Corn growers who do not have Internet access now have a toll-free telephone number to call that will allow them to acquire the names and phone numbers of grain buyers that are purchasing
GMO corn this fall.

Garst Seed Company announces that any and all corn growers are welcome to call 1-888-GO-GARST where a Garst customer service representative will access the Internet for them. "We realize that not all of our customers have access to the Internet or maybe don't have the time right now to search the database of GMO-purchasing locations that is available on the American Seed Trade Association web site," says Jeff Lacina, public relations manager for Garst Seed Company. "By calling 1-888-GO-GARST, corn growers, whether they're Garst customers or not, can talk with one of our customer service reps and they will look up the information for them."

Garst is a participating member of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and the project that was recently completed to build a searchable database of grain handlers who will accept biotech varieties of corn not yet approved for import into the European Union (EU). The ASTA web site and searchable database are available at www.amseed.com.

After calling our customer service number, growers will simply need to provide the customer service rep with their zip code and how far they are willing to haul their crop," explains Lacina. "With that information entered, it's simply a matter of reading the business names, locations and phone numbers to the callers."

Corn growers may call the Garst customer service number, 1-888-GO-GARST, between the hours of 7 AM and 4:30 PM Central time.

Approximately 2,000 grain handlers can be accessed through the ASTA database and Garst customer service representative.. About 4,000 U.S. grain purchasers who were contacted said that they will accept all varieties of biotech corn, representing half of all U.S. grain handlers. 

However, some of those accepting all biotech corn requested they not be included on the site due to previous obligations with local growers.

The vast majority of corn and seed produced in the United States is free to be exported to world grain markets. However, some newer products, which have received U.S. regulatory clearance, have yet to receive approval for import by the EU. The grain handlers listed on the ASTA web site provide a marketing channel for this grain. Over 80 percent of the corn produced annually in the United States is used domestically. For the 1999 crop season, about 96 percent of U.S. corn varieties are approved for import into all world markets.

In North America, Garst is a recognized leader in the development and production of multi-trait (Garst G-STAC*) corn hybrids as well as technology-enhanced soybean varieties, grain sorghum and alfalfa.  Garst also has a comprehensive lineup of top-performing "traditional" corn hybrids and is the market-share leader in IMI-CORN (now being promoted under the Clearfield Production System) with 36 Garst IT hybrids available for 2000. Lacina notes that Garst's IT hybrids are NOT a GMO hybrid and are fully approved for all markets, both foreign and domestic. For more information or a complete listing of all Garst products, see your local Garst Sales Representative, visit the Garst web site at www.garstseed.com or call 1-888-GO-GARST for more information.

G-STAC* is a registered trademark of Garst Seed Company.

Company news release
N2119