FARM  EXPORTS  DIVE/ S KOREA STILL REFUSING CORN/ CLASSIC QUOTES

In 1999 US corn exports to Europe dropped by 96% because the US could not provide non-GM corn - now they are suffering worldwide with the lowest weekly corn export level so far this marketing year with the South Korean government amongst others refusing to buy U.S. corn
shipments - see below.

The article below has USDA's comments here are some classic GM farming quotes:

The agribusiness strategy on GMOs... is threatening our export markets at a time when we can't afford any further downward pressure on  price."

Presentation: Dan McGuire, American Corn Growers Assoc., Annual Convention, 4 Feb 2000

 "I've been a seed dealer for Monsanto for 18 years and this is the year we are going to have to part ways. They've forgotten that they have to serve farmers. I don't think they care who we've got to grow for. They're just concerned with making a fast buck."

            Steve Mattis, an Illinois farmer and seed dealer, February 18, 2000

"The only farmers making any money off GMOs have been those who are growing non-GMO stuff and can prove it."
             Linda Edwards, a Canadian farmer, November 27, 2000

"In Iowa, StarLink corn represented 1 percent of the total crop, only 1 percent. It has tainted 50 percent of the harvest."
            ABC NEWS  November 28, 2000

"The only truly safe seed selection will be seed corn free of any genetic modification"
            A.E. Staley Manufacturing Co. in a letter to 1,200 of its corn suppliers, November 2000

"Aventis CropScience Wednesday was at a loss to explain why another variety of corn besides its StarLink brand is producing the Cry9C protein."
               United Press International November 22, 2000

`We have not yet seen GM wheat. If we did, we would be seeing the same problems in those consumer products."
                Analyst Dale Gustafson of Salomon Smith Barney

"GM organisms have become the albatross around the neck of farmers"
                Gary Goldberg, American Corn Growers Association

for more like this: https://members.tripod.com/~ngin/farming.htm
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USDA says StarLink has "significant" impact on corn exports
Reuterws, Washington 30 November

Worries among foreign buyers about the biotech corn StarLink is having a ``significant'' impact on American corn exports, a senior U.S. Agriculture Department official said on Thursday.

``It is having an impact,'' said Tim Galvin, administrator of the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. ``I'd say a significant one at this point because that is a rather low number at this point in the year. I think we have to acknowledge it.''

Galvin was referring to the USDA's weekly export sales data, issued earlier Thursday, that showed net sales of U.S. corn stood at 438,800 tonnes for the latest week. That is the lowest weekly corn export level since the 2000/01 marketing year began on Sept. 1.

Galvin also said USDA officials were continuing discussions with the South Korean government, which has refused to buy U.S. corn shipments that might be tainted with StarLink.

StarLink, a variety of gene-altered corn made by Aventis SA , has not been approved for human food use, but has turned up in a variety of chips, taco shells and other foods. StarLink has a special gene inserted into it to help the young corn plant fight destructive pests.