GMO Seeds Sold to Home Gardeners

You’ve been assured that GMOs will never be available for home gardening, but this hasn’t been the case for over two years. In 2024, a biotech company backed by the former president of ChemChina subsidiary Syngenta started selling GMO purple tomato seeds (and yes, heirloom purple tomato seeds exist). Dr. Eric Ward brought his financial backing and expertise on seed breeding to Norfolk Healthy Produce, so it could enter the US market. Now, two years later, and the GMO purple tomato seed line has expanded with new varieties and been approved in Canada and Australia.

Marketed with the slogan, “antioxidant power through bioengineering”, 10 seeds sell for $5-15 depending on the variety. Located in the terms and conditions is something that makes you say “huh” and pose like The Thinker. The patented NHP purple tomato seeds conditions state that *no sales of fruit, seeds, or plants are permitted in this agreement, including any derived varieties. Why would a seed for home gardening need such strong language surrounding its use?

The agrochemical giants, including the one that backed NHP, have notoriously targeted farmers for trying to save patented seeds or seeds that were accidentally crossbred. The companies used private “seed detectives”, snitch lines, and random testing to tracks farms that were trying to save or replant GMO and crossbred seeds. The landmark Bowman vs. Monsanto case ruled that a farmer who replants a harvested, patented seed is infringing upon the patent. Home gardeners are unknowingly opening up their backyard to a world of litigation and corporate control. This isn’t conspiratorial thinking, it’s common sense.

While crossbreeding isn’t common with some tomatoes, it’s unknown how the GMOs might affect them. What’s certain though, is that you cannot replant the GMO tomato seeds, and you cannot save, replant, or sell any other varieties that are potentially impacted by its genetics. I will repeat that once more. The terms prevent you from not only selling or saving the seeds but also harvesting seeds from crossbred.

Since the home gardening market is booming, the large agrochemical companies are trying to ease their way in. While buying a pack of the GMO seeds may seem like a harmless experiment, the companies are using it to test the waters. This is the first generation, and we have no idea what the tenth generation might look like. We also don’t know how the companies might try to enforce their patents down the line. As a reminder, these same companies have been lobbying millions for liability immunity from the damages caused by their chemicals. Heirloom seeds are a far better option for a multitude of reasons.

Why plant heirloom seeds?

Heirloom seeds come from crops that have been grown and passed down for generations without cross-breeding, genetic modification, or hybridization. Heirloom varieties date back from between seven decades to hundreds and even thousands of years ago; the crops have stood the test of time. All heirlooms are open-pollinated, which means that they are naturally pollinated by insects, birds, rain, and the wind. Since heirloom seeds breed true to type, you can harvest seeds from what you grow and plant those to get the same crop over and over again. Besides their cultural history, unique flavors, and wider micronutrient profile range, self-sufficiency is their greatest attribute.

You can continue heirloom legacies by growing them, saving their seeds, and sharing them with your friends and family for generations. The seeds should be stored in airtight containers away from heat, light, and moisture. You can place your opened and unopened seed packets inside glass pyrex containers with a moisture desiccant to keep the humidity low. Storing heirloom seeds properly can ensure high germination rates for 3-5 years. I’ve sprouted 10+ year old seeds! Here is a link to the free heirloom seed harvesting/saving guide that I made on my site.

I carry over 190+ heirloom seed varieties on my site and will include a free pack of seeds!