Across the state, corn growers are harvesting their corn. Non-farmers can’t tell if its genetically modified, but the Europeans aren’t buying it.

Genetically modified corn is under debate right now in Europe and Japan, said Jamie Cashman, marketing specialist for the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

Cashman explained that these countries are refusing to buy roundup-ready or biotechnology corn.

This leaves corn farmers, biotechnicians and grain elevator operators wondering where the future markets of genetically modified products are.

Lisa Lorenzen, biotechnology technician industrial liaison at Iowa State, said Europe’s decision not to purchase genetically modified foods is a complex issue.

“They are mostly concerned with the safety of the food,” Lorenzen said.

She added that “G.M.” companies need to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, so they are safe for U.S. markets.

“About 40 percent of the cotton, corn and soybeans in the nation for this season is genetically modified,” Lorenzen said.

Cashman views the exporting issue with Europe as only a short-term problem.

“The problem is that big companies like [Archer Daniels Midland] want grain elevators to segregate corn, but few elevators have those capabilities right now,” he said.

Cashman noted that overall the state is suffering from a shortage of storage units without having to separate “G.M.” and “non-G.M.” corn.

Kevin Aandahl, representative for the National Corn Growers Association Biotechnology Task Force, said the organization has been working with the issue of biotechnology for about two years now.

“The future of biotechnology is going to live or die by the involvement of farmers,” Aandahl said.

Aandahl said some grain elevators throughout the nation are currently segregating their corn “because of pressure from overseas activists groups.”

Currently, West Central Coop grain elevators do not have the ability to segregate corn.

Lori Goatzinger, merchandising manager for West Central Cooperative grain elevators near Boone, noted that in the future, grain elevators need to look at other options.

“We can’t tell how big of an issue this is going to be a year from now,” she said. “Right now, corn is corn.”

Lorenzen believes the long-term solution to this problem is mechanisms designed to segregate “G.M.” from “non-G.M.” corn.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture is taking an active role in this problem by informing farmers of solutions.

“We’re working on letting them know what grain elevators are taking ‘G.M.’ corn and which ones are not,” Cashman said. “We are also working with seed companies to make sure that they inform farmers of the possible problems with ‘G.M.’ corn.”

Cashman sees opportunities for both kinds of corn in today’s market.

“Technology is growing more and more in this world. Genetically modified corn is going to be a part of it,” Cashman said. “But there is still possibilities for ‘non-G.M.’ corn.”