How Much Money Do You Make Farming Organic Corn
Lots of people are looking to purchase organic seeds but as a chemist this has never fabricated any sense to me. I started asking people on social media for their reasons for selecting organic seeds over conventional seeds or heirlooms seeds. The answers clearly signal that people don't empathise why they desire organic seeds, but ane valid reason did emerge.
In this post I will wait at the reasons people give for buying organic seed and discuss the validity of the reasons.
Burbee organic seeds
Organic Seeds – What Are They?
What are organic seeds, and how do they differ from conventional seeds or fifty-fifty heirloom seeds?
Organic seed is seed that is produced past organic gardening/farming methods. These are the same procedures used to produce organic food. In lodge to exist be certified organic, they must be produced past a certified organic operation.
Some people claim that organic seed " has not been exposed to any chemicals throughout the growth in the field". Rubbish! Organic farmers apply organic chemicals and in some cases these are more dangerous than conventional chemicals. Organic chemicals can be used in larger quantities than in conventional farming because they are less effective. Organic seed is not free of chemical contaminates. It's chemical contaminates are organic chemical contaminates.
Wild collected seed is not considered 'organic' considering it was not produced by an organic subcontract. That makes no sense to me! Past not introducing wild seed, this practice has people growing a limited gene pool. This goes confronting the organic principles – just not against organic certification.
Heirloom seeds can be grown in whatsoever kind of condition, organic or non-oganic. Heirloom describes the genetics of the seed, and normally refers to older varieties that are stable and field pollinated. They are available as both regular seed and organic seed.
Organic Seeds Are More Robust
Seeds of Change, a pro-organic group, claims "Organically grown seed produces hearty, robust plants already adapted to organic growing conditions" (ref 1).
That's a silly statement. Seeds and plants exercise not know they are existence grown organically. Seeds are not 'adapted' to organic conditions. The genetics of the seed does not change after growing plants organically for a few years. Good quality seeds from organic farms or conventional farms will grow equally well in your soil.
Are organic seeds more hearty, or more robust? Nonsense. The contents of a seed, and how well information technology grows is determined by it'due south genetic makeup, and to a minor extent, how well the mother plant was grown. Small unhealthy plants will produce poor quality seed in both organic and conventional fields. Quality seed companies volition but sell quality seed – organic growing conditions have cypher to do with information technology.
It is quite possible that organic seed is non as good as conventional seed. As pointed out by Seed Testing International (ref 3) growing quality organic seed tin be difficult due to extra pest pressures. "Quality standards for some organic seed, especially biennial seed such as onion, carrot and cabbage, has been reduced. "
"No Stinking GMO Seed"
1 of the nigh common reasons for ownership organic seed is that gardeners, and I quote, "don't desire no stinking GMO seed".
The reality is that a lot of people are confronting GMO, and almost of them have no idea why.
Being confronting GMO is no reason for buying organic seed because GMO seed is Non available to home gardeners. Even if you want to go some, you can't. GMO seed is sold to farmers after they have signed an agreement which controls how they can use the seed. Seed companies will not sign such an agreement with dwelling owners.
Besides the unavailability issue, almost none of the seed types home owners buy are available every bit GMO seed. Corn is the only exception. This will modify over time as new seed types come up on the market.
GMO is not a reason to buy organic seed.
Pesticide Contagion of Seed
Conventional farming uses chemicals which are non canonical past organic farming. In most cases these are safer than the chemicals used in organic farming, merely that is a topic for some other mail. What happens to these chemicals – organic and not-organic?
Plants are sprayed as they abound. Nearly of the sprayed pesticide either washes off or degrades over fourth dimension. Past the time seed is harvested, very niggling of the pesticide remains, but there can be residual amounts of systemic pesticide in the seed. In that location is a standard for this chosen the International Maximum Residue Limit, or MRL for short. Wikipedia lists a number of chemicals and their MRL, with limits of 0.05 to vii mg/kg of seed. I believe this is for seed that we eat as food and not for seed that is used for planting, but it gives us a brawl park idea of possible pesticide levels.
Permit'due south consider this case. Presume some tomato plant seeds have a chemical residue at the 1mg/kg level – an average of the higher up range. One Kg of tomato plant seed contains virtually 300,000 seeds. If seed contains pesticides at 1mg/kg, a unmarried seed contains 0.000003 mg of pesticide.
What happens to the pesticide in the seed? Most of it will be discharged from the plant, or metabolized in the plant. Just lets assume the worst example, and that none of it is lost. Then all of it would exist dispersed throughout the found. As cells grow, some of the pesticide would travel from quondam cells to new cells.
What does a lycopersicon esculentum weight? I accept seen numbers similar thirty pounds but to be conservative lets assume our plant is pocket-size and weighs just ten pounds, including the fruit. When the fruit is set up for harvest, the 0.000003 mg of pesticide will be spread throughout the institute. An average tomato weighs 100gms, then information technology will comprise 0.00000006 mg of pesticides. Compare that to the fact that we eat 1,500 mg of natural pesticides every mean solar day.
That is a silly calculation! But not nearly as giddy equally the belief that the pesticides in seed make a difference.
A self proclaimed organic seed expert: Phil Winteregg (ref 2) says, "we have dissever stainless steel equipment defended to treatment the organic seed, as well as ..untreated, so that the potential of cantankerous-contamination … is nearly impossible." Clever marketing that makes absolutely no sense for organic seed!
Treated Seed vs Organic Seed
What is treated seed? Some seed, like peas and beans have a tendency to rot in wet soil. Treated seed has a blanket of anti-fungal and anti-bacterial chemicals that reduce the run a risk of rotting. In a few cases the seed may be coated with an insecticide but these are ordinarily not available to abode gardeners.
This is a different situation from the previous section. Treated seed has the chemic coated correct on the seed, and you can easily see it. If you handle the seed, the pesticide powder does end upward on your hands.
How safe are treated seed? You should not eat them, and it is wise to wash your hands later treatment them. Most of the coating on seeds will wash off with pelting or be degraded past soil microbes. Any that is absorbed by the seed will be in very low levels in the food you harvest. Calculations are like to the ones to a higher place, except you practise start out with a college amount of pesticide. Nutrient produced from treated seed is perfectly rubber to eat.
Lets say you make up one's mind you don't want treated seed. Practise yous need to buy organic seed? No. Most seed that is available to home gardeners is non treated. Treating seed costs money, and if seeds accept been treated, companies advertise the fact so that they can charge more for the seed. In most countries, the labeling laws require seed producers to place treated seed right on the seed package.
I checked Burpee Seeds and they do not sell treated seed. Stokes does sell some but the selection is very express and the treated seeds are conspicuously marked in their catalog.
If yous don't want the chemicals found on treated seed, just purchase regular seed. You practise not need to be organic seed.
Back up Organic Farmers
That leaves me with one valid reason for buying organic seed – to support organic farmers. If you feel growing organically is important for the surround and y'all desire to support organic farmers, then buy organic seed. It does support the organic motility.
Buying organic seed, does not produce healthier food, does not brand plants abound better and they do non reduce your exposure to chemicals. They don't even produce better tasting food. If you are going to buy them, you should at least empathise why you are buying them – you are supporting organic farming.
Selection is limited for organic seed. Most of the new illness resistant vegetable cultivars are non available as organic seed, and neither are most ornamental flowers.
Personally, I would not go out of my way to buy organic seed when not-organic is but every bit adept. I'd much rather have newer disease resistant tomatoes.
Seed Videos:
References:
- FAQ – Organic Seeds and Gardening: http://www.seedsofchange.com/faq.aspx
- Self Proclaimed Organic Seed Expert Phil Winteregg: http://www.organicitsworthit.org/experts/learn/phil-winteregg
- Challenges for The Production of High Quality Organic Seeds: http://world wide web.seedtest.org/upload/cms/user/STI127April2004.pdf#folio=14
- Photo Source: Mike Mozart
Source: https://www.gardenmyths.com/organic-seeds-why-buy-them/
Posted by: griffinthivalt1944.blogspot.com
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