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Options limited for farmers with crops under floodwaters
A grain quality official says options are limited for farmers with corn and soybeans submerged by floodwaters.
Charles Hurburgh is a professor at Iowa State University and manages the extension grain quality initiative.
He says crops covered by floodwater are considered adulterated under the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act.
“The simple fact is, it can’t go into commercial channels once that’s happened. The logic is, when a river or whatever goes out of its banks and floods things-including fields of crops-it also floods nasty stuff like sewage treatment plants and livestock lagoons.”
Hurburgh tells Brownfield if the grain is not already sold, it can be used on-farm under the supervision of a veterinarian.
“The vet presumably will assess the situation and have (the grain) tested for likely issues (such as) mycotoxins, perhaps also heavy metals.”
Hurburgh says soybeans are dealt with differently because they don’t have a direct feeding use, with an insurance settlement likely for flooded acres.
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