January 23, 2003

Ann M. Veneman
Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Washington DC 20250

Re: USDA Sale to Iowa Feed Mill of Corn Suspected of Causing Reproductive Problems in Sows

Dear Secretary Veneman:

The enclosed receipt shows that the USDA sold 950 bushels of corn suspected of causing severe reproductive failure in sows to a feed mill in Iowa. The sale was made by the Commodities Credit Corporation on behalf of USDA’s Farm Services Agency to the G&R Grain and Feed Company in Portsmouth, Iowa on January 9, 2003.

We are writing to ask why the USDA sold the corn, and to request that the USDA prevent the corn it sold from being exported as food or used as animal feed as long as the cause of reproductive failure in swine is unresolved.

According to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in a letter dated August 5th, 2002, “One possible cause of this problem may be the presence of an unanticipated, biologically active, chemical compound within the corn.” In a USDA letter addressed to Friends of the Earth by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration on October 29, Administrator Donna Reifscheider, says USDA “scientists are testing the corn to determine if it contains a novel toxin that might impact swine production.” The Department has yet to complete its investigation, therefore it is irresponsible for the USDA to deliver any portion of the remaining corn into food or feed channels. The corn could cause sow reproductive problems for an unsuspecting farmer, or worse, be used for human consumption.

The corn in question should be treated as potentially harmful, as long as the potential presence of an unanticipated chemical compound remains. We call on the USDA to refrain from selling any more of the suspect corn until further research determines if the corn is harmful to animals or humans.

In September 2002, the USDA was contacted by Friends of the Earth in a letter requesting that the Department purchase all the corn suspected of causing reproductive problems in sows to save it for science and to keep it from causing the same problems for other farmers. We have learned that the USDA actually owns a substantial portion of the suspect corn on the order of 22,000 bushels through the Farm Services Agency (FSA). We understand that the FSA attempted in late 2002 to sell the corn for ethanol production but it was rejected by Tall Corn Ethanol, an Iowa processor. A byproduct of ethanol is gluten, used in animal feed and human food, raising concern that any problem with the corn might enter the food chain.

The USDA is in a position to keep the corn under its control out of food and feed channels, yet appears to be actively trying to get rid of it. The USDA should acquire all of the suspect corn to either keep it off the market permanently if it is determined to be harmful, or to keep it off the market until such time as additional testing determines that it is not harmful.

We appreciate that you “intend to include the corn in question” in pending research as noted in a USDA letter from October 1. In the same August 5th, 2002 letter referenced above, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service wrote that “animal reproduction studies, especially with swine, will require considerable quantities of the suspect corn,” yet only a small amount on the order of 50 bushels has been acquired according to farmer Jerry Rosman who formerly managed the Rolling R Farm where the sow reproductive problems occurred. Please inform us if the USDA plans to employ swine feeding studies using the suspect corn from the Rolling R Farm. If the Department does not intend to do so, please explain why.

Given the special mandate assigned the United States Department of Agriculture to ensure the well-being of American agriculture and given the unidentified threat that corn labeled “suspect” by your own research service poses, it is appropriate for the Department to act immediately. Solving this problem is of interest to everyone – farmers, environmentalists, and people who care about animal welfare.

Additionally, pseudopregnancy is not an isolated problem. Our organizations have been contacted by 20 farmers who have experienced similar problems as those experienced on the Rolling R Farm, so a determination of the cause of the problems is needed more than ever.

We ask that you respond promptly in writing to the inquiries we have made above.

Sincerely,

Chris Petersen
Iowa Farmers Union

Larry Bohlen
Director, Health and Environment Programs
Friends of the Earth

cc:
Senator Cochran, Chairman Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Committee
Senator Harkin, Ranking Member, Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Committee
Senator Grassley
Representative Combest, Chairman, House Agriculture Committee
Representative Stenholm, Ranking Member, House Agriculture Committee
Members of the Iowa House Delegation: Leach, Nussle, Boswell, Latham and King
Governor Whitman, Administrator of EPA
Dr. Lester M. Crawford, Jr., Deputy Commissioner, Food & Drug Administration
Patty Judge, Secretary, Iowa Department of Agriculture
Tom Miller, Iowa Attorney General