ADM says vomitoxin in US corn "not a big deal"

Reuters
Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:04pm EST
By Karl Plume

CHICAGO, Nov 19 (Reuters) - U.S. food processor and ethanol producer Archer Daniels Midland (ADM.N) said on Thursday it is aware of some isolated cases of vomitoxin in this year's corn crop but the toxin posed no problems at its facilities.

Vomitoxin, caused by a fungal disease that sprouts up in overly wet conditions, has been found this year in parts of the eastern U.S. Corn Belt. The toxin can sicken livestock if consumed in high concentrations.

"It showed up in only a small part of crop at this point," Dwight Grimestad, ADM's vice president of investor relations, said at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference in New York that was also webcast to reporters.

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