What Would GMO Labeling Mean To You?

[Jim Meade / Iowa City]

If laws are passed that require labeling of GMO foods, would this affect your operation?  Would this mean you would have to identity preserve all your production?  A different grain bin for each variety of corn you raised?  Just a different bin for the double stacked versus the triple stack?  Store segregated by groups of traits?

I'm not sure what the implication is.  One of the reasons I no longer raise specialy grains is the extra hassle involved in making sure the grain is segregated from the sack to the semi.  Plant it separately, clean out the planter, clean out the combine, different bin, clean out the truck, etc.  More trouble than they paid me for so I gave it up.

Would buyers begin insisting that I could provide a provenance for every kernel that left the farm?  That would make be become a record keeper but I'm sure it wouldn't pay me any more.

Because most farmers would not like this, I tihnk it would encourage vertical integration where processors and even buyers would start contracting with certain producers to deliver a specified product.  Been there, done that, don't want to go back.

[BA Deere]

When I bought organic seed, none of the seed could be guaranteed 100% gmo free and this was 15 yrs ago, it was 99.5% or so, but not 100%.  I don`t know what gmo labling all entails, but it`d be a heap lot easier to just say "Yeah our stuff has gmos, but we`re cheap and that`s what ya want, ain`t it?" and those that have a close to gmo free can label it such.  Just assume everything has gmos unless labeled overwise.

[sw363535]

One thing about your entry that is for sure, Jim, is "if laws are passed".    oh yes there will be laws ,,, without a thought there will be laws passed.  That is what most voters want...  Laws that control those other people..

Jim if there were truth in the labeling it would be a huge waste of time and effort.  97-+% of all foods will be gmo...   most fruits, vegitables have genetically modified for food use.  Nearly all meats are fed gmo crops or at least in the protein sources used for livestock feed.  Dairy products come from gmo sourced ingredients...    Nearly all produced packaged foods have been prepared with or contain some ingredient that is gmo..

Even if they are labeled non gmo...  Because there is not truth in labeling...

Your description of specialty grains is exactly right...   More trouble than they paid me for so I gave it up.   The whining public wants this "pie in the sky" idea and expect you to "hop to it",, and if you don't "force you" by law to provide safety from their imagined fears.

Or imagined profits...

On the other hand if there was a cure for cancer in a specific modified gene,  we would all hop to and create a surplus of the desired product.  It is that simple...  I would build a bin specific for it 

Would buyers begin insisting that I could provide a provenance for every kernel that left the farm?   Absolutely, we shipped beans to a processing plant last year that asked us to sign a verification of their genetic origin....  I asked the never answered question,  "Do you want me to lie?"  Answer was, no, we don't want you to and it won't make, or loose you a dime either way.  But someone who buys from us is hoping someone down the line will.....  "We can't integrate it, the elevators can't guarantee integration, ... Your the only one who possibly could and no one is going to pay you to do so.

I tihnk it would encourage vertical integration where processors and even buyers would start contracting with certain producers to deliver a specified product.   If it is really a benefit to society and worth the time this is absolutely right.  Another case where government hangs small business at the whim of a few whiners