{"id":676,"date":"2013-01-24T16:05:12","date_gmt":"2013-01-24T08:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cathmiller.com\/blog\/?p=676"},"modified":"2013-02-12T18:45:57","modified_gmt":"2013-02-12T10:45:57","slug":"free-food-no-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cathmiller.com\/blog\/2013\/01\/24\/free-food-no-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Free Food No More"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Jan13<\/a>For tens of thousands of years, people have been eating food that sets seeds and regenerates, either naturally or with a bit of management. \u00a0 This year, my spring onions<\/a>, broad beans, rocket and tomatoes have all reproduced naturally<\/a> and I have just replanted the seedlings in different places in the vege patch. \u00a0 As I was planting them, I was thinking about one of the biggest affronts to humanity, the modification of seeds to produce sterile second generation seeds so people can’t save seed and replant. \u00a0 Seed-sterilizing technology will force farmers (even in developing countries) back to the commercial seed market every year. \u00a0 This is not just true for farmers, most F1 seeds that you buy at your local garden centre for your tomatoes, peas and lettuce are also sterile and can\u2019t propagate through normal genetic reproduction. \u00a0If not sterile, their seeds don\u2019t breed true, seed companies do this with genetic engineering so that their F1 plant refinements can\u2019t be stolen and replicated. \u00a0How can Monsanto and others possibly defend controlling the food supply? \u00a0This quote from Monsanto website says it all:<\/p>\n

\u201cPatent protection allows companies to see a return on their investment which enables further investment in R-and-D and product development. This profit-investment cycle drives product innovation that is responsive to farmer needs.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Farming NOT Pharming<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Monsanto\u2019s seeds can also sterilize wild crops via contamination. \u00a0 And Monsanto routinely sues farmers who wind up having some Monsanto seeds by virtue of seeds from neighboring farms blowing onto their property, as we have seen with a court case in Canada and also here in WA. \u00a0Monsanto are on the front foot with their statement to their “farmer customers”<\/a> \u00a0but really why do they have to come and look at your field after you have bought seed. \u00a0 You don’t expect the ford motor company to come and make sure you car hasn’t had an after market roof rack fitted or that breville will come to check you are only using the correct size muffin in their toasters. \u00a0Disturbed at this whole industry, I decided to back\u00a0SEED<\/a>\u00a0through crowdfunding site\u00a0kickstarter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

SEED: The Untold Story is a new documentary film that will investigate the dramatic story of seeds, the basis of life on earth. For 12,000 years man has been nurturing and cultivating seeds to form the backbone of civilization. Now, 94% of our seed varieties have been lost and many more are nearing extinction. \u00a0It unveils a David and Goliath battle for the future of our seeds by examining how five chemical corporations have taken control of seeds through patents, copyrights and genetic modification. These companies are placing ownership on the seeds, literally stealing the genetic material from our ancestors who nurtured these seeds for thousands of years.<\/em><\/p>\n

I then watched the Future of Food documentary and it was pretty disturbing. Some of the facts I picked up were.<\/p>\n