Who sells “safe seed” (not genetically modified)

[appleannie1]

The following may be companies that sell only safe seed but have not signed the safe seed pledge (check the link above for full list):

Abundant Life Seeds
Amishland Seeds
Annapolis Valley Heritage Seed Company (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Garden City Seeds
Irish-Eyes
Livingston Seeds
Local Harvest
Mountain Rose Herbs
Organica Seed
Tiny Seeds
Uprising Seeds
Virtual Farm Seed Co (added on the request of the company)
Wildseed Farms

Now, who to avoid?
Added May 21, 2013 Please note: No home garden seed is GMO (for now). However, I want to make it clear that just because the seed is safe, doesn’t mean buying any seed from any company is a good idea. Many, many companies are supplied by Seminis (owned by Monsanto), who sell both GMO and no-GMO seed. The seed you get may be safe, but by buying from companies who support GMO, you are supporting GMO yourself.

These are companies currently, or at one time, known to sell seeds from Seminis and/or Monsanto. If you think a company doesn’t belong here, email with with information about the company’s seed practices. If they are supplied even in part by Seminis/Monsanto, they won’t be moved to the safe seed list, even if they sell no GMO seed.

If a company is on this list but also on the Safe Seed list above, it generally means that they’ve agreed not to sell GMO but are still supplied by Seminis/Monsanto.

American Meadows
Anderson’s Seed & Garden, Inc
Audubon Workshop
Ball Horticultural Company
Breck’s Bulbs
Bunton Seed
Burpee – I get dozens of emails a month about Burpee. They admit to getting non-GMO seed from Seminis. As stated above, my goal is to in no way support Seminis/Monsanto/GMO, therefore, they will stay on the avoid list.
Cook’s Garden
Corona Seeds
DeBruyn Seed Company, Inc.
Dege Garden Center
Dixondale Farms/The Onion Patch
Earl May Seed
Early’s Farm & Garden Centre
E & R Seed Co
El Seed
Farmer Seed & Nursery
Flower of the Month Club
Ferry Morse – For more information on Ferry Morse please see my note on facebook.
Fukuda Seed Store
Gardens Alive
Germania Seed Co
Garden Trends, Inc.d/b/a Harris Seeds
Germania Seed Company
Grimes Horticulture
H.F. Michell Company
HPS
Jungs
Lindenberg Seeds
McClure and Zimmerman Quality Bulb Brokers
Meyer Seed Co of Baltimore, Inc
Mountain Valley Seed
Ontario Seed
Ornamental Edibles
Osborne
Otis S. Twilley Seed Co., Inc.
Park Seed
Park Bulbs
Park’s Countryside Garden
P. L. Rohrer & Bro., Inc.
Pinetree
R.H. Shumway
Rocky Mountain Seed Co
Roots and Rhizomes
Rupp
Seeds for the World
Seminova
Seymour’s Selected Seeds
Snow
Southern States Cooperative, Incorporated
Stokes
Spring Hill Nurseries
Totally Tomato
T&T Seeds
Tomato Growers Supply
The Page Seed Company
The Vermont Bean Seed Company
Tomato Growers Supply Company
Vesey’s Seeds
Vis Seed Company, Inc.
Wayside Gardens
Willhite Seed Co.
William Dam Seeds

Seminis’ home garden dealer list: http://www.seminis.com/global/us/products/Pages/Home-Garden.aspx
Farm seed for Canada: http://www.seminis.com/global/us/products/Pages/Canada.aspx

http://www.garden-of-eatin.com/how-to-avoid-monsanto/

[Buzz Clik]

1. Garden seeds only, correct?

[BlueToTheBone]

2. You left off Baker's Seed Co and

Nichols among others

[hatrack]

6. Yeah - Baker Creek, and don't forget Seed Savers in Decorah, IA

http://www.seedsavers.org/

[4_TN_TITANS]

8. Yes, Baker's Creek is awesome...

I was just reading the magazine he puts out last night. The Gettles are extremely passionate about heritage/non-GMO seeds and even guarantee their seeds non-GMO with continual testing for contamination. They stop just short of calling Monsanto the Great Satan. My wife will not buy seeds from anyone else!

I can't fathom how they didn't make that list....

[canoeist52]

3. "High Mowing Organic Seeds" located in Vermont

http://www.highmowingseeds.com/

"History of the Safe Seed Pledge

Insect pollination of a cucurbit flowerThe Safe Seed Pledge was created in 1999 when High Mowing Organic Seeds guided a coalition of 9 other seed companies in drafting a statement about the signers' stance on genetic engineering. Over 70 companies have signed the pledge, ranging from large seed companies to family-owned businesses such as ours.

In signing the Safe Seed Pledge we affirm our commitment to non-GMO (genetically modified organism) seed. We feel that the regulatory framework for the introduction of genetically modified crop varieties is flawed, and that GMO seeds themselves present a threat to plants' genetic diversity through their ability to pollinate non-GMO plants."

[roody]

4. Great idea. Thanks.

[kestrel91316]

5. GMO crop seeds are produced for and marketed to farmers of major crop species.

Buy HEIRLOOM, OPEN POLLINATED garden vegetable varieties and start saving your own seed. And buy from companies that don't sell Monsanto seeds on the side.

[malokvale77]

7. Pinetree Gardens...

From their website and catalogue: Many of you have contacted us asking about Pinetree's position on genetically modified seeds and the recent acquisition of small companies by larger corporations. After 33 years, Pinetree remains a small family business. In the front cover of our catalog we state "We sell no seed that has been developed using genetic manipulation. We do not view technologies as being good or bad things in themselves, but people can certainly employ them in pernicious ways. We also think that developing countries are best served, focusing on the agricultures that they have the material and manpower for. Not some Western notion that ignores indigenous materials and tastes." Moreover, Pinetree has signed the Safe Seed Pledge in the past but has chosen not to this year because we do not feel it is worded strongly enough and is used more as a tool for marketing than a political statement. More than promise not to "knowingly" sell or buy GM seeds, Pinetree promises not to sell or buy them. Period. In the interest of full disclosure, Pinetree has purchased seeds from Seminis in the past. We did not purchase their seeds this year, nor do we intend to in the future. Our relationship with Seminis predates the Monsanto acquisition by many years and we had always felt they were a responsible company but have chosen not to support Monsanto in any capacity. Pinetree will continue to meet the needs of the home gardener and provide our customers with more and more organic and heirloom choices in the coming years. We are committed to the ideals of sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship and appreciate your support. Please feel free to contact us with any questions, Melissa and Jef

[appleannie1]

9. Glad that people are adding to this thread. I feel that the only way to fight Monsanto is to never

buy their product no matter what name they are selling it under. Thanks to all that have added other companies to the list.

[appleannie1]

10. Livingston Seed Company statement

Does Livingston Seed sell any genetically modified organisms?
Livingston Seed Company states that all varieties offered for sale do not contain any Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s). We provide seeds that are developed using traditional breeding techniques and have not undergone any genetic transformation.
Our Seeds are not chemically treated.

If you have any further questions please contact us.



I bought my lettuce and herb seeds from this company this year. I got it from a local farm market.

[felix_numinous]

11. K&R

SAFE seeds, I like that!

I would also like to call organically grown food SAFE and NUTRITIOUS FOOD as well.

[FogerRox]

12. Often tastes better too

[FogerRox]

13. Terrific OP. KnR