Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Vandana Shiva on the Future of Food & Seed
To me, seed is sacred. Vandana Shiva says, "Seed by its own nature creates abundance." She's one of my heroes. Watch this video and see why for yourself, and why she says "to save seed for the future is our highest ecological duty on earth".
She spoke in Portland at the Organicology Conference last February. Thanks to Tilth and the other wonderful organic companies and nonprofits who organized this gathering.
Web Video of the Week: A Silent Forest (full movie) - The Threat of Genetically Engineered Trees
Web Video of the Week: A Silent Forest (full movie) - The Threat of Genetically Engineered Trees
Like we didn't have enough to deal with already, we need to pay attention to this: Open nature is the testing ground and we are the guinea pigs. This is an award-winning documentary starring respected geneticist, David Suzuki. They're discussing the facts around "Frankentrees": Sterile trees (that means no pollen, no fruits, no seeds) that are also pesticides themselves (that means whatever feeds on the leaves etc. gets sick and dies), and are resistant to herbicides (or Roundup Ready as Monsanto calls it). Sound scary? It is. I was prompted to act in this way when I heard on NPR's show Marketplace, that Monsanto, as a sponsor, is now claiming to be a leader in Sustainable Agriculture! PLEASE! They fine farmers for saving their own seeds, and sue farmers for 'theft of intellectual property' if any of their 'patented' canola pollen (for example, Percy Schmeiser in Canada) is found on said organic farmers' land. They are now the largest seed monopoly in the world.
Vandana Shiva explains Monsanto's patented illogic and doublespeak in this video with eloquent detail.
Shared via AddThis
Like we didn't have enough to deal with already, we need to pay attention to this: Open nature is the testing ground and we are the guinea pigs. This is an award-winning documentary starring respected geneticist, David Suzuki. They're discussing the facts around "Frankentrees": Sterile trees (that means no pollen, no fruits, no seeds) that are also pesticides themselves (that means whatever feeds on the leaves etc. gets sick and dies), and are resistant to herbicides (or Roundup Ready as Monsanto calls it). Sound scary? It is. I was prompted to act in this way when I heard on NPR's show Marketplace, that Monsanto, as a sponsor, is now claiming to be a leader in Sustainable Agriculture! PLEASE! They fine farmers for saving their own seeds, and sue farmers for 'theft of intellectual property' if any of their 'patented' canola pollen (for example, Percy Schmeiser in Canada) is found on said organic farmers' land. They are now the largest seed monopoly in the world.
Vandana Shiva explains Monsanto's patented illogic and doublespeak in this video with eloquent detail.
Shared via AddThis
Biotech vs. Organic: Who Wins?
This post is taken from www.change.org
and Natasha Chart's blog in the Sustainable Food section, a 3-part series on "The World according to Monsanto"
"From the Center for Food Safety:
Washington D.C., February 11, 2009 - A new report released today by the Center for Food Safety and Friends of the Earth International warned that genetically modified (GM) crops are benefiting biotech food giants instead of the world's hungry population, which is projected to increase to 1.2 billion by the year 2025 due to the global food crisis.
The report explains how biotech firms like Monsanto are exploiting the dramatic rise in world grain prices that are responsible for the global food crisis by sharply increasing the prices of GM seeds and chemicals they sell to farmers, even as hundreds of millions go hungry.
The findings of the report support a comprehensive United Nationsí assessment of world agriculture ñ the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) - which in 2008 concluded that GM crops have little potential to alleviate poverty and hunger in the world. IAASTD experts recommended instead low-cost, low-input agroecological farming methods.
... "GM seeds and the pesticides used with them are much too expensive for Africaís small farmers. Those who promote this technology in developing countries are completely out of touch with reality," he added.
"U.S. farmers are facing dramatic increases in the price of GM seeds and the chemicals used with them," said Bill Freese, science policy analyst at the US-based Center for Food Safety and co-author of the report. "Farmers in any developing country that welcomes Monsanto and other biotech companies can expect the same fate - sharply rising seed and pesticide costs, and a radical decline in the availability of conventional seeds," he added.
GM seeds cost from two to over four times as much as conventional, non-GM seeds, and the price disparity is increasing. From 80% to over 90% of the soybean, corn and cotton seeds planted in the U.S. are GM varieties. Thanks to GM trait fee increases, average U.S. seed prices for these crops have risen by over 50% in just the past two to three years. ...
The world's poor can't afford this. They need low cost solutions that have a chance at profitability even when the fertilizer budget runs low."
and Natasha Chart's blog in the Sustainable Food section, a 3-part series on "The World according to Monsanto"
"From the Center for Food Safety:
Washington D.C., February 11, 2009 - A new report released today by the Center for Food Safety and Friends of the Earth International warned that genetically modified (GM) crops are benefiting biotech food giants instead of the world's hungry population, which is projected to increase to 1.2 billion by the year 2025 due to the global food crisis.
The report explains how biotech firms like Monsanto are exploiting the dramatic rise in world grain prices that are responsible for the global food crisis by sharply increasing the prices of GM seeds and chemicals they sell to farmers, even as hundreds of millions go hungry.
The findings of the report support a comprehensive United Nationsí assessment of world agriculture ñ the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) - which in 2008 concluded that GM crops have little potential to alleviate poverty and hunger in the world. IAASTD experts recommended instead low-cost, low-input agroecological farming methods.
... "GM seeds and the pesticides used with them are much too expensive for Africaís small farmers. Those who promote this technology in developing countries are completely out of touch with reality," he added.
"U.S. farmers are facing dramatic increases in the price of GM seeds and the chemicals used with them," said Bill Freese, science policy analyst at the US-based Center for Food Safety and co-author of the report. "Farmers in any developing country that welcomes Monsanto and other biotech companies can expect the same fate - sharply rising seed and pesticide costs, and a radical decline in the availability of conventional seeds," he added.
GM seeds cost from two to over four times as much as conventional, non-GM seeds, and the price disparity is increasing. From 80% to over 90% of the soybean, corn and cotton seeds planted in the U.S. are GM varieties. Thanks to GM trait fee increases, average U.S. seed prices for these crops have risen by over 50% in just the past two to three years. ...
The world's poor can't afford this. They need low cost solutions that have a chance at profitability even when the fertilizer budget runs low."
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Marley Coffee Company Open for Business
The Marley Coffee Company is now officially open for business. Started by Rohan Marley, one of Bob Marley's sons, it is the first sustainable, ethically-farmed, organic and ital Blue Mountain Coffee Company in the world. Watch this great video for the inspiring story: "One Cup of Coffee": The Marley Farm Story.
If you drink coffee, or you need a nice gift for someone who does, please consider supporting this company and buy some coffee. It's even very reasonably priced, $15.00 for 12 ounces. Compare that with the non-organic and foreign owned Blue Mountain coffee and it's a great price. Choose from these blends: Lively Up!, Mystic Morning, Jammin Java, Simmer Down, and One Love. Each sale supports the community at the Marley Farm, and their educational projects with children at the Soccer Academy (created by the Marley Coffee Foundation), and Chepstowe Basic School in the area.
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