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Unpublished Master of Science Thesis, South Dakota State University, May 2003.

Abstract: South Dakota farmers lead the nation in the adoption of transgenic varieties of corn and soybeans (USDA, 2002). Many consumer groups, however, are opposed to any use of genetically modified organisms. Reluctance on the part of consumers to accept transgenic products could lead to a market system where non-transgenic grains are handled and processed separately from grains that may contain transgenic material.  Segregating non-transgenic grains from commodity lots would require producers and handlers to implement a system to assure the integrity of the final product. This study assessed the current infrastructure of the South Dakota grain elevator industry and estimated the additional costs of handling segregated non-transgenic corn, soybeans, and wheat at the elevator level. A model was developed to estimate these costs. Six South Dakota elevators were selected and a case study approach was adopted.