Source: Reuters via Agnet March 22/05 - II

Swiss agrochemicals group Syngenta AG was cited as saying Tuesday that corn seeds developed by the firm were mistakenly contaminated during 2001 through 2004 with a strain of genetically modified corn that had not been approved for distribution, and that all of the problematic plantings and seed stock have been "identified and either destroyed or isolated for future destruction."

The company was further cited as saying that seed produced from these lines over the four-year period represented "one-one hundredth of 1 percent of the U.S. corn acres planted during that time," or 37,000 acres, and that while the Bt10 biotech corn strain was mistakenly used, "there is no health or safety issue with this product."

Syngenta spokeswoman Sarah Hull was cited as telling reporters the company discovered the problem in mid-December, and at least three U.S. government agencies were investigating the incident.

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials were not immediately available for comment.

"Syngenta recently discovered that event Bt10 was present in a very small number of its Bt11 corn breeding lines," according to a company statement. Bt11 has been approved for distribution for food and feed use and for cultivation in the United States, Japan, Canada and other countries, according to the company.