Bart Schott

Farmer and Past President, Corn Board of the National Corn Growers Association

Independent Expert

Expert Bio

Bart Schott is Past-President of the National Corn Growers Association and a third-generation farmer raising no-till corn, soybeans and wheat. He also runs a seed business including both sales and small grain seed for the North Dakota Seed Department. Bart has served as chairman and vice chairman of the North Dakota Corn Council, vice chairman of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, member of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Advisory Board and NCGA delegate to the U.S. Grains Council and its liaison for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Studies, Articles and Answers

Filter by

Showing 2 out of 2 results

Question

Q: One reason that I find myself initially adverse to GMOs is that biotech companies are gaining monopoly control over agriculture, and turning a basic human need for nourishment into an opportunity for business, finance, and, ultimately, inequalities on bot

Answered By Bart Schott - Aug 01, 2013

A: This is a great question―and I understand your concern. I might not be able to respond on behalf of all of the stakeholders referenced in your question, but what I can offer is my perspective as a farmer. What I know and see every day is that farmers are free to choose what seeds they use to grow their crops based on what is best for their farms, market demand and local growing environment. In fact, many farmers welcome the opportunity to use―or not to use―the new traits that are offered to us by the seed industry. This is based on need and economics. Non-GM seeds are re [...]

Environment Health & Safety

Question

Q: Isn't it better for farmers to harvest and reuse their own seeds?

Answered By Bart Schott - Sep 26, 2013

A: Most farmers do not choose to save seed because they can be assured that newly purchased seed is free of disease and pathogens, and in the case of hybrids, demonstrates hybrid vigor, with consistent, uniform characteristics. “Seed saving” is not really an option with hybrid corn if a farmer wants consistency in his or her crops because saved the seed from hybrid crops (the offspring) does not “breed true” in successive generations, i.e., it does not deliver the quality and uniformity that farmers need. In soybeans, studies have shown that farmers get better yield [...]

Business Practices GMOs & Farmers