September 24, 2002

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

Re: Third Call for Emergency Action Needed on Potentially Contaminated Iowa Corn;
Corn Shipment Was Delayed by Rain, But Is Expected Soon

Dear Secretary Venemen:

Pursuant to our letters of September 13 and September 18, we are writing again to urge your office to take swift, prudent action in order to ensure that potentially contaminated corn on the Rosman farm in Harlan, Iowa be held in its present location until such time as full and appropriate scientific study can determine if it is safe to unload, move, or sell into the open market. The corn, currently controlled by Mid States Farm Management appointed as a receiver by the Iowa Circuit Court in Harlan, is still slated to be sold on the open market. Rainy weather on Wednesday, September 18 delayed the shipment of the corn. We understand that involved parties are considering testing the corn for Fusarium mold and for the StarLink genetically engineered event before it is shipped. This may result in another short delay.

In addition to investigation of the corn, we urge you to investigate the potential impacts on approximately 280 cattle that have been fed the corn and are living on the Rosman farm. Mr. Jerry Rosman’s veterinarian inspected the cows on Tuesday, September 17, to determine rates of pregnancy and found a noticeable decline in rates of conception. While the Rosman swine operation is no longer available for investigation, the cattle fed the corn may offer an opportunity to determine any ill effects and therefore to help other farmers avoid the problem in the future.

As of today, top officials at agencies we contacted - from APHIS, FGIS, ARS at the USDA to the FDA’s Center for Food Safety - have said that they do not have the authority to act on the problem. If the problem is not defined in a way that agencies have authority, this does not mean the problem ceases to exist. A responsible authority should step forward to hold the corn and resolve the serious, unanswered questions raised by USDA's Dr. Rasmussen and local veterinarians and farmers.

Given the urgent nature of this matter, we strongly urge that the USDA immediately purchase the corn a) to prevent it from being sold on the open market; and b) to enable a full and proper scientific inquiry, consistent with the recommendations of USDA scientists.

Enclosed, please find recent news coverage of the problem. The story has been told on TV in Iowa and Nebraska, Midwest radio networks and newspapers on Sept.18 and 19.

You may reach me at 202-783-7400 ext. 284 or contact my assistant, Yasmeen Hossain at ext. 256.

Sincerely,


Brent Blackwelder
President

Enclosures:

1) Des Moines Register article, Sept. 19, 2002, “Suspect corn’s fate uncertain”

2) KCCI, TV Channel 8 transcript, Sept. 19, 2002, “Farmer: Bad Corn Made Hogs Sterile”

Cc:
Senators Harkin, Chairman Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Committee

Senator Lugar, 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, Ganske, and Latham

Governor Whitman, Administrator of EPA

Dr. Lester M. Crawford, Jr., Deputy Commissioner, Food & Drug Administration

Dr. Mark Rasmussen, USDA, National Animal Disease Center

Patty Judge, Secretary, Iowa Department of Agriculture

Tom Miller, Iowa Attorney General