Thursday March 1, 4:10 pm Eastern Time


Leading US farm group demands Starlink-free corn seed


WASHINGTON, March 1 (Reuters) - The American Farm Bureau
Federation, the nation's biggest grower group, on Thursday urged farmers
to demand corn seed for spring planting that is free of StarLink
bioengineered corn.

The Cry9C protein found in StarLink, a variety engineered to repel
destructive plants, was discovered in other kinds of
seed corn being readied for sale to farmers, industry and U.S.
Agriculture Department officials said earlier Thursday.

StarLink is approved only for animal feed, and not for human use because
of concerns it might cause allergic reactions.

``Producers who are planning to plant corn this spring should check with
their seed providers to ensure that the corn they
plant does not contain the Cry9C protein,'' Bob Stallman, president of
the American Farm Bureau, said in a statement.

``Producers should request certification that the seed corn they have on
hand, or purchase for planting this season, has
tested negative for the protein under the USDA's established testing
protocol.''

Vast amounts of the U.S. corn harvest were accidentally contaminated
with StarLink last year by elevators, grain
handlers and farmers who failed to segregate the corn from other
varieties.

Aventis SA , the European-based maker of the corn, tried to buy back as
much StarLink as possible last year. The
company faces at least two lawsuits filed by Midwestern farmers who
contend they were hurt by a drop in overall U.S.
corn prices and exports caused by the flap.

Some 17 states signed an agreement with Aventis in late January that
requires the company to pay farmers and grain
handlers for losses during the next four years.

Japanese importers indicated in late February they might also take legal
action against Aventis to seek compensation for
costs of testing corn shipments to detect any contamination.