St. Louis, Missouri
January 22,  2001

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is urging farmers to insist that seed companies verify that the hybrids being sold have been tested for the presence of Cry9C, the StarLink Bt. 

"It isn't a typical question growers ask when buying seed, but it's an extremely important one this season. USDA has said that no Cry9C corn would be sold or grown in 2001," notes Fred Yoder. The Plain City, Ohio, farmer is chairman of the NCGA Corn Board's Biotechnology Working Group. "The message is simple: Verify before you buy. 

"This information will be readily available from seed companies. In late December, USDA recommended that seed companies sample and test all hybrid seed lots and all seed parent lines for the presence of Cry9C. Any seed testing positive for Cry9C would be channeled into feed or non-food industrial use. USDA also recommended that the seed companies provide the verification information to customers when customers ask for it. 

"Every corn grower needs to take reasonable precautions to avoid StarLink appearing in the 2001 crop. Insisting on the USDA-recommended seed testing plan is the first step in assuring the integrity of the 2001 harvest," Yoder concludes. 

For more information about NCGA and biotechnology, visit the NCGA's website at www.ncga.com  

NCGA news release
N3272