticism In France On Gm Safeguard, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, January 18, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Lisbon, Portugal Uses Eu Presidency To Push Biotech Acceptance, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, January 24, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, French Senator On Biotech: France Will Seek To Broaden Review Process During Eu Presidency, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, January 28, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Bucharest, Romania Considers Enacting The Safeguard Clause On Mon 810 Biotech Corn, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 11, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Brasilia, "The following is part of a series of newsletters, published by the Brasilia Regional Environmental Hub, covering environment, science and technology, and health news in South America ...", U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 29, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, French Receptive To A/s Sullivan's Pitch On Tec, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, March 4, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Agricultural Trade Implications Of Upcoming French Eu Presidency, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, March 18, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Food Fight In National Assembly Over Biotech Bill, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, April 15, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Your June 14-16 Visit To Paris, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, May 19, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, French Biotech Finally Adopted - More To Come, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, June 4, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Bucharest, Romania: Sen. Lugar Presses Minister Of Environment On Biotechnology, Climate Change, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, September 10, 2008.
 * U.S. Embassy Warsaw, Poland Ag Biotechnology Progress, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, September 24, 2008.

2007

 * U.S. Embassy Sofia, Bulgaria To Support Hungary On Maintaining Gmo Ban, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 16, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Lisbon, Portugal Will Not Support Ec Proposal To Lift Hungary's Ban On Mon810, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 16, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy The Hague, Dutch Will Vote To Lift Hungary's Ban On Mon810, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 20, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Ivlp Alum Meet In France, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, July 17, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Gof Will Not Ban Mon 810 Biotech Corn, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, July 18, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, French Biotech Farmers Face Multiple Problems And Challenges, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, August 13, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Biotech Opponents Meeting With French Ministry, Threaten More Gm Crops Destructions, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, August 16, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, "le Grenelle De L'environnement" Internal French Discussion On Environmental Issues:, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, September 21, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Press Reporting French Moratorium On Commercial Biotech Production, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, September 21, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Bratislava, Prospects For Biotechnology In Slovakia Improving, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, October 1, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, France Reevaluates Biotech Policy; Much At Stake, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, October 4, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Sarkozy Announces Marshall Plan For The Environment, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, October 26, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, French Trade Minister Novelli's Visit To Washington: Key Points, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, November 13, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Warsaw, Polish Peopleqs Party (psl) In Governing Coalition Raises Profile Of Agricultural Issues, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, November 14, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, France's Draft Biotech Bill: Mon-810 At Risk, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, November 30, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, France Suspends Mon810/ Creates Biotech Planning Authority, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, December 7, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, France And The Wto Ag Biotech Case, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, December 14, 2007.
 * U.S. Embassy Paris, Scientists Petition Supporting Mon810, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, December 17, 2007.

2006

 * U.S. Embassy Athens, Greece Defies The European Commission; Hardens Stance Against Gmos, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 2, 2006.
 * U.S. Embassy Manila, Grp Adopts Conflicted Biosafety Framework, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, April 28, 2006.
 * U.S. Embassy Bratislava, New Gmo Law Looks Good, So Far, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, May 11, 2006.

2005

 * U.S. Embassy Vienna, Eu Commission Gmo Co-existence Symposium In, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 25, 2005.
 * U.S. Embassy Madrid, Positive Biotech Developments In Spain, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, July 15, 2005.
 * U.S. Embassy Prague, Czech Republic: Visit Of Madelyn Spirnak, Senior Adviser For Agricultural Biotechnology, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, August 9, 2005.

2004

 * U.S. Embassy Madrid, Spain Approves Nine New Gm Corn Varieties, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, February 25, 2004.
 * U.S. Embassy Rome, Italy/biotech: Ban On Four Gm Corn Varieties Overturned By Italian Court, U.S. State Department cable, via Wikileaks, December 20, 2004.