When do you think it’s OK to fool with Mother Nature?
In the debate over genetically modified organisms (GMOs), some say it’s never nice to tinker with biology. Others believe it’s acceptable to genetically engineer plants to increase crop yields, improve pest resistance, lower production costs or enhance the nutritional value of certain foods.
There seems to be no middle ground in the ongoing controversy.
GMOs were first used in commercial cultivation in the mid-1990s to help plants tolerate herbicides and resist damage from plant viruses. Proponents say GMOs are just another option and a helpful tool for farmers.
However, not everyone agrees that GMOs benefit agriculture. Organic farmers worry that pollen from genetically altered crops, like sugar beets, could find its way onto their crops, robbing them of their organic label.
While organic farmers worry about cross-pollination, health advocates argue GMO crops are unsafe for human consumption. Environmentalists say the GMO crops harm soil ecosystems and warn of the unpredictable consequences of introducing GMOs into the environment. The potential for contaminating other seeds and crops was one reason why agricultural communities in California began banning the propagation and cultivation of GMO crops in 2004.
Another disadvantage of GMO seeds is, unlike heirloom and open-pollinated seeds, GMO seeds can’t be saved from year to year and need to be purchased every growing season.
Home gardeners are fortunate to have the option of purchasing vegetable, herb and flower seeds from companies that refuse to sell any chemically treated or GMO seeds. More than 100 companies have signed the Safe Seed Pledge developed by the Council for Responsible Genetics, a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization in Cambridge, Mass.
Seed manufacturers and distributors voluntarily sign the pledge to not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants.
Safe Seed Pledge signers
Find a list of Safe Seed Pledge companies at:
