Wet autumn leads to increased vomitoxin in the Midwest corn crop

In Iowa, Reuters reports this autumn’s wet weather has led to increased cases of vomitoxin in the region’s corn crop which due to negative impacts on livestock and humans alike can cause cancelation of shipments or fines to farmers. Although ethanol can be produced from corn infected with the fungus, higher ratios of clean corn need to be blended with the infected corn in order to ensure low levels of the toxin so there are no negative side effects. Some livestock like pigs can smell the toxin and reject it.