EU Ban On Genetically Modified
Corn Trickles Down To Growers

DECATUR, Ill. —(AP)— Grain elevator operators in Illinois are grappling with how they will enforce a ban on certain genetically modified corn by two of the world's largest grain processors.

``It's a complicated issue,'' Jeff Adkisson, executive vice president of the Illinois Grain and Feed Association, said last Friday. ``Do we follow the military's lead of `don't ask, don't tell,' or do we try to certify that it's not genetic.''

Archer Daniels Midland Co. and A.E. Staley Manufacturing Co., both based in Decatur, announced last week that they will reject any genetically modified corn that is not accepted in European markets.

Now, grain elevator operators are stuck trying to ensure the banned corn isn't being delivered to their bins.

Adkisson said it's impossible at most grain elevators to keep genetic crop varieties separate in storage, even if the elevator companies knew exactly what they were buying, and they frequently don't.

``Our industry sees that we may have to do more to preserve identity of crops as time goes on,'' Adkisson said. ``But right now, the market factors are not there to pay for infrastructure changes.''

Many genetically modified products have been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are sold in this country. But farmers, environmental activists and consumer groups in Europe have been resistant, claiming the products need more testing and have not been proved safe.

The announcements by Staley and ADM concern Monsanto's new Roundup Ready corn and certain kinds of ``Bt'' corn, which is corn that has been genetically engineered with a bug-killing bacteria.

ADM is backing up its ban by rewriting its contracts with elevators in the Decatur area, spokesman Karla Miller said Friday. Miller said the new contracts would state that grain sold to ADM for wet-milling must be salable in Europe.

Jerry Rowe, general manager at Farmers Co-op Grain Co. in Dalton City, said such contracts would be troublesome for him if farmers had already planted their corn this year.

``Dumping capacity would be very reduced if we had to test each load,'' Rowe said. ``I can't segregate it. I can't tell it apart. The only test I know of takes 20 minutes. At times when we are really busy, we don't have time to separate dry corn or wet corn.''

The Dalton City elevator can store 3.8 million bushels.

Randy Sexton, manager at Niantic Farmers Grain Co., said seed companies should not sell farmers the banned seeds in markets where corn enters an international trade stream.

The Decatur market is unique because most corn in the areas is sold directly to ADM and Staley, he said.