One new problem with maintaining strains of heirloom open-pollinated (OP) seeds is cross-pollination from genetically-modified (GM) plants. The producers of GM plants swore on stacks of Bibles that the pollen wouldn't be blown more than 1/8 of a mile downwind from GM crops.

It has turned out not to be true. Apparently, it doesn't take much pollen to contaminate OP plants that you're trying to keep pure. Scientists are finding that GM contamination of food, feed, and weed seeds all over the world, even in England, where GM plants and seed are not allowed.

All the info isn't in yet on how GM food plants affect the people and animals to whom they're fed. Canola oil (from rapeseed, soybeans and corn are probably the most likely GM products that you're eating, but there are probably other things that are being fed to livestock and you're ingesting it from their meat.

In addition to contaminating desirable heirloom seeds, when a GM crop plant crosses with a wild relative, a "superweed" can be produced, which is immune to the herbicides the GM plants were bred to tolerate. You may grow organically, but this shows how GM plants can alter the environment.

If you want more info on the problem with food plants in particular, you might get hold of 'Seeds of Deception' by Jeffrey M. Smith.

And, just to make you feel better, our taxes paid for a lot of these very expensive GM plants and what they're doing.

Sue