Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
|
|
Extension Communications |
8/29/03
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Darren Jarboe, Iowa Grain Quality Initiative, 515-294-3137, jarboe@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-7033,
jmcguire@iastate.edu
Corn Growers Need to "Know Where To Go"
Ames, Iowa -- Growers of Market Choices corn hybrids need to make sure to "Know Where to Go" with their harvest this fall. Market Choices grain is approved for food and feed use in the United States and Japan, but not approved in the European Union. Therefore, it must be marketed to buyers who will not ship the grain or its processed products to Europe.
Corn hybrids containing Herculex I, Roundup Ready, YieldGard Rootworm and stacked YieldGard Corn Borer-Liberty Link transgenic traits have been designated as Market Choices hybrids. Growers can
* Feed it to the their livestock,
* Sell it as feed to livestock producers,
* Sell it to a feed mill or
* Deliver it to grain handler that accepts Market Choices corn.
To help remind growers of this effort, the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative (IGQI) and Iowa State University Extension produced 30,000 copies of a "Know Where to Go" poster is being distributed in late August and early September to seed dealers, grain handlers and extension offices in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
To learn which elevators will accept Market Choices corn, growers can visit www.marketchoices.info. This Web site provides information about Market Choices products along with links to the organizations supporting this year's effort and the American Seed Trade Association grain handler database. The database provides information on which grain handlers will accept Market Choices corn, usually with contact names and phone numbers.
Roger Ginder, professor of agricultural economics at Iowa State University, says as more transgenic corn products become available and are grown, the more important it is that growers think differently than they have in the past.
"The old commodity corn system didn't require much communication between growers and grain handlers. These new corn products require greater coordination with grain handlers ahead of harvest to make sure you know which grain handlers will take Market Choices grain," Ginder said.
"It's also important for growers to be aware of any special requirements those handlers may have for delivery of this corn. For example, some handlers may designate specific facilities where the corn will be accepted."
Funding to produce the posters was provided by Dow AgroSciences LLC, Monsanto Company and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. The American Seed Trade Association, National Corn Growers Association and the cooperative associations, grain and feed associations, corn grower associations and extension programs in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin are also supporting this year's program.
-30-
ml: isufarm