GMO free corn

After previous discussions about making your own blends of feed and related issues, I asked my local feed store to find out about the corn in the grower and layer products that I buy - was it GMO free? I buy organic bags of both grower and layer (grower because it is higher in protein I believe and sometimes I see those chickies eating feathers which bugs me) and the makers are Otter Co-Op who are in Aldergrove, lower mainland BC.

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The woman in the feed store telephoned them and asked for me, she said the answer was yes, organic corn in their product is GMO free. I looked at her suspiciously, simply didn't believe they had told her the truth (I am suspicious of everything generally but it has gotten worse since I started watching MI5 on netflix!). So I phoned them myself today, spoke to their nutritionist and he says that if it is labelled organic then it has to be GMO free too. So, that is great! So long as he is telling the truth of course and unless I build a lab and test it out, guess I got to trust him on that.

I know it is not important to everyone but if we don't fight for these things then we'll lose them. Supply and demand (or vice versa). I don't want to lose the ability to grow crops because seeds won't naturally propagate any longer and I guess I can do my part for keeping peoples awareness alive on it by seeking out and buying the corn that comes from genetically correct material that is in alignment with nature.  whoops, getting on the horse there, my parents were hippies, fighters for truth, think it rubbed off on me a tad.  so, just sharing what I found out for those of you who might be interested. I will now order in some extra corn for the minions out there to tuck in to at night just before hanging up their slippers to snooze, keep 'em warm  

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that is a good point Tara. I am suspicious that they could call it organic if they are using oil like that but I will look in to it and report back. I was waiting for the "but" and welcome any other thoughts that this might not be as they say it is.

I don't intend to be pious and take anyone to task for their preferences, good grief, free world and it must be kept that way. I am no recruiter, just being the change I like to see in the world as the blurb goes on the bottom of someone's post.

I didn't think organic was exclusive of GMO. I thought organic meant no chemicals. I would like to be educated on this. I've read that one does not exclude the other. Does anyone know?

it is a good question Farmchiq, I also thought that organic didn't mean gmo  -  you can grow a hybrid seed in an organic fashion.  I had a quick look online to see what I can, pretty tired so can't do too much research.  I found this:

What do the standards say about GMOs?

Genetically modified organisms are not permitted under the standards, as stated in CAN/CGSB-32.310-2006, 1.4.1.a. Any product that is certified organic under the Organic Products Regulations (OPR) (SOR/2006-338) cannot use GMOs. In order to protect against GMO contamination, farmers must demonstrate to their certifying body (CB) that they have done everything possible to prevent contamination from neighbouring fields.

Effective protection against GMO contamination is virtually impossible for some crops. For example, canola pollen can drift up to two kilometres, leaving few locations in Canada where organic canola can be produced (For more information, visit the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate’s Organic Agriculture Protection Fund). For other crops such as corn, organic growers can reduce GMO contamination by late planting (to ensure that their corn comes into tassel at a different time than corn in neighbouring fields).
Farmers are required to develop buffer zones of eight metres to mitigate GMO engineered (or pesticide) drift from neighbouring fields. The Canadian Organic Standards (COS) also require that organic farmers use certified organic seed. If farmers are not saving and planting their own seed, they must ensure that their seed suppliers conform to standards requirements. For some crops, it is extremely difficult for commercial growers to obtain sufficient quantities of certified organic seed. In this case, growers must provide documentation proving that they have made at least three phone calls to organic seed providers. If they are still unable to obtain enough organic seed, they can use non-organic, GMO-free seed. The GMO-free status of the seed must be documented.

from this website:
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so seems it is all in the labeling and certification.  I also found other material that started getting me confused but that was talking about the USDA.  I think it is much more ambiguous in the States  -  what the USDA says about what etc.  Maybe they are happy with ambiguity   =  loopholes to slip through.    trust issues, aye yae yae!   I'm tired, doesn't help

update on the oil thing. I spoke to the nutritionist at the Otter Co-op and he says that the oil that is used in the blended feeds is from organic full fat soybeans and they get the feed from Bradner Farms

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I am a happy camper so far but I suspect ( ) you will have another "but" for me Tara, bring it on! All good  

Hybrid is not the same as GMO. Hybrid just means a result of across between two varieties or species (or other genetically dissimilar organisms - it's a bit vague around the edges, really).
GMO organisms have had bits of foreign DNA artificially inserted into their genome.

ipf wrote:Hybrid is not the same as GMO. Hybrid just means a result of across between two varieties or species (or other genetically dissimilar organisms - it's a bit vague around the edges, really).
GMO organisms have had bits of foreign DNA artificially inserted into their genome.

thanks ipf. I do remember hearing about potatoes with toad genes in them in NZ, (my greenie friends were all up in arms) and I remember thinking that just ain't right. Nature would not do that by itself but some crops will naturally cross pollinate won't they? I am glad to be learning more about this.