Deciding between GMO and non-GMO seeds? Two farmers weigh pros and cons of each

[in 2015] Minnesota farmer Pat Duncanson switched 95% of his corn acres to non-GMO crops. His motivation was to save about $50 per acre. However, Duncanson learned non-GMO doesn’t fit every acre.

[In 2017] he made changes to where he plants traits.

If you’re considering non-GMO, compare how much you’ll save on seed and any added pesticide costs with the difference in seed price for traited corn, he says.

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Despite the upfront financial benefits, he learned field conditions and management practices dictate non-GMO success.

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“There are instances, like with cover crops, where we need herbicide tolerance to terminate them,” Duncanson says. “In no-till or cover crops, we definitely plant traited products for weed control.”

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After more than a decade of chasing non-GMO premiums, Indiana farmer Chris Campbell is planting all traited corn and soybeans now.

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It was a hard change after planting 100% non-GMO—the first biotech seed bill after switching hurt. “We spend $30,000 more on seed, or about $26 per acre more,” he says.

He was pleasantly surprised when he saw his herbicide bill, though. “I’m spending about $18 per acre on herbicides,” Campbell says. “When we planted non-GMO corn it was closer to $28 per acre.” 

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Strike the Balance of Biotech and Non-GMO