Hoorman: Non-GMO Corn Benefits
Farmers are starting to buy seed for next year to get the early discounts. GMO (genetically modified) corn and soybeans are popular in the United States. About 90-94 percent of soybean and 87-92 percent of corn in the USA are GMO. The USA produces 38 percent of all GMO crops in the world.
Other countries, like Europe (Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy) and Mexico have banned or limited GMO crops. Mexico and Europe want food security against monopolies. In Europe, after World War II, food security became a big issue and they consider the risks too high to accept GMO crops.
What constitutes a GMO? Scientist select a gene that helps with a certain trait (insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought, etc.). They transfer that gene to another plant, test it, get government approval for the gene, and then release it for commercial production. A benefit of GMO crops is that they speed up natural selection for beneficial genes. Gene stacking involves putting several beneficial GMO genes in the same seed.
Proponents of GMO crops say the benefits include less insect loss, tolerance to herbicides, less virus in the plant reduce the micronutrient levels in a plant. Roundup (glyphosate) is known to chelate or tie up many micro-nutrients The result is corn with less nutrients, so the corn is less healthy to consume. Pigs, cattle, and chickens may not gain as much due to eating corn that are not as rich in nutrients.
Non-GMO corn or regular corn with no inserted genes have some benefits. First, there is more diversity and less mono-cultures. Regular crops without GMO keep our agricultural ecosystem more diverse with less herbicide resistance or chances for super bugs or super weeds that become resistant to traditional herbicides and pesticides. If a certain GMO crop variety becomes popular, everyone plants it. If it crashes, a new GMO crop variety has to take over. That can create food insecurity if the crash is widespread.
Second, regular corn has higher crude protein, as much as 28 percent higher. GMO corn may have 5-7 percent crude protein for a certain corn variety, but regular corn may have 7-9 percent crude protein. The benefits to livestock production is faster growth. In some cases, pigs will get to market 2030 days faster. Given a choice, livestock performance is generally better with regular corn, maybe because it tastes better and has higher protein.
Third, regular corn generally has more nutrients, fiber, but also 60 percent more antioxidants and flavonoids. This creates food that is healthier to eat for both the animal and the consumer, but it also makes the plants healthier and the soil healthier. More diversity of soil microbes creates a healthier plant and that passes on to everyone who consumes those plants. One report says that regular corn has low releasing starch and more organic or natural protein which is a regular corn benefit.
An economic benefit to raising regular corn is that often there is a sales premium for NON-GMO or regular corn. Premiums vary by year, but may be $.25 to $1.15 per corn bushel and $1$2 higher for certain regular soybeans varieties. Soybeans have specialized market for tofu, soy milk, sprouts, Natto etc. which are used for human consumption. GMO seed corn can cost from $200 to $300 per unit or higher compared to regular corn ($65$150) per unit. For soybeans, regular soybeans may cost $30 to $40 per unit while GMO soybean can cost up to $75 per unit or more. GMO crops offer farmers many benefits, but regular or Non-GMO crops have a place too.