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Visit MyAgrisure.com for Stewardship Information & Tools

Insect Resistance Management (IRM)

Insect resistance management (IRM) is a series of production practices that delay or prevent pests from developing resistance to insect-protected hybrids.
 

An important component of a successful management plan is to plant a block of corn that does not control the target pest(s), known as a refuge, near your insect-protected hybrids. The refuge sustains a population of susceptible target pests to mate with any rare resistant species that may emerge from these same or nearby corn hybrids.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires a refuge on every farm that plants insect-protected hybrids. Failure to plant the appropriate refuge jeopardizes your continued access to Agrisure technology.

 

A signed and returned Syngenta Seeds, Inc. Stewardship Agreement, which includes your agreement to implement an IRM Program, is required prior to planting corn hybrids with Agrisure traits.

 

 

 

IRM COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE PROGRAM
Syngenta Seeds and other industry registrants of trait products that provide insect-protected hybrids have coordinately developed and implemented the EPA-mandated Insect Resistance Management (IRM) Compliance Assurance Program. This program requires corn seed companies to evaluate the extent to which growers are adhering to the IRM requirements and ensure that those who do not are brought back into compliance. Growers who do not meet IRM requirements for two consecutive years will be denied access to hybrids with Agrisure insect-protected traits in the third year.

 

ON-FARM ASSESSMENTS
To assess compliance, Syngenta Seeds and other seed companies will conduct on-farm assessments of randomly selected customers who purchased hybrids with Agrisure insect-protected traits. Following each on-farm assessment, it will be determined if the grower is in compliance.

 

RESPONDING TO NON-COMPLIANCE
All growers found to be out of compliance will receive a letter informing them of their compliance infraction, reminding them of their compliance obligations and the consequences of not adhering to the requirements. Included in each letter will be further instructional information on how to develop and implement a suitable IRM program for their farm. Additionally, any grower found to be out of compliance will receive a follow-up IRM assessment the next growing season.

 

IRM TIPS LINE
Seed companies that sell insect-protected hybrids are required by the EPA to establish a system to collect information about alleged instances of non-compliance with the IRM requirements. Syngenta Seeds has established a toll-free IRM Tips & Complaints phone line which is 1-866-SYNGENT.

 

OTHER IRM TOOLS
Use the Insect Resistance Management Learning Center [IRMLC] to learn more about IRM. It is a web-based tool developed by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) with the support of Syngenta and other leading agricultural biotechnology companies. The IRMLC allows corn growers to access training on several topics, including IRM, Compliance Assurance Program (CAP), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Corn Borer and Corn Rootworm.