Seeds

Its almost time to start some seeds - which brings to mind just how precious is this natural process of saving seeds from year to year and relying on the abundance in each little seed when it comes time to harvest. A simple process, an centuries-old process, a process we take for granted because it is the very essence of nature's productivity. One that is threatened more and more each day, and as hard as it is for me to imagine that this should be the case, the USDA has triple-slapped me with that reality in the last few weeks. First with the deregulation of alfalfa, followed by sugar beets and then yet another GE corn - this one for ethanol production. I can rant at length at the stupidity of these decisions, produce evidence by the wheelbarrow full of the dangers, lies and greed of the biotech seed companies. But it is is to find this information and very easy to quickly be convinced - but still the GE seeds march into our fields and into our food. But, what really galls me, what scares me more than menacing parades of GE fruits, vegetables, grains and trees is the single-minded underlying goal of these companies - OWNERSHIP OF THE WORLDS FOOD SUPPLY. Yes I am shouting, how can I not? If that doesn't scare the hell out of you, what will? The world's top 3 seed companies (Monsanto, Syngenta, Dupont) already own nearly half of the world's seed supply. Patenting seeds, throwing farmers in jail for saving their own seed, developing GE that spread into non-GE and organic crops and destroy them are all tactics used by these companies to own our food supply. The miracle of the seed is a natural phenonmen and is not to be owned by a company bent on making huge profits. Seeds are owned by us all, they are integral to our lives, health and livelihood. They are not property - they are life encapsulated in a tiny pellet. They can no more be owned than our own human genes can be owned - oops they are patenting these too now. Hold onto to your jeans and genes and to your seeds. Do not, DO NOT give away our futures to Monsanto.