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CRA STATEMENT CONTACT: Audrae Erickson or Shannon Shoesmith November 22, 2002 Corn Refiners Association, Inc. Statement on Transgenic Grain Marketing Members of the Corn Refiners Association, Inc., have followed with great interest the regulatory developments for transgenic corn in the United States and the European Union. Since 1998, the European Union has maintained a moratorium on approval of new applications for import or planting of transgenic crops. European customers for the wet milling industry's processed products have expressed their wish that only varieties of corn approved by the European Union be used at domestic facilities where these products are produced for export to Europe. Corn refiners rely on their ability to purchase large amounts of commodity grain from widespread sources throughout the corn growing regions of the U.S. The individual farm producer and the first grain handler are in the best position to effectively direct harvested grain to an acceptable market. U.S. corn refiners support and encourage widespread educational efforts on acceptable markets for the harvested grain from the varieties that have not received EU approval. These markets account for the vast majority of the corn market in the United States. The attached memorandum details this advice to corn growers and handlers. We understand that CRA members have individually informed grain merchants that they should assist producers in the goal of not delivering grain from EU-unapproved varieties to corn refiners or export elevators. They have provided merchants and producers with information concerning the instructions and agreements farmers signed when purchasing such seed, and are receiving the assistance of the grain system in helping farmers comply with those instructions. These steps represent a practical approach to the difficult position posed to U.S. corn growers and marketers by the breakdown of European systems for evaluating the safety of grains deemed safe by U.S. authorities. 
To: National Grain and Feed Association From: Corn Refiners Association, Inc. Date: November 22, 2002 Re: 2003 Crop Transgenic Corn 2003 will be the eighth year during which U.S. corn growers will have planted corn seed that includes traits produced through modern biotechnology. Adoption of these products has been assisted by the thorough and timely regulatory review genetically modified products receive in the United States. Outside of the U.S., the review process for genetically modified products has proven to be lengthy and unpredictable. This has caused a loss of some markets for U.S. corn producers and tension in trade in products produced in America. The situation has been most acute in the European Union, where a moratorium on the approval of new products has been in place since 1998. Our members' European customers have asked that only corn varieties that have received EU approval be used to manufacture the processed products our members ship to Europe. We understand that members of the Association have individually specified by contract that only these varieties are deliverable to their facilities that export to Europe. Corn producers who have chosen to plant varieties not yet approved in Europe have been informed by their seed suppliers of the regulatory status of these products and have been informed that they should not market harvested grain from these varieties to corn wet millers who export to the European Union. These programs recognize that informed producers are in the best position to direct these grain varieties into acceptable domestic uses. In addition to information being provided to producers through seed companies, farmers will need the assistance of commercial grain merchants to carry out their responsibilities. Seed companies are prepared to supply you with information on their communications with individual corn producers, and we request that you assist farmers in ensuring that corn grain not yet approved in Europe is not delivered to corn refiners exporting to the EU. Alternative markets for this grain include other farmers with on-farm feeding operations, feed compounders who serve the domestic market or processors whose end product is only sold domestically. While seed companies are prepared to provide marketing information to their customers, you may be in the best position to assist your customers as they make their seed selection and grain marketing plans for the coming crop year. Products that may be offered for planting in 2003 that have yet to obtain import clearance in the European Union are:
Growers producing these varieties will have signed a grower agreement containing specific instructions on marketing of the harvested grain. In addition, many of these varieties will bear a special seed bag tag denoting that they are part of the "Market Choices" program and are subject to marketing restrictions. These traits may be incorporated in seeds sold by other seed firms under license to the developer. It is important to note that all other varieties of transgenic corn have received EU approval and are not subject to any marketing restrictions. These include any corn varieties incorporating traits solely from Syngenta/Mycogen event Bt176, Syngenta event Bt11, Bayer Crop Sciences event T25 and Monsanto event 810. You may obtain further information on the specific programs of the companies marketing grain not approved in Europe by contacting:
If you have questions concerning wet millers that you supply, you may wish to contact them directly. We appreciate your assistance in enabling our members to maintain valuable European markets for processed grain products and assisting producers in effective marketing of their corn crop. For more information on the corn refining industry, visit the Corn Capsules newsletter page. 
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