Agricultural News
Oklahoma Sorghum Association Joins Opposition to Castor Bean Production
Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:03:45 CDT
The Oklahoma Sorghum Association today joins the Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association, Oklahoma Agribusiness Retailers Association, Oklahoma Seed Trade Association, Oklahoma Ag Coop Council, Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association and Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association in opposition of the commercial production of castor beans.
The protein ricin contained in castor beans, which is a deadly toxin that can kill mammals, birds, and humans if ingested even in trace amounts, poses a serious threat to not only food security, but also the security and integrity of various cultivated agriculture commodities grown in Oklahoma like sorghum, wheat, corn and soybeans.
"The risk and trivial room for error relative to the potential contamination from castor beans is too high," says Craig Sanders, Oklahoma Sorghum Association director and farmer from Boise City, Okla. "The fact that one bean lodged in a piece of harvest equipment could later be deposited in another field or in another load of grain is a risk to all producers of other commodities."
The Oklahoma Sorghum Association draws immediate concern to this issue and avidly joins the above mentioned coalition of farmers, ranchers and industry for the continued integrity and betterment of Oklahoma agriculture.
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