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The original was posted on /r/hobbydrama by /u/CarpathianStrawbs on 2024-05-18 05:41:28+00:00.

Original Title: [Gardening] Norfolk making seed history + How Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, one of the largest "traditionalist anti-GMO" seed distributors in the US, accidentally featured and tried to sell a Genetically Modified seed.

I'm just some hobbyist, correct me if I'm wrong. I repost now that the drama is "old", per the rules this time.

Background

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

A popular US seed company. If you would like more background see my post below.

Heirloom vs Non-Heirloom vs GMO

• Heirloom seeds are grown with the intention to isolate desirable traits across many generations in order to produce one stable inbred line of plant genetics, resulting in predictable, genetically similar offspring. This is referred to as "true to seed".
• Non-heirloom seeds are not inbred and carry a lot of variability. When two plants cross pollinate, they create a hybrid of the parents that results in offspring that express an unpredictable mix of genes.
• Genetically modified seeds are engineered using gene editing technology, sometimes with genes from unrelated sources.

GMO and Patented seeds entering the consumer gardener market

• In the consumer market, patents can be granted to plants such as roses and apples. One of the stipulations is that these plants have to be propagated asexually by cutting or (non-seed) tissue culture. This means that it is permissible to save, sell, and grow seeds from these plants (if not sterile), because the offspring are not exact genetic copies.
• Patent granting on seeds stipulates that the traits expressed cannot be the result of open pollination breeding (wind, insects). As a result, these patents are mostly applied to GMO seeds, where genes are manually influenced in a lab.
• Previously, there were absolutely no GMO seeds sold to the consumer market due to USDA/FDA restrictions. Companies fearmongering about GMOs were easily dismissed. You simply could not buy GMO seeds outside of commercial applications.
• The implications of GMO seeds, which are almost all patented, hitting the market is that the plants can cross pollinate with a non-patented plant, and pass patented genetics on to the offspring. The offspring would be the lawful IP of the company that owns the patent.
• Almost all gardeners rely on open pollination between their plants, so there is untread territory on what may happen down the line when more seeds of this nature become common place.
• Despite this, the reception of new GMO varieties like the purple tomato and glow in the dark petunia has so far been largely positive.

Purple Tomatoes

• Until now, attaining a tomato variety that was purple both inside and out and could reliably hold that genetic trait in its offspring was just out of reach for tomato enthusiasts. There have been many purple skinned varieties of tomatoes, and many that came close to having perfect anthocyanin rich insides, but a company called Norfolk was the first to make it happen through science.

The Controversy

Timeline

• After 20 years of work, biochemist Cathie Martin and her team successfully isolates the gene that codes for color in a purple snapdragon flower and integrates it into a tomato, making a first of its kind stable variety of purple fleshed tomato.
• Norfolk makes headlines for getting the first USDA approved GMO seed out to the consumer gardener market, obtaining a utility patent.
• Around the same time, Baker Creek releases a seed catalog boldly featuring a mysterious new purple fleshed tomato they called Purple Galaxy, as well as making social media posts and videos claiming it is non-GMO.
• Across social media people begin to notice the striking similarities between the new tomato and the high publicity Norfolk Purple Tomato, finding the timing strange.

Speculation

• Speculation begins 1

+ "I think you’re right that these look suspiciously related to Norfolk’s GMO purple tomatoes due to the unique purple flesh and also the deep purple gel. But I find it highly unlikely that these actually are related since the purple GMO event was patented and anybody trying to monetize it would be clearly open to litigation." + "It’s funny how non-gmo is a thing with home gardeners. You can’t even buy gmo seeds as a consumer."

• Speculation begins 2

+ "This looks shockingly similar to Baker Creek's Purple Galaxy Tomato that mysteriously disappeared from availability this year." + "Baker Creek are lying liars who lie. That whole catalog is a festival of photoshop, and then if you fall for it you'll only get about 30% germination." + "I’d be unsurprised if they are hypocrites, in addition to being wacky." + "I really suspect that whoever bred the "Purple Galaxy" variety advertised by Baker Creek somehow got some leaked germplasm from Norfolk Healthy Produce's GM breeding program. I don't doubt that it's possible for a natural mutation to pop up that makes purple tomatoes"

Baker Creek responds

• Baker Creek responds to concerns on social media:

"We have had every possible genetic test ran on these tomatoes to ensure they are Non GMO. This is a product of many years of selection work."

• Shortly after, Baker Creek abruptly halts the sale of Purple Galaxy Seeds citing unspecified "production issues". Screenshot credit: @Buckeye on growingfruit.org
• Baker Creek pulls the listing and deletes all social media posts about it, appearing to not acknowledge the tomato any further.

Norfolk responds

Norfolk releases a response to the speculation that has flooded the internet:

Is NHP's Purple Tomato related to the "Purple Galaxy"?

We have received many questions about the purple tomato marketed by Baker Creek as “Purple Galaxy” in their 2024 catalogs. We understand from Baker Creek that they will not be selling seeds of this variety. Given its remarkable similarity to our purple tomato, we prompted Baker Creek to investigate their claim that Purple Galaxy was non-GMO. We are told that laboratory testing determined that it is, in fact, bioengineered (GMO). This result supports the fact that the only reported way to produce a purple-fleshed tomato rich in anthocyanin antioxidants is with Norfolk’s patented technology. We appreciate that Baker Creek tested their material, and after discovering it was a GMO, removed it from their website.

r/Gardening reacts to Norfolk statement

Turns out the "Purple Galaxy" tomato advertised by Baker Creek was a GMO

• "Whatever your stance on GMO, I think we can all agree that companies have a legal and moral obligation to accurately represent their product to their customers."
• "Baker Creek lied and possibly ripped off another company's IP? Color me absolutely not shocked."
• "Baker Creek doesn't produce the majority of the seeds they sell, they buy them from seed farmers. But they should have known better when they saw a variety that appeared identical to a "first ever" gene edited strain in development."
• "The problem is that they [Baker Creek] lied and said they tested it for GMO several times"
• "Being that Baker Creek has in previous years jumped all over the anti-GMO fearmongering, I'm howling at the irony."
• "typical baker creek hot mess"
• "Bakers Creek lost my care or business with its shenanigans."

Norfolk goes ahead and posts the seeds for sale at $20 for 10 seeds

• Seeds, fruit and plant material are only allowed in the USA.
• The seeds are a patented variety and are sold to enjoy in your home garden and with your local community.
• No sales of fruit, seeds or plants are permitted in this agreement, including any derived varieties.

r/Gardening reacts to the patented GMO Purple Tomato seed itself

• "This is why I grow heirloom."
• "It will be interesting when people start making crosses with the trait."
• "Really cool thing about this is that anthocyanins also delay rotting, so these tomatoes are more shelf-stable, making them more environmentally friendly. Anthocyanins are also good for us (like blueberries). It’s a pretty nifty and elegant design, I’m excited to try them out."
• "Just ordered some of these, can’t wait to try them! I ho...

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