More US farmers to plant non-GM soy

Cheaper seed and lucrative premiums are driving more US crop farmers to plant non-GM soy this year.

US soy production is 95 percent dominated by GM Roundup Ready soy, but about 5 percent of that crop will be planted to non-GM soy and this trend may continue in the near future, said Jim Beuerlein, an agronomist from the Ohio State University Extension. 

Roundup Ready soy seed is becoming expensive and there are a number of markets, both domestic and overseas, that want non-GM varieties and they are willing to pay the premiums for it, said Roundup Ready.

With premiums over US$1 per bushel, that's US$50 in extra income per acre and non-GM seed has been historically cheaper than Roundup Ready seed, which are two factors that are sparking grower interest, he said.

Beuerlein anticipates Ohio farmers to increase their non-GM soy acreage by 10 percent. But with 4.5 million acres of soy planted in Ohio each year, the increase is insignificant, mainly because there is not enough seed to meet demand, he said.

US farmers have been growing GM varieties for so long therefore the development of normal varieties and seeds have been neglected and supplies are limited, he said.

But seed companies that deal with non-GM varieties are expected to increase seed production by 100-200 percent this year, so there will be more seed available next year, Beuerlein said.

Growers may also be able to keep the seed of some non-GM soy varieties that are not patented or if the seed laws allow that activity.

The number of non-GM varieties tested is expected to increase for the 2009 trials.