U.S. Government Ties El Salvador USD 277 M Aid Package to Monsanto’s GMO Seeds

[yellowcanine]

8. 'GMO seeds have "terminator" genes.' Not true.

The reason a farmer cannot save seeds of GMO crops such as Roundup Ready soybeans is because the farmer signs a technology agreement with Monsanto agreeing not to save the seeds and replant them. If the farmer were to do that they would grow fine. Corn is a bit more complicated because Roundup Ready corn, like 99.9% of corn grown in the United States and Europe, is an F1 hybrid. Farmers could save the seed, it would grow, but the crop would not look like the original crop because F1 hybrid seed does not "breed true," it segregates. When it comes to hybrid corn, which was widely adapted in the U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s, long before GMOs, farmers have always had to go back to the seed company for their seed for the next year. No "terminator" genes are used in any crops, GMO or otherwise.