By Bill Wiebold
Integrated Pest & Crop Management Newsletter
University of Missouri-Columbia
Vol. 15, No. 16

Marketing corn grain can be complicated if the grain is produced by hybrids that carry one or more biotech traits. Seed companies must provide US and foreign government agencies with large amounts of data on each biotech trait and any combination (stacked) of biotech traits before grain is approved for feed (animal) and food (human) purposes. The three most important government entities for US grain marketing are the US, European Union (EU), and Japan. Because it has been nearly impossible to gain biotech approval in the EU, seed companies will usually market hybrids if the biotech event (or stacked events) is approved in the US and Japan.

It is highly recommended that corn grain containing biotech events that are not approved in all three markets be carefully channeled to prevent disruption in the export market. This means that grain not approved for export to the EU should be used for on-farm livestock rations, sold to domestic livestock feeding channels, or delivered to elevators accepting grain not yet approved for EU export. The American Seed Trade Association's web site provides information about the grain facilities accepting such hybrids: http://asta.farmprogress.com/. Remember that these web sites rely on data collected from surveys and corn producers should reread their grower agreements carefully and comply with their requirements.

There are signs that the logjam for biotech trait approval in the European Union is starting to be relieved. However, these approvals may actually complicate grain marketing this fall and winter. Producers should be aware that single biotech traits and stacked biotech traits require separate approval. So, a trait such as Mon863 (Roundup Ready 2), has been approved for both food and feed uses in the EU, but it may not have been approved for both uses if stacked with another biotech trait even if the other trait had also been approved. Also, the EU is approving biotech corn traits separately for food uses and processed feed uses. So it is possible that traits could be approved for gluten feed or DDGS, but not approved for import as whole kernels.

Smart channeling of corn grain is essential to the well-being of all US corn producers. The web site www.MarketChoices.info provides a listing of the approval status of biotech corn events for each of these three markets. Producers should understand clearly which trait or traits are in their grain and market accordingly.

Biotech traits are useful weapons in controlling problem weeds and insect pests. But, they should be part of an integrated pest management plan that limits the development of resistant weeds and insects. And, knowledge about which biotech event is present and if it is stacked with other biotech events is essential to smart marketing.