ST. LOUIS, June 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto  announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved a natural refuge option for its Bollgard II insect-protected cotton planted from Texas east -- excluding some Texas counties.

This allows cotton producers in eligible regions to count non-cotton crops and other plants as a refuge for certain pests, and the will not be required to plant a non-Bt cotton refuge for Bollgard II cotton. A structured, non-Bt cotton refuge continues to be required as part of an insect resistance management (IRM) program for Bollgard cotton in all states, and for Bollgard II cotton planted outside eligible areas.

"This is great news for U.S. cotton producers in eligible regions who choose to plant Bollgard II cotton," said Walt Mullins, Monsanto technology development manager. "It allows them to simplify their pest control program by using advanced cotton technology with the built-in IRM mechanism of two effective Bt genes. Bollgard II cotton also provides the most effective built-in worm control technology available for most leaf- and boll-feeding worm species."

Monsanto requested a natural refuge for Bollgard II cotton after collecting extensive scientific data to show that a sufficient number of cotton bollworms and tobacco budworms-key insect pests that are controlled by Bollgard II cotton-are present on non-cotton crops and other plants. The natural presence of these pests outside of cotton, combined with the dual efficacy of Bollgard II cotton, greatly reduces the chance that these pests will develop resistance to Bollgard II cotton.

Eligible regions and related points:

• The natural refuge option applies to Bollgard II cotton planted in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (excluding the following counties: Brewster, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Loving, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, Val Verde, Ward, and Winkler), and Virginia.

• States and counties where the natural refuge option is not available are areas where pink bollworm is a significant pest. Data submitted to EPA by Monsanto supported a natural refuge option in areas where cotton bollworm and tobacco budworm are the primary worm pests for cotton.

• EPA previously established prohibitions on the planting of Bt cotton in the Texas Panhandle counties of Carson, Dallam, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Roberts and Sherman as well as south of Highway 60 in Florida. These restrictions do not change with the approval of natural refuge for Bollgard II cotton.

• Additionally, cotton producers who plant Bollgard cotton must continue to plant a structured refuge of five percent unsprayed or 20 percent sprayed non- Bt cotton as required by IRM rules and specified in their technology use agreements. Similarly, cotton producers who plant Bollgard II cotton outside of regions eligible for the natural refuge option, must also plant a non Bt cotton refuge. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in the loss of access to the technology.