Things I've known for years; yet I continue to eat this shit anyways. Aside from growing my own food in my apartment, what else can one do for an alternative?

Posted Nov-7-2007 By 

Brentaubrey (687.06)  

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More liberal propaganda.

I eat my steaks as rare as they will serve them.

Posted Nov-7-2007 By 

Haizum (95.80)

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Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

Interloper (1007.52)  

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The brutality of it all.

Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

desdinova (580.04)

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Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

matt_swinburne (61.52)  

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Wow Spud, great vid here.

Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

RavenStorm (168.24)

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Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

Spudmonkey (1219.80)

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Growing Dissent!

"The US has been imposing patents on life around the world through
trade deals. In this case [Iraq], they invaded the country first,
then imposed their patents. This is both immoral and
unacceptable." Shalini Bhutani, GRAIN.

"Seeds are the software - and we have the seeds." - Anonymous
corporate seed company executive.

With agriculture providing the main source of income for two and a
half billion people the effects of biotechnology are immense.
Farmers ac More..ross the world are being locked into a cycle of
dependency on biotechnology companies, who of course just want to
help them to feed the world.

Take the specialized GM seeds which only prosper if you spray em
with the right agrochemicals. Who makes those chemicals? Well, the
dodgy firm that sells the seeds of course. Just like Microsoft and
Windows - remember now, "Seeds are the software...".

One of the bio-tech giants, Novartis, applied for twelve patents
on altered genes that would create 'addict' seeds with 'junkie'
genes that will not perform well without chemical supplements'. As
campaigner Vandana Shiva points out, this allows "the seed
industry to realise one of its longest held and most cherished
goals: to force all farmers into dependence on the companies every
year".

The rise and rise of the biotech industry has come hand in hand
with the rise of intellectual property rights or 'patents' in the
seed industry. The Trade-Related Intellectual Property laws are
the weapon the World Trade Organisation uses to force governments
to enforce patent rules. Patents give a right of monopoly over an
invention or discovery, for example in the field of manipulating
the genes of seeds. These monopoly rights make patents a powerful
tool for those in search of power, profit and control, as they
allow companies to buy 'ownership' of staple food crops. The US
based chemical giant DuPont has filed over 150 applications for
patents on genetic resources in their attempt to dominate
agricultural production. The effects of these patents on seeds is
that farmers can lose the rights to their own original stocks and
the cumulative knowledge they have built up over centuries to a
few giants whose reach knows no limits.

We can see this colonisation in full effect in Iraq. After the
so-called 'transfer of sovereignty' last June, Paul Bremer, chief
of the occupation authority, left behind 100 orders which had to
be incorporated into Iraqi legislation, having the status and
force of binding laws. Among them is Order 81 which amends Iraq's
original patent law to favour the vultures of the West, with
disastrous consequences for the farmers of Iraq.

For generations Iraqis have been freely exchanging farm-saved
seed. An estimated 97% either use saved seed from a previous
year's harvest or purchase them from local markets. This has now
been made illegal under the new law. The law is presented as being
necessary to ensure the supply of good quality seeds in Iraq and
to facilitate Iraq's accession to the World Trade Organisation.
What it will actually do is allow the penetration of Iraqi
agriculture by the likes of Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer and Dow
Chemical, the corporate giants that control seed trade across the
globe. Eliminating competition from farmers is a prerequisite for
these companies to open up operations in Iraq, and the new law has
achieved that. The Iraqi peoples' right to food sovereignty, the
right to define their own food and agriculture policies, is fast
vanishing.

However, actions against these corporate giants have seen
impressive successes. After a campaign of direct action , bio tech
giant Bayer have more or less given up hope of growing their
genetically modified greens in the UK. Only a few months ago,
Monsanto's patent on the wheat variety Nap Hal was revoked after
Greenpeace took them to the courts. Monsanto had claimed to have
invented the special properties of the wheat used for chapatis,
which was in fact developed by generations of farmers in India!
The practice of seed swapping is also being kept alive at seed
fairs, which are lifelines for farmers, and guarantee they always
have seeds for the next season. They also safeguard the rich
diversity of crops that feed all of us. In Peru, for example,
local farming communities keep more than 250 varieties of
potatoes. In Kenya farmers swap more than 150 different varieties
of local farm seeds at annual seed fairs. In Brighton the fourth
Seedy Sunday community seed swap will be happening at the Old
Market on Sunday 6th February at the Old Market, Upper Market St.,
Hove 10am-5pm. Check out the full programme for the event at
www.seedysunday.org or pick up copies in Infinity Foods. Less..

Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

matt_swinburne (61.52)  

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great post spud. something that more ppl need to be aware of.

I am lucky, here in Calif. this has been a growing movement for years now, there are natural veg. farms, citrus farms. Beef, chicken, pork, natural fish farms. there are resturants that have contracts with these places so you are going to get a "natural" meal if you visit them. costs a little more, but well worth it.

problem is, getting kids to keep away from the junk when the parents aren't around.

how did you get More..a pic of me eating a burger? Less..

Posted Nov-7-2007 By 

sluggoo (1273.36)  

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Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

Spudmonkey (1219.80)

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Posted Nov-8-2007 By 

matt_swinburne (61.52)  

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