Bt Cotton

Bt Cotton is a variety of cotton that has been genetically engineered to produce an insecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt) in every cell.

Bt Cotton Brands and Manufacturers
Monsanto:
 * Bollgard® Cotton (MON 531)
 * Bollgard II® Cotton (MON 15985)
 * Bollgard II® with Roundup Ready® Flex Cotton (MON 15985 and MON 88913)

Dow AgroSciences:
 * WideStrike™ Insect Protection: (Event 3006-210-23 and Event 281-24-236)

Timeline

 * June 22, 1995: U.S. deregulates Monsanto's Lepidopteran Resistant Cotton (MON 531, 757, 1076)
 * 1996: Monsanto commercializes its MON 531 Bt cotton, branding it "Bollgard® Cotton."
 * 1997: Monsanto begins to sell Roundup Ready Bt cotton
 * April 30, 1997: U.S. deregulates Calgene's Bromoxynil tolerant & Lepidopteran Resistant Cotton (Events 31807 & 31808)
 * November 5, 2002: U.S. deregulates Monsanto's Lepidopteran Resistant Cotton (MON 15985)
 * 2003: Monsanto commercializes MON 15985, branding it "Bollgard II® Cotton.
 * July 15, 2004: U.S. deregulates Mycogen/Dow's Lepidopteran Resistant Cotton (Event 3006-210-23 and Event 281-24-236)
 * 2005: Dow begins selling Event 3006-210-23 and Event 281-24-236 under the brand name "WideStrike."
 * July 6, 2005: U.S. deregulates Syngenta's Lepidopteran Resistant Cotton (Event COT102)
 * 2006: Monsanto introduces Bollgard II® with Roundup Ready® Flex Cotton, which combines the traits MON 15985 and MON 88913.
 * December 2009: Monsanto announces plans to release a variety of cotton combining its MON 15985 trait with Syngenta's COT102 trait.
 * January 2010: Syngenta announces that it has also licensed its COT102 trait to Dow Agrosciences
 * September 29, 2011: U.S. deregulates Syngenta's Lepidopteran Resistant Cotton (COT67B)
 * October 12, 2011: U.S. deregulates Bayer CropScience's Glufosinate Tolerant, Lepidopteran Resistant Cotton (T304-40XGHB119)

Adoption Rates in the U.S.
Following the introduction of Bt cotton in 1996, its adoption by U.S. farmers grew. The USDA offers data on the percent of cotton in the U.S. that is Bt cotton between 2000 and 2012:
 * 2000: 35%
 * 2001: 37%
 * 2002: 35%
 * 2003: 41%
 * 2004: 46%
 * 2005: 52%
 * 2006: 57%
 * 2007: 59%
 * 2008: 63%
 * 2009: 65%
 * 2010: 73%
 * 2011: 75%
 * 2012: 77%

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Bt Crops
 * GE Cotton
 * Genetically Modified Organisms
 * Genetic Engineering
 * Monsanto