(Radio Iowa) – The U-S-D-A proposes moving a large seed bank for corn from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to the central Iowa city of Ames. There’s concern the move would endanger the climate-controlled 100-thousand samples of corn, some of them a century old, in addition to being redundant and very expensive.
Iowa U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s not worried about the proposal. “I’m not concerned about it because the purpose of the seed bank would be respected in a move,” Grassley says. “It’ll be respected where it’s kept, and it’ll be respected where it’s going to.”
Researchers in plant genetics around the world request samples from the collection in Illinois so they can study things like resistance to diseases and the elements. U-S-D-A officials have not been forthcoming about the motives for the proposed move, just that it’s a part of the agency’s organizational restructuring.
Grassley says he hadn’t heard a reason, but officials with the Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center in Illinois fear it’s politically-motivated, based on red versus blue states. “I wish I knew why they’re moving it because I don’t know whether it makes much difference whether it’s in Ames or Champaign, Illinois,” Grassley says, “but I expect that the seeds will be preserved.”
Ames is home to the U-S-D-A’s North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station. The agency is also proposing moving a soybean seed bank from the Illinois facility to Columbia, Missouri.
