Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:53 AM CST

COLUMBIA, Mo. (DTN) -- Fertilizer industry officials warned their members this week about the increased chance that imported Chinese zinc fertilizers could contain high levels of cadmium.

A memo sent by officials of The Fertilizer Institute told fertilizer manufacturers, importers and distributors that a U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher warned that zinc fertilizers containing high amounts of cadmium have been appearing in other countries. The USDA warning said the levels recorded in other countries suggest that hazardous heavy metals may have been purposefully dumped into fertilizers as a way to dispose of them.

Download News Release