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Hi all,
Here is my report. Christy
Report from Biodevistation 7 150 farmers, scientists and activists from around the world gathered in St. Louis, Missouri in mid May around the topic of Genetic Engineering (GE). Biodevistation 7, as the conference was called, preceded the Monsanto sponsored World Agricultural Forum (WAF). The WAF, a non-profit organization, bills themselves as “a non-profit organization...the only neutral, inclusive, forum that allows for the comprehensive discussion and examination of current and developing domestic and global agricultural policy." One can see that the $2000 price tag put on the general admission conference registration fee will exclude anyone but agribusiness and corporate representation. A peaceful protest outside of Union Station, the location of the WAF meeting followed the conference. Watching the news at our hotel the first morning of the conference, I was quite surprised to see that footage being used as a backdrop for the report on the upcoming WAF protest were the tear gassing scenes from the Seattle WTO protests. We were here to network and learn, to advocate for safe food and farmers rights to save their own seed. But by Friday evening, the first night of the conference, police had raided homes and offices, and 30 people were arrested ‘preemptively’ including a conference organizer, and members of a traveling bicycle circus. I encourage people to visit www.biodev.org and read about the police action in St Louis. I witnessed first hand the power of the corporations who want to force genetically engineered foods down our throats, literally. Percy
Schmeiser1 was amongst the conference presenters. For those of you
who don’t know, he is the 3rd generation Canadian canola farmer sued
by Monsanto in 1998 for having Monsanto’s ‘property’ growing in a drainage ditch
on the edge of his farm. The Monsanto property was Round Up Ready Canola plants.
The court ruled that even though Percy did not illegally or intentionally plant
the Round Up Ready Canola, it did travel to his farm either by cross pollination
or by direct-seed movement (i.e. birds, bees, animals, wind) and because the
seed itself contains patented technology owned by Monsanto, Percy was guilty.
All profits from his 1998 crop went to Monsanto, along with all his seeds and
plants. This decision was upheld in the federal court. Percy shared the great
news that a few weeks ago the Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear his case,
most likely the case will be heard on the whole issue of patenting life
forms. USDA
projections for the 2003 growing season indicate that 80% of US soybean acreage
(79 million acres) will be planted in GE soybeans. In order to protect its
patented seeds, Monsanto now has a ‘police’ department dedicated to suing
farmers. The department is staffed with 72 people, and has an annual budget of
$10,000,000. A
Monsanto advertisement was shown that offers a free leather jacket to any farmer
who tips or rats on their neighbor for possibly growing a Monsanto patented
seed. This is an example of how corporate greed is unraveling the rural social
fabric that has been built up over generations. According
to Percy, since their introduction into the fields in 1996, GE crops have
1:
shown less yields 2:
demonstrated poorer quality 3:
taken away the rights of farmers to save their own seed 4:
caused suspicion and lack of trust amongst farmers 5:
breaking down the rural social fabric 6:
control and suppression of farmer rights Percy
also noted that with GE seeds’s there is: 1:
no such thing as containment-it will spread through cross-pollination and direct
-seed movement. Buffer strips are ludicrous 2:
no such thing as co-existence-there is no calling GMO's back once they are
introduced into the environment. Western Canada no longer has pure canola seed
or soybeans. Choice has been taken away. Scientist
Mae-Wan Ho2 told of very strict guidelines for contained use in
laboratories for genetic engineering experiements, yet she is baffled by the
fact that field trails are conducted in the open, with no regulation or safety
testing! Mae-Wan also feels there is a danger of these biotech firms focusing on
GE vaccines and pharmaceuticals to push their industry forward. Imuno-
suppressant proteins are being genetically engineered into crops such as
tobacco, and are being field tested in open field trials. The
5 ‘gene giants’ who produce the
genetically modified seeds do not stop at US borders with their wares. They move
through the world dismantling local, diverse, sustainable
agriculture. Vandana
Shiva, PhD3, told biotech tales from India. Seed sovereignty is her
answer to the onslaught of biotechnology in agriculture. Her organic farming
initiative, Navdanya, will launch a campaign wherein organic farming will be
done as a political message; farming practiced as a boycott of the corporate
control of agriculture. Dr.
Shiva suggests the following agricultural production
guideline: �
First
for the Earth �
Then
for the household �
Then
for the local market place �
Then
for the country �
Let the
global market eat the leftovers Monsanto
has received the lowest possible environmental and strategic management rating
of a triple-C from Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, a global environmental and
social investment research firm.4 Yet industry pushes forward,
knowing that forced contamination is the only way to advance GMO’s. At the
time of this writing, the U.S.
administration has proceeded to initiate a suit at the level of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) to pressure the European Union to lift its five-year de facto
moratorium on new GE food varieties and strict limits on imports of GE
products.5 Suing farmers for saving their own seed, placing patents on living things, genetically modifying seeds to be resistant to toxic herbicides, thinking that a US based multinational corporation can know what seeds are best for a peasant farmer in Africa, India, or the US, or for that matter, that a uniform seed can replace the incredible regional diversity built up over centuries; common sense tells us that this is neither practical nor sustainable. On the other hand, a food economy based on real production costs; production methods that keep the earth clean and healthy; trade and commerce that build trust and community are sensible, health building choices. The overall mood of the conference was celebratory. Continued world opposition to corporate food control is giving rise to an ever-stronger local food movement. 1.http://www.percyschmeiser.com/ 2. Read
many articles by Mae-Wan Ho at http://www.i-sis.org/ 3.
Learn more at http://www.navdanya.org/ or
http://www.vshiva.net/ 4.
Monsanto & Genetic Engineering: 5. Global
Declaration from Biodevastation 7, A Global
Citizen's Declaration for Biosafety and Food Security/ U.S. and International
Citizens Oppose the U.S./WTO Intervention Against European Controls on
Genetically Modified Foods Issued
and ratified at the 7th international grassroots gathering on Biodevastation,
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, May 16-18, 2003 http://www.biodev.org/archives/000096.php Christy Korrow has lived on an organic farm with her
family for 13 years. She is the managing editor of LILIPOH
magazine. Christy Korrow 2000 Bullridge Road Burkesville, KY 42717 270-864-4167 [EMAIL PROTECTED] |
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