Seeds: The Future of Our Food

The Potato Famine

• ~1845-1850• Potato disease—late blight• Wide-spread hunger and disease• Potato monocultures

Corn Blight

• 1970• Fungus: Southern Corn Leaf

Blight• Attacked the cytoplasm of

the hybrid corn: T-cytoplasm• 80% of U.S. corn in 1970 was

this hybrid variety = 46 million acres

• Monocultures

Heirloom vs. Hybrid

HYBRID (F1)• The result of artificially

crossing two plants together

• Seeds do not produce “true to type” plants like the parents

• Bred for industrial traits.• Reduce genetic diversity

HEIRLOOM• Open pollination• Adapted to particular

places• Saved for their adaptive

benefits• Greater genetic

diversity

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Values of Heirloom Crops

DIVERSITY

TASTE

ADAPTATION

CULTURE

Seed Saving

• One of the oldest traditions of civilization• Keeps alive traditional agricultural and

culinary practices, essential for the stability of cultures

• Must be open pollinated• Enhances biodiversity

GMOs

• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)• Biotechnologies• Genetic engineering / Gene transfer• 1992: FlavrSavr Tomato• Terminator genes• Bt: New Leaf Potatoes

Values

• Efficiency

• Industrialization

• Output

• Uniformity

GMOs around US and the World

• GMOs are now grown in 42 countries on 6 continents

• Currently, over 1 billion acres of land contain GMO crops. 2/3 of this acreage is in USA.

• 70% of products on grocery shelves in USA contain GMO ingredients

http://www.siskiyoucoop.com/class/15GMO.pdf

GMO Crops• Soybeans• Corn• Cotton• Tomatoes• Potatoes• Rapeseed

(Canola Oil) • Sugar cane• Sweet Corn• Rice

The Potential Risks of GMOs toPeople and Environment

PROS• Reduced pesticide use

initially• Convenient • Short term resistance

initially• Initial higher yield

CONS• Unknown risks to human

health and environment• Long term resistance• Cross pollination with non-

GMOs• Loss of biodiversity• Ethical considerations• Loss of ability to save seed

Alternatives to GMOs

• Seeds of Trust• Native Seed/SEARCH• Community Seed Banks

• Seed Exchanges• CSAs and Farmers Markets• Community Gardens• GMO labeling