Suicide Seeds. Good or Bad?

[grainfedpraiboy]

If you're interested in food security watch this network documentary and let me know what your thoughts are.

The Future of The Global Food Supply at Risk (Full Documentary) - YouTube

 

[petros]

They are just hybrids. No biggie.

 

[MHz]

Bad. local micro climates will have it's own genetic variety if growing conditions are different, that benefits the local growers only if their seed are heirloom seeds that are from many generations of growing in the same location.
That being said the 'odd natural plant' that had 'attributes' that would benifit all plants (like taller hemp) then the gren house can speed that along so you have 1,000 plants in the spring from the one Frankenstein plant.

 

[petros]

Seed growers grow seed locally and sell locally. They are regional.

There is no seed factory in an Ohio bunker.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Seed growers grow seed locally and sell locally. They are regional.

There is no seed factory in an Ohio bunker.

Actually, since gene's are patentable now if those genes get into your crop it now becomes the property of the company that owns the patent and the Supreme Court has already ruled against the farmer.

You should watch documentary first before commenting. I would be interested in your informed opinion.

 

[petros]

Actually, since gene's are patentable now if those genes get into your crop it now becomes the property of the company that owns the patent and the Supreme Court has already ruled against the farmer.

You should watch documentary first before commenting. I would be interested in your informed opinion.

Yup and you buy package with precise fertilizer, herbicide and high yield hybrids.

There is nothing stopping a producers from buying non- hybrid or nonpatented seed and winging it on fertilizer formula and using a pre emergent herbicide.

You won't make anywhere near the money.

As a producer that's my informed opinion.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

As a producer that's my informed opinion.

What do you produce? I know a lot of farmers but never meet one before that had that opinion so I am curious.

 

[petros]

Canola, red and white, two row and this year tried sunflower.

You?

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Canola, red and white, two row and this year tried sunflower.

You?

I have a business in town servicing Edmonton, Ft. Mac and GP. I keep bees mostly for honey production and some pollination.

 

[petros]

Sweet. Lots of Timothy's grown in the area?

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Sweet. Lots of Timothy's grown in the area?

Some alfalfa mix hay but mostly canola, wheat and barley around here along with fallow for grazing.

So what type of seed do you use? D you sign a contract? have you noticed a drop in seed options over the past decade?

 

[petros]

Invigor canola, CDC Kindersley high ole something and our own red spring this year. 3 out of 4 seed packages.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Invigor canola, CDC Kindersley high ole something and our own red spring this year. 3 out of 4 seed packages.

So why do most of the farmers (if not all) I know bemoan the loss of farmer's rights and seed diversity and you don't? What is the difference in thinking?

 

[petros]

So why do most of the farmers (if not all) I know bemoan the loss of farmer's rights and seed diversity and you don't? What is the difference in thinking?

Disease resistance, crazy yields in less time, variety to suit conditions, far less dockage and the ability to lock in a selling price.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Disease resistance, crazy yields in less time, variety to suit conditions, far less dockage and the ability to lock in a selling price.

But in a generation you've literally gone from 20,000 seed varieties to 8 and the 19992 others are lost forever outside the seed bank. Aren't you concerned about biodiversity? Aren't you concerned that you could be down to 3-4 seed options in the next decade? What about 10000 years of farmers rights? What about the suicide seeds now that outright can't be cultivated for seed? Isn't that dangerous for not only farmers but the national security of food? What about the fact that farm income has remained static since the late 80s but half a trillion has gone to a dozen or so big seed/pesticide companies?

 

[petros]

Who the hell had access to 20,000 varieties? You planted what you had last year or bought from a neighbours. Each tiny little region with it's unique conditions makes a landrace strain aka variety. You can do it in yard if you want.

Only 8? You'd best dig deeper than YouTube evil corporation conspiracy videos.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Who the hell had access to 20,000 varieties? You planted what you had last year or bought from a neighbours. Each tiny little region with it's unique conditions makes a landrace strain aka variety. You can do it in yard if you want.

Only 8? You'd best dig deeper than YouTube evil corporation conspiracy videos.

The varients of different seeds from county to county and province to province along with different seed types is estimated as better than 20,000 as was part of the biodiversity pre 1990s.

 

[petros]

Were they any good? Did they resist the droughts did they die off? Can they handle ergot or fusarium?

Where did they go? Nowhere. They are still in use with the best of the best used to create today's hybrids so they are somewhat localized and bred regionally by contract seed growers.

 

[grainfedpraiboy]

Were they any good? Did they resist the droughts did they die off? Can they handle ergot or fusarium?

Where did they go? Nowhere. They are still in use with the best of the best used to create today's hybrids so they are somewhat localized and bred regionally by contract seed growers.

Would you say you're in a minority of opinion amongst your fellow farmers on this subject?