Unapproved Dow Trait Found In US Corn

Matt Hopkins Posted by Matt Hopkins|26 February 2008

Traces of Dow Agrosciences‘ biotech Event 32 trait were discovered in Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA Rootworm Protection corn planted in 2006 and 2007, but the trait poses no risks to food or feed safety, said the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

An article by Reuters said that the 2008 corn crop will not be affected when it is planted this spring across the US.

The unapproved trait was found in approximately three seeds per 1,000 in Herculex RW and Herculex XTRA Rootworm Protection corn samples. Dow reported the discovery to the government on January 25, said Cindy Ragin, spokeswoman for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

“We took steps to investigate the information that was submitted to us by Dow,” she said. “We don’t think our trading partners will stop corn trade with the United States. There are no food or feed safety concerns.”

Dow said the contamination originated with a small research plot, according to a news release on its Web site. Farmers planted 53,000 acres with the affected seed in 2007, Dow told APHIS. The seed was inadvertently sold to farmers by Dow AgroSciences’ affiliate Mycogen Seeds.

Top Articles
ECCA Calls on Incoming Irish EU Presidency to Strengthen Legal Certainty in Omnibus X

The unapproved trait produces proteins that are identical to an approved trait, which is permitted by several foreign countries, APHIS said. Dow recalled the affected seed that was shipped to farmers for the 2008 planting season, and grain traders said the discovery would not affect U.S. corn sales.

“Demand is too strong and alterative suppliers too few,” said a grain trader in the Reuters article. “But it could make it more difficult if there are new testing and analysis requirements. And it certainly gives us another black eye.”

The trader was referring to an incident in the fall of 2000 when a biotech corn called StarLink, approved for use only as animal feed, was found in the human food chain, sparking a nationwide recall of taco shells and corn products foods from grocery shelves. The detection led several countries to temporarily ban imports of U.S. corn.