Many organic seeds genetically altered through hybridization

We have some vague awareness that GMOs are bad and organic is good, but few of us could say exactly why. I am often asked about organic seeds and which seeds are non-GMO. When we consider GMO seeds, we need to understand that the only seeds completely free of genetic alteration are heirloom, or open pollinated varieties that have never been improved. These are usually marked as such. 

Many people want to use organic seeds. An organic seal does NOT mean that the seeds have never been genetically altered through hybridization, but rather, that they have not been treated with dyes, growth hormones, fungicides and chemicals. My personal opinion is that a bean grown in my garden with an organic bean seed is not going to be significantly different than a bean grown with treated seed. Any dyes or fungicides typically found on beans will break down in the soil and the likelihood of any traces of it remaining in my harvest has never been shown.

Any desire that an individual gardener has to make a statement by avoiding GMOs and non-organic seeds is more a matter of politics and principle than danger presented by your garden seed choice.

Read the full, original article: Organic vs. non-GMO seeds

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