And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 23:09:43 EDT
> > *** Monsanto is Behind Anti-Farmer Legislation to Regulate ***
> >
> > Open-Pollinated Seed Cleaners
> >
> >
> > *** Ohio Bill Discriminates Against Seed-Saving Farmers ***
> >
> >
> >A bill has been introduced in the Ohio state legislature (United
> >States) that would require registration and state-level regulation of
> >anyone who cleans or conditions self-pollinated seed. According to the
> >Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI), the proposed
> >legislation is part of Monsanto's aggressive corporate strategy to
> >police rural communities and intimidate seed-saving farmers.
> >
> >
> >"The proposed legislation is part of a dangerous trend to eliminate or
> >restrict the right of farmers to save and exchange seed - all in the
> >name of increasing seed industry profits" explains Hope Shand, Research
> >Director of RAFI. "We weren't surprised to learn that Monsanto is
> >behind the bill, because the company is already waging a ferocious
> >campaign against seed-saving farmers and it's actively developing the
> >controversial suicide seeds - or Terminator technology," said Shand.
> >Terminator is a technique for genetically altering a plant so that the
> >seeds it produces are sterile.
> >
> >
> >According to the Ohio Seed Improvement Association, the proposal to
> >amend Ohio's seed law originated with agribusiness giant Monsanto last
> >year. Monsanto is the world's largest seller of genetically modified
> >seed. Under US patent law it is illegal for farmers to save patented
> >seed. To enforce its exclusive monopoly, Monsanto has aggressively
> >prosecuted farmers for what the company calls "seed piracy." But seed
> >saving is illegal only if the farmer is saving or re-using patented
> >seed. Farmers who grow soybeans and wheat, for example, typically save
> >seed from their harvest to re-plant the following year. An estimated
> >25% of North American soybean seed is farm-saved seed.
> >
> >
> >Monsanto has waged an aggressive, Draconian campaign against
> >seed-saving farmers in North America. The company has hired Pinkerton
> >investigators to root-out seed-saving farmers and it is using radio ads
> >and telephone "tiplines" in farming communities to identify and
> >intimidate farmers who might save or re-use the company's patented
> >seed. Under Monsanto's gene licensing agreement, the company reserves
> >the right to come onto the farmer's land and take seed samples to
> >insure that the farmer is not violating patent law.
> >
> >
> >"It appears that Monsanto's newest strategy is to shift the expense and
> >burden of policing rural communities to the seed cleaners and state
> >governments. If the bill becomes law, Monsanto's "gene police" will
> >ultimately become state regulators who are working on behalf of
> >Monsanto," explains Pat Mooney, Executive Director of RAFI.
> >
> >
> > "The Ohio legislation is unfair to farmers because it places an
> >onerous regulatory burden on all seed-saving farmers and seed cleaners
> >- not just farmers who buy Monsanto's patented seed," explains Shand.
> >If the bill becomes law, it would require seed cleaners to keep
> >detailed records on every seed cleaning transaction, to document the
> >name of the farmer, seed variety names and whether or not the seed is
> >protected by patents or breeders' rights. "In essence, the bill
> >discriminates against farmers who are lawfully saving and re-planting
> >open-pollinated seed varieties," asserts RAFI's Shand.
> >
> >
> >Ohio farmer and custom seed cleaner Roger Peters opposes the proposed
> >bill to regulate open-pollinated seed cleaners. "Why should any farmer
> >be forced to keep records on law-abiding farmers who clean their own
> >seed?" asks Peters. "And why should public tax dollars be used to
> >protect the patents of private seed companies like Monsanto?" questions
> >Peters.
> >
> >
> > "State-level seed laws are supposed to protect farmers, not penalize
> >them," asserts Sean McGovern, Executive Administrator of the Ohio
> >Ecological Food and Farmers Association, a Columbus, Ohio-based
> >organization that promotes sustainable agriculture and certifies
> >organic farmers. "I can't imagine any use for this bill accept to
> >enforce Monsanto's patents," concludes McGovern.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Background information on HB 85, introduced in the Ohio State
> >Legislature on January 28, 1999.
> >
> >
> >Specifically, H.B. 85, amendments to the Ohio Seed Law would:
> >
> >
> >* Require all seed
> >cleaners to register as a seed cleaner or conditioner. (The bill states
> >that the Director of Agriculture will determine the minimum quantity of
> >self-pollinated seed that when cleaned or conditioned would require the
> >person to become registered.)
> >
> >
> >* Require the seed
> >cleaner to keep records on every farmer and seed cleaning/conditioning
> >transaction. The seed cleaner would be required to keep all records for
> >a minimum of five years and make the records available to the State
> >Director of Agriculture on request.
> >
> >
> >* The seed cleaner would
> >be required to document the following information:
> >
> >
> >1. The commonly accepted name and brand or variety being cleaned;
> >
> >2. A declaration of any patent, or plant variety protection
> >certificate, issued for the seed being cleaned or conditioned;
> >
> >3. The name, address, telephone number of the farmer who submitted the
> >seed to be cleaned or conditioned; the amount of seed cleaned or
> >conditioned; and an indemnification statement signed by the person who
> >submitted the seed for cleaning:
> >
> >
> >"The undersigned promises to reimburse or indemnify the seed cleaner or
> >conditioner for any liability damages that the seed cleaner or
> >conditioner may incur for any violation of a patent or a certificate
> >issued under the Plant Variety Protection Act resulting from cleaning
> >or conditioning the undersigned's seed, including all damages,
> >liability payments, costs, and attorney's fees arising in connection
> >with the violation."
> >
> >
> >* The seed cleaner or
> >conditioner is required to retain a sample of each type and variety or
> >brand of seed cleaned or conditioned for at least 18 months.
> >
> >
> >* The Director of
> >Agriculture may inspect all records, documents and samples required to
> >be kept by the seed cleaner /conditioner to determine if he/she is in
> >compliance with the law. If the Director suspects that a registered
> >seed cleaner or conditioner has violated or is violating a provision -
> >the director shall conduct a hearing, and may suspend, revoke, or
> >refuse to renew the person's registration.
> >
> >
> >>
> >For more information, contact:
> >
> >
> >Hope Shand, Rural Advancement Foundation International
> >
> >Tel: 717 337-6482
> >
> >Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> >
> >Pat Mooney, Rural Advancement Foundation International
> >
> >Tel: 204 453-5259
> >
> >Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> >
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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