Aventis, the company responsible for the genetically-engineered StarLink corn, is paying for the economic loss growers faced after questions were raised about StarLink corn by the national media in September.The situation began when it was discovered that Cry9C, a gene the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not approved for human consumption, found its way onto grocery-store shelves in Taco Bell taco shells last fall, according to CNN.com.Aventis CropScience signed a formal agreement with farmers in Iowa and 16 other states who have suffered financially from variables such as grain relocation, as some grain elevators refused to accept StarLink corn. The agreement entitles farmers to be reimbursed 25 cents per bushel for every bushel of StarLink corn they sold, according to the Aventis Web site, www.starlinkcorn.com.”I am very pleased we reached this formal agreement,” said Attorney General Tom Miller at a Jan. 23 press conference. “Now we have an agreement that can be enforced by elevators for loss in value resulting from StarLink corn, buffer corn and commingled corn. That means that states have clear standing to go to court if Aventis fails to live up to its obligations.”Eric Tabor, a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office, said discussions for this agreement began in October shortly after the Taco Bell situation. According to the Aventis Web site, farmers who grew StarLink corn, farmers whose buffer crops were contaminated with StarLink corn and grain elevators are all able to claim the reimbursement.Claims must be made in writing by Feb. 15, or 30 days after formal notification from Aventis. The agreement will be in effect for the next four years.StarLink corn with the Cry9C gene has been on the market for three years with the intent that it would be used only for animal feed, said Pat Dierickx, salesperson for Garst seed company. StarLink got into the human food market by way of buffer corn, commingled corn and possible confusion somewhere between Aventis and the growers, said Brent Swart, former intern for Aventis.”Aventis did a very good job of informing seed companies of the danger of StarLink on the market,” said Swart, senior in agronomy. Most farmers received information concerning this particular genetically modified organism by word of mouth and the Aventis Web page, he said.The Cry9C gene made corn more durable for harsh winds, gave it high feed value and protected it against rootworm, said Joe Dierickx, Pat Dierickx’s brother and a farmer from Davenport. Joe Dierickx said he grew StarLink for those reasons.The gene causes an allergic reaction in some people, Pat Dierickx said, and he told all of his buyers the importance of using StarLink only as animal food.”The best thing to do is to educate and be upfront about whatever product you’re selling,” he said.Some farmers said Aventis has done its part in educating, but they are still feeling financial stress from the money they have lost.Joe Dierickx grew StarLink knowing about the risk involved. He said the reimbursement has helped some, but he still feels he will never recuperate from the financial loss.”The problem is in moving corn from a local elevator to having to go somewhere else so that they will take [StarLink] corn,” he said.