Organic Growers Warned About Invasive GE Corn

Organic growers warned about invasive GE corn

Organic growers are on the defensive after hearing the latest warnings from the University of Maine over contamination from genetically engineered crops-at least, they’d better be.

John Jemison, a researcher at the UMaine Cooperative Extension, says Roundup Ready field corn seed is turning up in supplies of non-GE open-pollinated varieties, so conventional growers may inadvertently be raising some gene-altered plants in their fields. While earlier studies have focused on the concern that GE corn crops could directly contaminate neighboring organic plots, Jemison’s recent findings point to the possibility of a secondary contamination from these unintended-and unrecognized-interlopers.

“You could say the genie has gotten out of the lamp,” Jemison said. “My hope is that here in Maine we have enough space between farms that it won’t be that much of a problem.”

Jemison’s data indicates for the second year running that pollen from Roundup Ready field corn-which withstands spraying with the herbicide gyphosate-can travel an easy 1,000 feet through the air to settle on neighboring plots, and much farther in a good breeze. Regardless of the source, field or table corn thus pollinated cannot qualify as organically grown and, if detected, will result in the loss of a grower’s federal certification.

Jemison says the percentage of GE seed in a given conventional supply will tend to work itself down over time. Nonetheless, he recommends organic growers take extra precautions: Be especially careful when purchasing seed, don’t harvest from outside rows, and relocate growing areas far away from neighboring acreage of conventional crops.

This advice is cold comfort to organic growers. Grower Rob Johanson in Dresden says the burden of proof shouldn’t fall on organic farmers. “Where are my property rights?” he demands. “With pesticides, it’s the applicator’s responsibility to control drift, but if my neighbor...is allowed to grow GE corn, all of a sudden it’s my responsibility to move my crop or take my land out of production so he can grow his crop. This shouldn’t be my problem.” Johanson feels the state should ban the growing of GE corn to protect organic growers.

Jemison, while sympathetic to the plight of organic operations, disagrees. GE technology allows farmers to use fewer, smaller applications of pesticides, he says, saving time, fuel and money as well as reducing the amount of pesticides in the environment. The research community is well aware of contamination concerns, he said: “There is a strong push to keep working to minimize the problem. I feel fairly confident they’ll come up with a way to keep the pollen from carrying the trait.”

- Meg Haskell

MAINE TIMES EDITORIAL / Jay Davis, Editor / Page 14

Organic farmers and gardeners in Maine got some unexpected bad news from Extension researchers recently. When university personnel examined corn that was sold as free of genetically engineered ingredients, they found GE kernels in the bag. While most of us wouldn't notice that, any trace of GE material in the produce from an organic farm would jeopardize its certification.

There are many reasons to oppose GE foods in our landscape and grocery stores. But the greatest may be this: If the creators of genetically manipulated products can’t control how and where they’re used, how can we trust them to protect our interests?

- Jay Davis