January 25, 2001
		StarLink Creator to Pay Millions in Compensation Aventis CropScience has agreed to pay millions in compensation to farmers and grain elevators for the notorious genetically modified corn they created that entered the food supply. StarLink was approved for industrial use and as animal feed, but it wasn’t licensed for human consumption because of its potential to cause allergic reactions. StarLink was found to be mixed in with other varieties of corn last year, including Taco Bell brand taco shells. Estimates of the cost to Aventis range from $100 million to $1 billion. “We’re talking about massive amounts of grain,” Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said Tuesday. “This is a significant agreement.” The agreement between Aventis and 17 states calls for the biotech giant to pay farmers up to 25 cents per bushel for tainted corn and reimburse them for other losses. Farmers and other individuals are not barred from from suing Aventis under this agreement. Many farmers and grain elevators have been unable to sell their corn because of fears that it may contain the now-banned StarLink.