70 



The most common treatment available for aflatoxin is 

 ammoniation. It is safe and effective for feed use. I shouldn't say 

 this, I guess, but in some countries it is used for human use. We 

 are not advocating that. 



The Agricultural Research Service conducts a grant program for 

 research for the elimination of aflatoxin, of which I had the privi- 

 lege of serving on the technical group for 2 years. And in that time, 

 I got acquainted with scientists from all over the Nation. And, be- 

 cause in my area in 1979, we had had some aflatoxin problems, I 

 was aware of the ammoniation process; and I asked these sci- 

 entists, every one of them I could get a hold of in the 2 years, one 

 on one, as to whether aflatoxin treatment did detoxify aflatoxin. 

 And they said it did, it worked. 



I tried to find out why it hadn't been used. I found out that three 

 States — Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina — have laws that allow 

 aflatoxin to be decontaminated by ammoniation. Georgia, I believe, 

 has an Extension Agent that goes around and shows farmers how 

 to detoxify it and use it for animal feed. Texas has at least some 

 portable units on trailers and semis that will go around and help 

 detoxify com. 



I suggest that if this process was approved nationwide, it could 

 be treated and fed without any harm to livestock; it would elimi- 

 nate the concerns of aflatoxin in our food and export chain; the 

 news media would have no reason to sensationalize every outbreak 

 of aflatoxin that occurs in an unusual area; a list of the approved 

 treatment that would economically help the individual farmer, com- 

 mercial handlers, the export business, and as a result, I believe the 

 entire Nation. 



I thank you, and I will be happy to answer any questions. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Gebhards appears at the conclu- 

 sion of the hearing.] 



Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Gebhards. 



We again have first notice of a vote coming up; we will be noti- 

 fied again, and we will make as much progress as we can until we 

 have to recess for that vote. 



Mr. Gebhards, you have been involved in a working group on 

 aflatoxin. Has that group, in your view, been a productive effort on 

 the aflatoxin issue? 



Mr. Gebhards. That group is charged strictly with the elimi- 

 nation of aflatoxin. When I first went there, I thought, hey, we can 

 work on this ammoniation or any other process that will detoxify 

 or treat aflatoxin. They led me to understand that that was out of 

 their realm and they could not deal with that phase of it. It was 

 several commodities, peanuts, com, tree nuts, and cottonseed. 



Mr. Johnson. Mrs. Hendricks, you talked about the loss of calves 

 and ineligibility for Farmers Home Loan assistance for replace- 

 ment. Is it possible to insure, through the private sector, for loss 

 of livestock because of flooding and so on? 



Mrs. Hendricks. In our area, flood insurance is not available. If 

 it would have been lightning or fire or that type, but flood insur- 

 ance is not available on our livestock. 



Mr. Johnson. There seems to be a general agreement among 

 members of this panel that while perfecting the disaster legislation 

 is honorable, that the most desirable end policy goal ought to be 



