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Experimental Corn Contaminates Soybeans

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A biotech company is currently being investigated by federal authorities after a soybean field was found to be contaminated with one of the company's experimental corn varieties. None of the contaminated soybeans entered the food supply.

ProdiGene Inc. of College Station, TX, is developing several varieties of genetically engineered corn that produce pharmaceutical and industrial-related compounds. Among them are corn plants that produce trypsin (a protein used in the processing of insulin and in other research applications), oral vaccines, antibodies, and other enzymes for industrial uses. Most of these crops are experimental and not yet grown commercially, but ProdiGene does have trial fields of some of these crops in several states.

 

Read more about USDA APHIS.


In early November, 2002, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) accused the company of allowing one of their experimental corn varieties to contaminate a field of soybeans in Nebraska. Apparently, a farmer contracted by ProdiGene to grow the experimental corn in 2001 planted conventional soybeans in the same field in 2002, but failed to remove "volunteer" corn plants that appeared in the field from the previous year's crop. The USDA has forced ProdiGene to purchase and destroy 500,000 bushels of soybeans in a Nebraska grain elevator that may have been contaminated with the genetically engineered corn.

At the same time, government officials disclosed that they had previously ordered the same company to burn 155 acres of conventional corn in Iowa, after it was discovered that the genetically engineered varieties could have cross-pollinated the nearby conventional crops. The USDA stated that ProdiGene had neglected to monitor the two sites adequately, and is considering criminal charges against the company. The company and its directors could be fined up to $500,000 for each case, and may face possible prison terms.

ProdiGene has not publicly disclosed the nature of the experimental crops, citing it as "proprietary information."
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Want to know in which states ProdiGene is growing field tests of its crops? Virginia Tech maintains a searchable database of all U.S. field tests of genetically engineered crops. Visit their website, search by "Institution," and then select "ProdiGene."
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Sources

Emily Gersema, Associated Press, Nov 15, 2002
ProdiGene, Inc.