Corn Group Calls for StarLink Suspension

November 27, 2000

American Corn Growers Association (ACGA) President Keith Dittrich is urging EPA to suspend the temporary approval of StarLink corn for human consumption until production issues are addressed. The comments are being made to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday on issues surrounding the contamination of unapproved corn into the food system.

ACGA maintains the recall of the StarLink corn is wreaking havoc in corn growing communities, where billions of bushels of corn could be contaminated. In the statement to EPA, Dittrich said, "America's cornfields have become the laboratories for scientists who are studying genetically modified organism (GMO) corn. America's corn producers, many with advanced degrees in agronomy, genetics and related academic disciplines, are leading scientific experts on issues being discussed by this panel. Therefore, ACGA believes that their views need to be at the forefront of any decisions on StarLink and GMO production in general."

The ACGA contends that EPA ignored the natural consequences of approving StarLink corn only for animal consumption, not for people. When farmers grow traditional corn next to genetically modified corn, pollen drifts and gene pools contaminate each other.

Dittrich said, "As more and more countries are requiring the labeling of grain shipments to distinguish between GMO and non-GMO, segregation will need to occur anyway. So let's address this major problem now without sugarcoating it (through temporary approval)."

Biotech companies and some corn commodity groups are urging EPA to temporarily approve StarLink for human consumption to stave off large industry losses from the recall of the rogue seed variety. Yet farmers are losing the most, ACGA contends. Since the scandal developed, corn prices have declined, and foreign buyers are shying from purchasing U.S. corn they fear is tainted with StarLink seeds, the group adds.

Dittrich urged other corn and grain groups to take a neutral position on GMO production as a service to their producer members. "Our organization has taken a measured approach on issues related to GMO corn production," said Dittrich. "We promote neither GMO corn production nor non-GMO production. We grow for the customer. Some other commodity groups have been promoting biotech corn blindly, without looking at the legal risks and production costs in a growing system where GMO and non-GMO crops are raised side by side."