02/16/01

Contacts:
Darren Jarboe, Iowa Grain Quality Initiative, (515) 294-3137
Melea Reicks Licht, Agriculture Communications, (515) 294-2957

BIOTECH GRAIN ISSUES ADDRESSED AT ICN CONFERENCE ON MARCH 8

AMES, Iowa - Iowa farmers can get a "Biotech Grains Pre-planting Update" from the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative at a conference on March 8.

The conference will be held on the Iowa State University campus in the Brenton Center, located in Curtiss Hall.  The session will be broadcast to 20 locations using the Iowa Communications Network.  The program will begin at 7 p.m. and end at 9:45 p.m.

Charles Hurburgh, professor in charge of the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative at ISU, said the conference will address vital biotechnology issues facing producers.

"Producers will leave the conference with an understanding of current global market action on GMO grains and with options for using biotech products that are not fully approved worldwide," Hurburgh says.

The meeting will include information on marketing and approval, channeling and retail issues, agronomics, analytical and handling issues, perspectives of intermediate and end users of biotech grains, contract interpretation and legal issues.  A question-and-answer session will conclude the conference.

 The conference can be viewed at ICN sites in the following communities:

•  Ames
• Carroll
• Cedar Falls
• Cedar Rapids
• Chariton
• Creston
• Decorah
• Fort Dodge
• Lewis
• Manchester
• Mapleton
• Maquoketa
• Mason City
• Montezuma
• New London
• Orange City
• Ottumwa
• Storm Lake
• West Des Moines
• Wilton

There is no registration fee for the conference, and it is not necessary to pre-register.

For more information contact Darren Jarboe of the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative at (515) 294-3137 or get details on-line at www.iowagrain.org.

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