Abstract
Debates about the genetic diversity of cultivated crops have riled the scientific community. While there have been studies on measuring genetic diversity among crop types, none have described on-farm genetic diversity in U.S. maize (Zea mays) because of patent restrictions. The approximately 36.5 million hectares of U.S. maize planted by farmers annually is carried out largely without them having knowledge of the seed genetic background. The literature shows a shrinking of genetic diversity in commercially available hybrids over time. Given the restrictions on the genetic information given to farmers about their maize seed and the risk it poses to their landscape, we conducted twenty exploratory interviews with farmers in the Upper Midwest regarding their perspectives of and strategies for managing on-farm genetic diversity in their maize crop. The data gathered suggest five themes: (1) managing surface diversity by planting multiple varieties; (2) navigating seed relabeling; (3) lacking clear access to genetic background information; (4) reliance on seed dealers when selecting varieties; and (5) limited quality genetics for organic systems. This study concludes that the lack of access to genetic background data for public researchers, including the United States Department of Agriculture and farmers, does not allow for vulnerability assessments to be carried out on the landscape and puts farmers at risk to crop failure.
Highlights
The maize (Zea mays) germplasm has changed from a public resource that co-evolved with humans for the past 9000 years to a privatized commodity in the last 100
This section includes a summary and brief discussion of the five themes that emerged from the coding and analysis of the interview participant data, including: (1) planting multiple maize varieties as a surface level diversity management technique; (2) making management decisions informed by awareness of the seed relabeling practiced by industry; (3) lacking clear access to maize seed genetic background information; (4) purchasing maize varieties with reliance on seed dealer relationships; and (5) struggling to find quality maize genetics for organic systems
About two months after we interviewed him at his farm office in Iowa, we received a text message from R.P. about Farmers Business Network (FBN)’s Seed Finder (Figure 1): “Got the login to get trait info on corn hybrids
Summary
The maize (Zea mays) germplasm has changed from a public resource that co-evolved with humans for the past 9000 years to a privatized commodity in the last 100. Patent restrictions are enabling private companies to control the management of these resources that humanity relies on for survival. U.S is genetically modified and patented [1] These patents mean that the seed and details about the genetic background of the seed planted on farms is not controlled by farmers but by four agrochemical companies whose patents restrict research on the genetic basis of the standing crop [2]. When farmers have control of their seed and knowledge of their genetic background, this plays an important role in both maintaining and evolving the genetic diversity of maize [3]. Before we saw the highest levels of concentration in the seed industry at any time in history, the literature showed a concerning narrowing of diversity in the genetic background of maize grown in the U.S
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