Forwarded by Jane Clark
Public News Service-IA
September 17, 2010
Non-G-M-O Seeds an Iowa "Endangered Species"
DES MOINES, Iowa - Years
ago, finding non-genetically modified seeds for crops was easy, but today fewer
and fewer seed companies are offering them. John Gilbert farms near Iowa Falls,
where he feeds dairy cows and hogs, using his own corn. He prefers non-GMO seeds
in order to avoid any side effects in his livestock, but says it's becoming more
difficult to find them for sale.
"This company I dealt with for a lot of
years, which was farmer-owned before it became a subsidiary of Monsanto, had six
or seven non-GMO varieties a year ago. I think for this year there's only going
to be two."
While the industry contends GMO seeds are safe and says there
is an increasing demand for them, 32 percent of conventional farmers wish their
seed company offered more non-GMO options, according to a "Farm Journal" Summer
2010 on-line poll of readers.
Gilbert says the big seed companies are
more interested in profits than in providing what farmers want.
"It's
obviously an economic thing. The seed companies make a lot more money selling
the modified versions because of the tech-fees they are
collecting."
Practical Farmers of Iowa is hosting a U.S. Testing
Network field day on Sept. 23 in Ames to connect farmers with seed salesmen and
corn breeders who are increasing the number of non-GMO (conventional and
organic) corn hybrid options that are available. Information about the event is
available by e-mailing [log in to unmask]
.
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