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Roman Bernal


Major Crops: Corn, rice

Farm Size: 7.5 acres (3 hectares)

Years Farming: 45+

First Planted Biotech Crops: 2003

Favorite Benefits: Better insect control.  Increased yields.  Less pesticide spraying.

Family: Married, 8 children, 17 grandchildren

We helped pay for the house with our income from corn farming.
We helped pay for the house with our income from corn farming.
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PROS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY INCLUDE INCREASED YIELDS
 Bernal Uses Profits from Biotech Crop to Build His Family a New Home

Consistently outperforming conventional hybrids in productivity and profitability, biotech corn is being recognized by the Philippine government as a means to help improve living standards for subsistence farming in rural areas of the country.

Approximately one-third of Filipino farmers rely on corn production as their major source of income.  “Our children left because we were not earning enough from our farm,” says Roman Bernal, a Filipino corn and rice farmer since marrying in 1960.  “They went in search of jobs elsewhere, leaving me here to tend to the farm.”

One biotech crop — insect-protected (Bt) corn, which produces a protein that kills the Asian corn borer — has brought great success to Filipino farmers. The pros of biotechnology include increasing yields and reducing production costs through the elimination of insect damage and a reduction in pesticide applications.

“With YieldGard, all I am paying for is fertilizer and water.  So it’s pretty easy compared to when you have ordinary corn and you have to spend for pesticides.  You have to spend for many other things just to control the pests,” says Bernal, who currently farms 7.5 acres (3 hectares) of corn and rice and is encouraged by the economic pros of biotechnology.

According to a report from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri–Biotech Applications (ISAAA), the average net income for Filipino farmers who planted Bt corn increased 34 percent in 2003.  Roman and his wife Adelaida are using the profits from their biotech crop to build a new home.  “The old house we had — which was torn down — whenever it rained, there were lots of basins scattered around to catch the dripping water,” describes Roman.

“I thought it was impossible to build a big house,” says Adelaida, mother of eight and grandmother of 17.  “But with biotech, we got what we have been dreaming for — for so long.”

“Now my grandchildren can proudly say I left them a legacy from my corn farming,” says Roman.  “That is my dream.”

Editor’s Note: YieldGard® corn contains a protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that protects corn plants from specific lepidopteron insect pests. YieldGard® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company.

© 2005 Monsanto Company. All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.

Video Transcript



I’ve been a farmer since we got married in 1960. ...

...The old house we had — which was torn down — whenever it rained, there were lots of basins scattered around to catch the dripping water. ... What we earn from our corn harvest, that is what we are using to have this house built.

Adelaida Bernal

I was so happy!  That is what I felt in my bones — so happy ... because when it rains, we don’t get wet anymore.

Roman Bernal

With YieldGard, all I am paying for is fertilizer and water.  So it’s pretty easy compared to when you have ordinary corn and you have to spend for pesticides.  You have to spend for many other things just to control the pests. ... There are no problems.  You don’t even need to check your corn to see if there’s worms.  And you don’t have to buy pesticide for spraying.  You also had to worry about the money to buy the spray before.  But now, there are no problems like that anymore. ...

... Before I planted YieldGard, I’d be so tired I could not even bring myself to give her a hug, especially after spraying.  Now, there’s no problem like that ... I can even kiss her now. ...

If there is no supply of YieldGard anymore, we might not see this house completed.  We will not be planting other corn.  It would be a waste of money.

Adelaida Bernal

I thought it was impossible to build a big house.  But with biotech, we got what we have been dreaming for — for so long.

Roman Bernal

So ... my grandchildren can proudly say I left them a legacy from my corn farming.  That is my dream.

Editor’s Note: YieldGard® corn contains a protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that protects corn plants from specific lepidopteron insect pests. YieldGard® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company.

© 2005 Monsanto Company.  All rights reserved.  The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.