About HighFill Seeders

HIGHFILL SEEDERS

We practice SAFE seeding, do you??

Do you think by growing your own vegetables that your food is healthier?

Do you know what kind of seeds have been used for the vegetable starts you are buying at the store?

Highfill Seeders is a locally owned business that uses NON GMO (non genetically modified) seeds to start vegetables for local gardeners.  We only use seeds for our vegetable starts from companies that:  

1. have identified the SAFE SEED PELDGE as part of the company policy;  
2. appear on 2 or more lists as companies who adhere to the pledge;  or  
3. use seeds that are identified as organic from a company that talks about signing the SAFE SEED PLEDGE but does not appear on any independent lists.

It is very difficult to really know what you are buying, particularly when it comes to food.  Many families have resorted to growing their own produce in their backyard gardens.  But even growing your own vegetables does not guarantee “Clean or Safe” produce.  Lately, the news has been saturated with discussions about GMO in food products, in particular labeling food products that contain GMO ingredients.  Below are some of the questions I have researched.

1. What is a GMO seed?

GMO seeds have been “genetically modified” in a laboratory to “enhance desired traits, such as resistance to herbicide or improved nutritional content.” (WebMD Archive:  Are Bioteck Foods Safe to Eat?  http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features /are-biotech-foods-safe-to-eat ) 

   2) Where do you find NON GMO seeds?

It takes some research to know what seed companies are selling GMO seeds and which companies are not.  One place to start is by researching which companies have signed the “Safe Seed Pledge.”

   3)  What is the Safe Seed Pledge?

The Safe Seed pledge has been signed by many seed companies.  It states that the company signing the pledge does not “knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants”.   The pledge further states that “genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release.  More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. ..”

 (Organic Consumers Association @

http://www.organicconsumer.org/ge/gefreeseed.cfm)

4. Who ENFORCES the Safe Seed Pledge?

The pledge is unregulated so there is no way to really know if companies are doing what they pledged to do.  “…but sticking with companies who at least SAY they’re non GMO is a good start”.

At Highfill Seeders, we believe that “Safe” produce is grown from seeds that ARE NOT genetically modified (non GMO).  We have spent hours researching which companies have signed the Safe Seed Pledge.  Additional hours have been spent researching lists of seed companies that various gardening magazines/websites have developed as to those companies who have been deemed as SAFE seed companies.   We believe the more lists a seed company appears on the more likely the comopany is adhering to the Safe Seed pledge.