Non-GMO Corn Preservation Project

[Krista Rome]

Hi Friends! Just getting the word out about this fantastic new community effort to create a network of folks caretaking non-GMO corn seed specific to our climate. Here's the info, please pass the word! The flier is attached if you have a place to post it.

 

THE NON-GMO CORN PRESERVATION PROJECT

 

What? A volunteer project aimed at preserving the best cool-climate grain corn varieties to ensure they stay un-contaminated by GMO genes.

 

Why? More and more organic corn is becoming contaminated due to the difficulty of growing corn in true isolation and the increasing prevalence of GM corn in the country. It is especially important for us in the Pacific Northwest because we require short-season varieties that are not as easy to come by. We need to preserve those varieties and further adapt them to our specific climate conditions. 

 

Get Involved!

 

Volunteer – come get your hands dirty in the field and help us with weeding, harvesting, drying, and/or shelling the corn.

 

Become a Grower  - we want to create a network of growers who care-take one or more varieties of non-GMO grain corn in isolation or with hand pollination.

 

Get Educated – learn beside us as we conduct hand pollination during mid-summer.

 

Donate to Support GMO Testing – without financial support we cannot afford to test seed stocks for GMO contamination, a very important part of the process. We need to start with verified GMO-free stock and work from there to preserve it.

 

For More Information:

 

To get on the volunteer list, learn about hand-pollination, join the network of grower/seed stewards, or make a donation, contact:

 

Krista Rome

[phone]

[e-mail]

Lynden, WA

 

Thank you to the Bellingham Community Food Co-op’s Farm Fund for financial support, to Mike Long and Carol Miles for technical support, to the Backyard Beans & Grains Project for on-the-ground work, and to all the volunteers and farmers who come help out and learn alongside us this year.