Ingredion bans new GMO corn at plant, mulls fate of second type

[September 18, 2014]  By Tom Polansek
 
 CHICAGO (Reuters) - Ingredion Inc, manufacturer of sweeteners and starches made from corn, will not buy a new variety of genetically modified corn developed by Syngenta AG, according to a notice on the ingredients supplier's website on Wednesday.

The Illinois-based manufacturer did not say why it will not accept the genetically modified Agrisure Duracade corn, which has been shunned by the world's biggest commodity traders because it is not approved by major importers.

Ingredion, which sells high fructose corn syrup and corn starch, also is evaluating whether it will accept another GMO variety of Syngenta corn, Agrisure Viptera, company spokeswoman Claire Regan told Reuters. Her comments came after the company temporarily posted a notice saying that one of its delivery plants would not buy Viptera corn.

Last week, agribusiness giant Cargill Inc [CARG.UL] and another company sued Syngenta for selling Viptera corn seed, known as MIR 162, without first obtaining import approval from China, a major buyer. The companies said they suffered combined damages of more than $131 million linked to China's rejections of U.S. crops containing the trait.
 

Regan said she could not immediately comment on the company's reasons for reviewing its policy on Viptera.

Ingredion on Wednesday took down the message on its website that announced it would not accept Viptera corn at its facility in Argo, Illinois following an inquiry from Reuters, saying the message had been "communicated in error."

"We are still evaluating our policy on Viptera corn," Regan said, adding that corn containing the trait is "still in the field." Harvest has started in parts of the Midwest and will accelerate in the coming weeks.

Regan said she did not know whether Ingredion had accepted Viptera corn, which was approved by U.S. authorities in 2010, from the last year's harvest.

Earlier, a grain merchandiser at Ingredion's Argo facility said the company had not accepted Viptera corn from the 2013 harvest and had told grain elevators it would not accept the trait this year either.

The latest announcement was "just a reminder that we don't want to have anything to do with it," merchandiser Trevor Acklin said about Viptera. He referred subsequent questions to Regan.

Still, Ingredion will not accept Duracade corn, which is being harvested for the first time this year, at the delivery location in Argo, according to its website.

The ban puts Ingredion in the company of major traders like Archer Daniels Midland Co and Bunge Ltd, which have said they will not handle Duracade corn because it is not approved by China or the European Union, both major importers. Ingredion's decision further limits the potential markets for farmers who planted Duracade.

Syngenta has teamed with grain merchant Gavilon, owned by Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp, to help farmers find approved markets for the GMO crop, which was cleared by U.S. authorities last year. Other buyers, including Mexico and Japan, have approved Duracade imports.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Diane Craft)

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