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In addition to the potential for reduced yields, the droughty conditions in parts of the Midwest this summer could give corn growers another headache to deal with. Aflatoxin levels tend to be highest during hot, dry years like this. The carcinogenic chemicals are produced by certain mold fungi, and are harmful or fatal to livestock. You can recognize them by the gray-green or yellow-green molds they produce on damaged corn kernels in the field or in storage. Crop insurance agents may require producers to test for the toxin early in harvest this year.
Ron Atherton of Agri-King, Inc. points out that traditional black light tests are no longer an accepted test for the toxin. However, rapid tests like the QuickTox Kit from EnviroLogix, which was granted a USDA Certificate of Performance last fall, can be performed at the elevator. The QuickTox kit is the first lateral flow test certified by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). It takes about five minutes to produce a yes or no result. "If producers are selling their corn, maximum FDA acceptable level of aflatoxin is 20 parts per billion for sale and interstate transportation," Atherton says. The QuickTox test gives a positive reading at that level. Producers may want to have additional testing done to know exactly how many parts per billion are present, as that will help determine if crop insurance considerations exist, Atherton says. Agri-King's Analab division tests feedstuffs. Learn more A 2002 factsheet from Iowa State University includes best practices for sampling corn, color photos of infected corn, and tips for aflatoxin prevention. Download it here: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1800.pdf |
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