Modified Seeds: Friend or Foe?

By Ron Krupp

Illustration by Winnie Looby

Hot debates over biotechnology and genetic engineering are taking place under the golden dome in Montpelier this spring. For the past couple of seasons, genetically engineered (GE) corn seeds have been planted on Vermont farmland. The GE corn has a naturally occurring insecticide, Bacillus Thurengensis (Bt) spliced into its genes to kill corn worms and borers, major problems for farmers. Another GE corn variety resists the herbicide Round-Up, so when weeds sprout in the corn fields, the farmer can spray Round-Up with no harm to the corn plants. GE seeds are produced by Monsanto, one of the largest chemical companies in the world. Monsanto also produces Round-Up and the GE soybean seeds now being planted in Vermont.

Issues & Concerns

The planting of GE seeds on Vermont fields is very contentious. Contamination through cross-pollination of is a potential risk to neighboring conventional or organic farms that do not wish to use GE seeds. Wind-blown corn pollen can spread easily, up to six miles in some cases, rendering neighboring corn modified or even infertile.
Vermont products may be undermined if GE corn, soybeans or other GE crops get into the foods marketed as pure Vermont. Vermont has the greatest number of acres in organic farming in the country for its size, making small-scale sustainable, organic agriculture the fastest growing segment of agriculture in Vermont.

Furthermore, science has not shown that GE foods are safe for human consumption, and the cultivation of GE crops may create insects and weeds that have a higher resistance to insecticides and herbicides.

Why Not A Time Out

There is a strong coalition of advocacy, farm, and environmental groups, including as Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), Rural Vermont, Vermont Genetic Engineering Action Network, and Institute for Social Ecology, that oppose the use of genetically engineered seeds in Vermont. They contend that the coexistence of GE and non-GE crops is not possible because of genetic drift or cross-pollination. What they’re calling for is a moratorium, a "two year time out" while science determines their safety to crops and humans. Farmers and advocates of GE-free agriculture around the country are looking to Vermont as the state to set a moratorium on GE crops.

Politics As Usual

Seventy Vermont towns passed resolutions on Town Meeting Day in 2002 asking the state legislature to regulate genetically altered seeds. On the heels of Town Meeting Day 2003, the Senate Ag Committee passing the GE seed labeling and registration bill, which states that local garden or feed stores selling GE seeds must display highly visible signs. Current GE bills in the Vermont legislature include H.352 on registration for genetically engineered inputs, and S.164 on the indemnification under seed contracts.

Taking a Stand

Steve Kerr, the Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, is recommending a voluntary system for reporting the sale of GE seeds and reducing the risks of spreading the pollen to other crops. The Agency of Agriculture has taken the position of co-existence and communication between farmers. But corn pollen doesn’t respect boundaries, it blows in the wind.

Many groups and individuals question whether a voluntary program would work for farmers if a farmer should choose not to take part. Cross-pollination from GE plants takes away a farmer’s ability to choose how to farm, sterilizes crops, and contaminates organic produce.

You Won’t Know Till It’s Too Late

GE seeds may be brought onto the market with little notice to farmers, gardeners, or consumers. In the January 2004 issue of Agriview, the official State of Vermont farm newsletter, it was reported transgenic sweet corn, squash, and alfalfa seeds may be introduced in 2004. However, no one knows if these GE seeds will be on the shelves in packets or in large bags. If they are currently being sold and marketed, it may be difficult to identity them since there are no labeling requirements for GE seeds in Vermont.

Just Say No

While most members of the farm community have been aware of the planting of GE corn and soybeans, there has only been one recorded case of contamination on an organic farm in Franklin County. Other sites are now being investigated.

Contamination means a loss of markets, an inability to save seeds, and many more lawsuits against farmers from agro-chemical corporations like Monsanto claiming "patent infringement."

On the Horizon

Although only GE corn and soybeans are currently being used in Vermont, several new GE varieties are on the way, one of which is a grass engineered to stay "short" so that golf courses and homeowners don’t have to mow. If farmers’ fields are contaminated by the genes from this grass, the consequences could affect pastureland irreversibly. Other GE crops on the horizon include wheat, beets, alfalfa, clover, and squash.

The 2004 Session

As we move to close the legislative session, there is strong support for a "Two Year Time Out" on GE crops. A moratorium on the cultivation of GE crops will give Vermonters time to get informed on the issue. In Europe, the importation of GE food and the planting of GE seeds has been banned for the present. It remains to be seen how Vermont will respond, but the hope is that the GE battle will play out in the legislature before being tested on Vermont farmland.

Ron Krupp is a gardening commentator on VPR and the author of The Woodchuck's Guide to Gardening, a Vermont organic gardening book.