Aventis CropScience reached an agreement with federal agencies today under which the company will voluntarily cooperate in a program to ensure that StarLinkTM corn now being harvested will not enter the food supply. 

Under the program, Aventis and the agencies will track this year's StarLink harvest to ensure it stays either on farms for animal feed or is shipped directly for feed or non-food industrial use.

Aventis and the agencies will cooperate in the purchase, monitoring and control of this year's harvest. StarLink farmers will receive a payment for their crop plus a premium for participation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will directly control on-farm storage and delivery of StarLink corn to approved facilities.

StarLink farmers will receive details about the program directly by mail as well as a personal contact with an Aventis representative in coming days.

The agreement with Aventis involves the USDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. StarLink corn is approved only for domestic animal feed and non-food industrial uses but was reportedly detected recently in store-bought taco shells. Aventis earlier this week stopped the sale of StarLink corn seed until a clearance for food use is
obtained.

This responsible, voluntary action demonstrates to growers and the consuming public the commitment of Aventis and the agencies to provide additional confidence in the integrity of the country's food supply, the company said.

Company news release
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