Market Farming

["jay gee" <jgj23 AT mindspring.com>]

paul & barb - on the continental divide asked:

>>>
 There's another trickier question. If you want to guarantee it's free of
 GMOs from the seed used, how would you do that? The contamination is
 spreading in all sorts of unexpected places. That kind of testing is
 expensive, yet it's a selling point for market farmers and one strike
 against the so-called USDA organic label. Or are there other ways of
 guaranteeing our produce is GMO-free? Perhaps reliable seed sources
 approved by the new organization? 
<<<<

The virtue of a National Marketing and Advertising cooperative is
that by sheer size alone, it has muscle to drive the prices of testing
down.  Because the coop is not sensitive to state borders, whatever
testing labs can capably do the required work at the required price
levels are the approved ones.  You are not forced to use XYZ lab,
the only one in your state, just because the Lt. Governor's brother-
in-law runs it, etc., etc., etc.

Genetic testing on a large scale is relatively cheap as I understand it.
In the Federal Express era, getting samples to the testing lab is not
what it used to be.

As for seeds, a coop could also dictate what is and is not acceptable
as far as seed stocks are concerned, thereby shifting the burden of
purity to the seed dealer.  Again, testing enforces the rules.


Jay Gee
not a farmer -- but interested in farming