The Safe Seed Pledge
While my blog posts have been focusing on herbalism lately, I thought I would take a moment to round out the content, a bit, with a post on gardening. I have been happily perusing the many gardening catalogs that begin arriving this time of year and making plans for the upcoming growing season.
As I grow many of my own plants from seed, one of the most important issues to me when considering my future purchases is seed safety. In light of the latest news concerning Monsanto genetically modified seeds, I am glad to say that I decided quite some time ago that avoiding genetically modified food, seeds and plants was the right choice for our family. Thankfully, there are many companies out there which have recognized that consumers are wary of GMO’s and with good reason.
According to the findings of an Independent Science Panel report on GMO’s, “GM crops have failed to deliver the promised benefits and are posing escalating problems on the farm. Transgenic contamination is now widely acknowledged to be unavoidable, and hence there can be no co-existence of GM and non-GM agriculture. Most important of all, GM crops have not been proven safe. On the contrary, sufficient evidence has emerged to raise serious safety concerns, that if ignored could result in irreversible damage to health and the environment. GM crops should therefore be firmly rejected now.”
The documentary, “The Future of Food” did an excellent job of explaining the issues surrounding the food industry today, in terms that are easily understood by your average consumer. I highly recommend watching it, if you haven’t had a chance to see it.
Thankfully, many small seed companies are aware of consumer discontent and have taken steps to ensure that non-GMO alternatives are available for gardeners. Many of these companies have taken the following pledge:
The Safe Seed Pledge
“Agriculture and seeds providethe basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundations as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers,gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seedsor plants. The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms, poses great biological risks as well as economic, political, and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately people and communities.”
There are many companies which have signed this pledge but I thought I might recommend a few, as I have purchased seeds or plants from them with good results:
Additional Reading:
Monsanto Squeezes Out Seed Business Competition, AP Investigation Finds
January 13th, 2010 at 7:10 am
Thanks for the recommendations. I have so many catalogs, I don’t know where to start.
January 13th, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Can you tell me more about Botanical Interests? I have seen those seeds at Pleasant Valley.
January 13th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
I wrote an article about this on my blog and some of my readers recommended some great companies to buy from. Check them out here: http://chiotsrun.com/2009/12/17/say-no-to-gm-vegetables/