New evidence shows huge price rises for GM seed

Against a background of continuing calls from the GM lobby for the Government to back the growing of GM crops in the UK, a new report by the Organic Center shows that GM seed prices in America have increased dramatically, compared to non-GM and organic seeds, cutting average farm incomes for farmers growing GM crops in the USA. In the 25 years from 1975 to 2000, non-GM soybean seed prices rose a modest 63 %. Since 2000, as GM soybeans came to dominate the market, the price rose by a massive 230 %, the Soil Association reports. Farmers buying Monsanto’s new Roundup Ready 2 soybean seed in 2010 will pay 42 % more per bag than they paid in 2009. Maize growers planting the new GM variety SmartStax will pay more than twice as much as farmers planting conventional non-GM seeds.

In a recent speech Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant said the company’s goal was to double gross profits in 2012, from 2007 levels. He said that increases in the price of new GM RR 2 soybeans and GM SmartStax maize hybrids would create about one-third of the company’s gross profit growth in 2012. Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director, stated: “This new data on the massive rises in the costs of GM seeds for those US farmers who now have no alternatives, coupled with steep increases in pesticide use, should serve as a stark warning to UK farmers. If GM crops are allowed here, UK farmers could find themselves contributing to another doubling of Monsanto’s profits.” Besides the negative effects on farmers’ income, recent research by The Organic Center in the USA found that GM crops were pushing pesticide use up at a rapidly accelerating pace.
 
Soil Association