A major excursion for today was DuPont’s Pioneer. Pioneer’s tour was extremely impressive. My previous notion was of a monstrous factory churning out millions of seeds. But, they have done a pretty good job manufacturing seeds to withstand various diseases (try thousands). Even more impressive, they have facilities in roughly twenty other countries splicing seeds for the native plants in that region and working with the people to accomplish the best yield.

However impressive their shinny facilities are, or how articulate their language was, I still have a major worry: overly modifying corn. Ever since elementary school, teachers drilled into our minds how ecosystems need biodiversity to thrive and survive. These GMO’s take a corn plant; inbreed it for seven generations, leaving only the highlighted genetic code. Then, they breed it with a plant also inbreed for seven generations. Thus creating a superpower plant.  Leading to all farmers wanting the same kind of plant: monoculture. Monoculture is incredibly dangerous because if one virus or organism goes after that plant, the entire species could die. Just because we have fancy new technology, does not mean something like the Irish potato famine could not happen here. With the same plants, soy and corn, in almost every field in Iowa, the entire state’s production could die.  I understand how bringing out the best characteristics of a plant is needed for optimal yield, but it seems like they are poking too big of a stick at Mother Nature. Apparently their system is working – making billions every year. Can they over manipulate the seed? When will the threshold of the corn species be so surpassed that we have created a crop inedible or even vile to the populace. Since corn is literally in everything, what would we do then?

When I asked this burning question churning in my head, they gave a very diplomatic answer – they have people working on it. I.E. environmental people who help control what they are doing. When will the corn be too modified leading to the manipulation of another crop to another crop? Sure, being resistant against pests and weeds is great for the farmer. However, what about the genetic code of the land established before the evolution of splicing?