Monsanto vs. Mother Earth.

A few nights ago I watched a documentary on TG4…Ireland’s Irish language channel…about the effect Monsanto has had on agriculture in India.  I had read something of this but this programme really spelled out just how evil this company is and has been in it’s attempt to murder India’s agriculture. The main GM crops grown in India are cotton and rice.  Cotton is a very important crop for Indian’s farmers. Actually most of the world’s cotton comes from India. The farmers were promised higher yields and better quality cotton. However…the seed are much more expensive than indigenious varieties and they will not perform without copious amounts of extra pesticides and extra water. Farmers were not told this at the beginning. They end up in a spiral of debt from which they can not escape. Gm cotton growers have 80% more debt. Many thousands of farmers have committed suicide leaving their families in dire straits.

Of course these are terminator technology seeds so new seed must be purchased every year. Monsanto has bought up many of the Indian seed companies so there is little option left if farmers wish to return to using native seeds. Often the seed packets remain the same except for the little Monsanto logo in the bottom corner. A distinct disadvantage as most of the farmers are illiterate.

The remnants of these crops go on to do further damage to the farmers animals. The straw left over from rice and cotton is fed to animals. There have been many animal deaths after eating this GM straw. It is thought the animals can’t digest this food and it kills the bacteria in the rumen.

Rice production has also been contaminated by GM seeds. In a country that boasted over 30,000 varieties of rice it is now reduced to around 150 varieties.  Golden Rice was supposed to be the new magic crop that provided Vitamin A which is deficient in the Indian diet. What the growers were not told was that 9kg of rice would have to be eaten daily to get your daily allowance of the vitamin.

There is however some fightback. Vandana Shiva the renowned environmentalist has set up Navdanya…a network of seed keepers and organic growers spread across 17  Indian states.

Here in Europe we also need to be on our guard. Monsanto have been saying that they are going to withdraw from selling GM seeds in Europe….however….and this is very worrying…Monsanto are now using loopholes in European law to seek patents on common fruits and veg that exist naturally in Nature. It seems Monsanto is no longer content with with manipulating, patenting and selling it’s own GM seeds… it has as it’s goal the ownership of every plant in existence.   Please inform yourself and join over 2 million others in signing this petition:                                                  http://www.avaaz.org/en/monsanto_vs_mother_earth_nm/?bigwYcb&v=26065

Sadly here in Ireland we are not GM free either. GM potatoes are being trailed in Carlow this year and all non-organic animal feeds have a percentage of GM maize…this is not stated on the labels in the supermarket.  Make no mistake every country on the Planet is under assault from this powerful corporation. Sadly our governments are working with them.  In America this is blatantly obvious. The Deputy Commissioner of the FDA…Michael Taylor…is a former vice president of Monsanto. Does’nt seem right to me!!

What can we do? We can let the supermarkets know we do not want produce that has GM residues. Ask them about GM labelling.  Grow as much as we can ourselves from organic seeds. Save the seeds of crops that do well…they will be acclimatised to your area.

Be vigilant…the assault on Mother Earth is ongoing…we must do what we can to help her.

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Time to shout “STOP”…..March Against Monsanto.

On May 25th of this year a great event is happening. Where is it happening?  Everywhere! If you check out  http://www.march-against-monsanto.com   you will find marches organised to protest against the giant corporation that is Monsanto. All over the World marches are scheduled. We must make our feelings felt. Not only to Monsanto but also to our governments, for they are the ones allowing Monsanto to infiltrate our farms, gardens and allottments.

Tami Monroe Canal, creator or the now viral Facebook page March Against Monsanto, says she was inspired to start the movement to protect her 2 daughters. “I feel Monsanto threatens their generations health, fertility and longevity. I could’nt sit by idly, waiting for someone else to do something.”

My own reason for supporting this movement is because I believe in freedom. Freedom to grow my own food, food that I feel happy to eat. Freedom to save seeds from the plants that I grow. Freedom to distribute them as I please among other growers. Monsanto wants to curtail these freedoms, because these freedoms don’t put money in their pockets. In the European Parliament on Monday next  Regulation on Plant Reproductive Material goes before the EU Commissioners. Hopefully our freedoms will be upheld. Whatever happens I shall continue to grow and save seeds from crops that I have been growing out for years. Crops that are acclimatised to our climate and soil conditions. Many others will do the same. More power to them!!

Recently in America, the Obama administration passed the so called “Monsanto Protection Act,” that amongst other things, bans courts from halting the sale of Monsanto’s GM seeds. I find that shocking. Governments used to be elected to protect the interests of citizens. Now citizens are consumers and law makers and corporations work hand in glove with each other.

People are starting to wake up…to shout “NO.”

Peru has passed a 10 year ban on GM foods.

Hungary has banned GM seeds. It was recently discovered that 1000 acres of maize were growing from GM seeds. They were immediately ploughed under. Good for you Hungary!

Make your feelings known. March on May 25th. Let Monsanto and our governments know that we will not accept the rule of Monsanto.

There are Irish marches against Monsanto in Dublin and Cork. The Dublin march starts at the Garden of Remembrance and onto the Dept of Agriculture.

SOS….Save our Seeds.

Last night as I was perusing through Facebook, as one does, I came across a post on pending EU legislation that would make it illegal for seed to be sold that wasn’t  on an approved list. It would also be illegal to grow or swap seeds not on the list. Not always believing what I read on Facebook I did a bit of frantic follow up research and sadly I have to report that it’s true.

“EU is preparing legislation that will make it illegal to grow crops that are not on a list of approved seeds. A list that currently is 60% dominated by big corporations like Monsanto, AsrtraZenecar and others. The pros list are basically only hybrids, which means you can not take next year’s seed from this crop. Furthermore, it will not only be forbidden to sell other seeds than those already mentioned but also to grow, “File sharing” in the area of seeds will become a criminal act.” (Section of the Avaaz petition against this legislation).

Please sign the petition. This is a devestating piece of legislation for anyone who cares about food sovereignity, growing or having access to non GM food. For have no doubt, that’s what this is about, the domination of corporations over our food choices. http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/We_dont_accept_this_Let_us_keep_our_seeds_EU/?tTLFjbb

If this is passed it will make criminals of all who wish to grow home saved seeds. It will be a criminal act to swap saved seeds with your friends and neighbours.

Please sign the petition. Write to the European Commisioners. This legislation goes before the Commissioners on May 6th. Not much time!!