There may be unapproved genetically modified material in a type of long grain rice seed produced by the BASF Corporation (BF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a "hold" order on distributing or planting while tests are conducted this week.

Farmers may have already begun 2007 planting, USDA spokeswoman Andrea McNally said Monday night, so a small amount of BASF's Clearfield CL131 - the rice seed in question - may already be in the ground.