StarLink® Corn Information

The following information is provided as a service to Illinois producers and grain elevator operators affected by policies surrounding StarLink® corn. The Illinois Department of Agriculture has gathered data from a variety of sources to provide up-to-date information in a single location. Additional details, however, may be available from other sources, and those affected by StarLink® issues are encouraged to seek out additional information. The information contained here should in no way be considered a guarantee or contract by the Illinois Department of Agriculture or any other party mentioned.

The StarLink® story started in September when the Washington Post reported that an Iowa company claimed to have found the gene present in StarLink® corn in Taco Bell taco shells. Additional tests conducted by the Food and Drug Administration and others, confirmed the presence of StarLink® Cry9C -- a product that had not been approved for human consumption because of concerns that it could contain an allergen.

In Illinois, 17,000 acres of StarLink® corn were planted, equaling approximately .01% of the state's corn crop. Illinois ranks seventh in the nation in terms of acres of StarLink® planted. Nationwide, 315,000 acres of the corn were planted. Another 168,000 acres were planted as buffer areas to prevent cross-pollination.

Aventis, the producers of StarLink®, have since withdrawn the license for this product.

What can be done?

Producers

Grain Elevators

Aventis has contracted with the USDA/Commodity Credit Corporation to utilize that entity as a buying agent for Starlink corn. USDA has agreed to pay the October 2 posted county price plus a 25¢ premium for all Starlink corn and buffer corn, within the 660 foot buffer zone around acres of Starlink corn, which was produced on grower contracts and is to be quantified on a farm by farm basis.

Producers have three options:

1. If the corn is to be fed on the farm, Aventis will quantify the amounts on an individual basis. Producers will be eligible for the 25¢ premium being offered at this time.
2. Farmers may sell this corn to their normal market or originator, if they follow specific procedures:
   • Call Aventis in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (1-888-283-6847) and indicate who they are going to sell their grain to
   • Call Starlink Logistics in Omaha, Nebraska, (1-866-785-8665) who is contracting with Aventis for database management and logistical distribution of the product
   • Deliver the corn to a Starlink destination. Aventis has indicated that they "may pay" for transportation differentials if the grain moves beyond the normal delivery point for that producer.
3. The producer may elect to sell the grain to Commodity Credit Corporation which has established an "approval desk" in Kansas City. Producers, however, are also required to call Starlink Logistics in Omaha to coordinate the delivery to approved destinations. In this arrangement, the producer must call Starlink Logistics and quantify the amount that is being delivered. They will enter into a purchase contract with Commodity Credit Corporation for the posted county price on October 2, plus 25¢ plus any storage charges incurred on the farm until delivery. Producers are eligible for a 90% advance if the grain is stored in a bin, and a 70% advance if the grain is stored in a ground pile. Final settlement for that grain will be made upon last delivery.

Grain Elevators that incur additional transportation and demurrage costs for handling StarLink corn, or wish to obtain test kits from Aventis for detecting StarLink, should do the following:

1. Call Aventis toll-free at 1-888-Aventis. Identify your company as a grain elevator. At that point you will be transferred to one of five Aventis managers who are serving as a "grain desk" for the company; if they are busy with other calls, you will be asked to leave your name and phone number for a return call.
2. When speaking to the Aventis representative, reference the Oct. 20 letter from Mr. Wichtrich to USDA in which Aventis pledged to pay for additional transportation, demurrage and testing costs, as well as discounts, incurred by grain elevators. Explain the situation at your company that resulted in additional transportation and/or demurrage costs and/or discounts incurred by your firm that were attributable to StarLink.
3. In the case of test kits, explain why you need the kits (e.g., you handle both food and feed-grade corn; serve multiple markets, such as export or food processors; have received StarLink unknowingly from growers, etc.) and the number of kits you need. The test kits then are ordered by Aventis and sent directly from the manufacturer to the elevator. The test kits usually will be delivered within two to three business days.

Other aspects of the "StarLink Enhanced Stewardship Program" amended by Aventis in its Oct. 20 letter include the following:

• The Oct. 20 deadline for farmers to decide whether to participate in the program and receive the 25-cent-per-bushel premium, as well as the May 1 deadline for on-farm feeding of StarLink corn, will be extended. The new deadlines have not yet been determined.
• Aventis will provide logistical support, "including transportation costs, storage, demurrage, etc." for commingled corn stored on the farm that subsequently is delivered to an approved location. The 25-cent- per-bushel premium, however, applies only to the actual StarLink and commingled corn grown within the 660-foot buffer zone, not the entire commingled lot.
• Growers who can verify to Aventis that they grew corn within the 660-foot buffer zone will be eligible for the premium payment, so long as the corn is contained and/or feed on-farm.
• Aventis will make the locations of "approved delivery sites" available on a case-by-case basis as necessary to assist delivery of StarLink corn.
• Farmers who participate in the "StarLink Enhanced Stewardship Program" are not waiving any legal rights to recover any additional damages they may have incurred as a result of growing StarLink corn.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture will continue to work with all parties involved to gather pertinent information and to identify and segregate affected grain. New information will be posted on this website as it becomes available.

Links:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Environmental Protection Agency

Food and Drug Administration

Aventis Crop Science

Illinois Corn Growers Association

National Corn Growers Association

Grainnet