State warns: Don’t burn seed corn for fuel

State officials are warning Iowans not to burn seed corn in their corn-burning stoves. Brian Button, an air quality specialist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says most seed-corn burner manufacturers tell customers to use regular yellow field corn rather than seed corn.Button says seed corn is easily distinguished from regular corn because it has a pinkish or red color. Button says the concern is the chemicals used to treat seed corn, when burned, emit powerful toxins like mustard gas. He says with the availability of good, cheap, clean field corn across the state, there’s no reason to burn seed corn. Button says unfortunately, folks with expired seed corn are trying to give it away to homeowners who have a corn-burning stove. Button says corn-burning stoves have grown in popularity, especially a couple of winters ago when heating prices were very high and we had a very cold winter in Iowa.