Corn growing question

[34Case]

I saw on puter news that Mexicos hikeing up their tariff rates for american corn causing concern among the big boys growing it here. One said that they couldnt go back to regular corn as there all set up for GMO corn. Said they didnt have the equipment for it.
QUESTION, Whats the diff between a stalk of GMO corn and one of, even OP corn?
 

[rrlund]

Between the stalk? Depends on the genetics, how many plants per acre, weather conditions, etc. If you're asking
about nutritional value in GM, no difference unless it's bred to be silage corn maybe.
 

[34Case]

[rrlund]

I don't know what you're referring to.
 

[34Case]

Im sorry, I dont see why what im saying confuses you.
As I understood it when the person was making the report to a reporter, AND, as an example of what I understood of the report, IF you planted a row of say DeKalb conventional hybred corn, and a row of GMO corn next to it, that todays farmers who plant ONLY GMO corn wouldnt be able to use their equipment to harvest the row of hybred corn.
Im just trying to figure out why a stalk of GMO corn would be different to pick than a stalk of hybred corn or even op corn. It seems Mexico dont want any GMO corn in their country. Likely stopping the buying of it is an excuse for the corn farmers there in Mexico, BUT the person talking to the reporter made the excuse that IF they couldnt grow and harvest GMO corn, they would be in a fix as their equipment isnt able to work in a conventional hybred regular corn field. Did I do any better this time??
 

[paul]

You arent saying it very clearly, but I think you didnt understand it very clearly.

First of all this isnt all that big a deal. Mexico is only starting out with food grade corn, the white corn. That is very small market.

Most corn Mexico imports is to feed livestock and there is no ban on that.

So this is a 5% problem, not a 95% problem.

Most farmers that know the score arent much worried.

As to your question, I suspect the farmer said we dont have the equipment to control weeds and insects without using the newer herbicides and the bug control many
get with gmo seed.

Given time we can certainly adapt back to the old days, but going back to harsher herbicides and much more harsher insecticides seems a step backwards, why
anyone would want that for the future is a mystery.

Weed control we can use older herbicides, if there is enough supply of them.

Insect control is a big deal in corn, gmo traits have made insect control much safer and cheaper. Many of the insecticide that used to be used is banned now, or much
more restricted. I would expect that is mostly what the farmer was talking about?
 

[Traditional Farmer]

The greater point is much of the World has turned against GMO grain,the only market that really WANTS US GMO grain is China and the ethanol plants.The differences,what is better/worse whatever is totally beside the point.GMO is losing the argument,go on any social media website and GMO is constantly being battered.Basically two types of consumers now 1)Those that have switch off GMO and 2) Ones that want to but can't afford it or can't find an alternate.
Those with the money to spend drives the market not producers,ignore that at one's own peril.
 

[rrlund]

Ya, you did a better job. ROFLMAO! Sounds like they hired a Hollywood actor. LOL

The only difference it would make is that the corn would be mixed together at harvest so would have to be sold as
GM corn.

I'm gonna have to remember this and use that line on would be farmers that want to grow organic or conventional
only. I'll tell them that manufacturers have only been making planters, combines and heads for GM corn for 30
years now and that all the equipment to plant and harvest organic and conventional corn has long since worn out
and has been scrapped. Anybody who knows me knows I'll do it too. LOL