Minnesota seed company’s non-GMO corn is finding a home in Kazakhstan
Published: April 8, 2021
Category: Non-GMO News
A Minnesota non-GMO seed company, BASS Genetics, is supplying large farms in Kazakhstan with non-GMO corn seed.
According to BASS (Baumgartner Agricultural Science and Services) founder Ed Baumgartner, Kazakhstan farmers grow about 2 million acres of corn annually. Most of it is fed to their domestic livestock, primarily cattle.
Kazakhstan has huge farms. The average size is about 12,500 acres. “We’ll have BASS hybrids on considerable acres this year,” Baumgartner claimed. “I can’t yet say how many, but on one 24,000-acre corn operation we will be the dominant seed brand. As their farmers and seedsmen learn more about our non-GMO hybrids and superior insect and drought tolerance, our growth over here will continue.”
Baumgartner founded 3MG (3rd Millennium Genetics) in 2005. The company’s singular mission was the introduction of new non-GMO corn hybrids. This went against the grain of most seed companies which spent millions introducing nothing but new GMO hybrids.
Baumgartner changed the seed business of 3MG to BASS Genetics and BASS Hybrids. BASS Hybrids sells seed across the corn belt and BASS Genetics licenses and sells its hybrids around the globe.
Why non-GMO? “Because of the constantly growing market here in America and Europe which is still non-GMO,” Baumgartner says. “Plus, there’s getting to be a growing international call for our products.”
Baumgartner is adamant about breeding only non-GMO corn seed.
“BASS Hybrids will NOT permit a GMO to enter its warehouse!” he says. “Our primary intent since day one was to be a leading source of non-GMO hybrids. The non-GMO market is a viable and growing market for us. We see more and more farmers switching 100 percent to non-GMO. And it’s not just a seed price issue. It lessens their herbicide-management headaches also.”
Source: The Land
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Organic & Non-GMO Insights April 2021
