Environmental for Food Justice

Vandana Shiva Photo by Sander de Kraker Moderator’s Note: The August 25 issue of The New Yorker magazine included an article by Michael Specter attacking Vandana Shiva and her “fiery opposition to globalizatioand…genetically modified crops”(GMOs). Specter’s pro-GMO piece is a colonialist hack job that reminds me of Rudyard Kipling, writ: when he describes Indians as having “skin the color of burnt molasses and the texture of a well-worn saddle”, as if such a statement reflected anything other than an underlying sense of superiority and distant ‘exoticizing’ observation.   At best, Specter’s New Yorker report is what one colleague described as “meretricious” i.e., apparently attractive but having in reality no value or int egrity. I eagerly post Vandana Shiva’s own detailed response to Specter, which was posted earlier today to Seed Freedom and other websites. Seeds of Truth – A response to The New Yorker Dr. Vandana Shiva (A response to the article ‘Seeds of Doubt’ by Michael S...

Campaign for Seed Sovereignty , La Via Campesina Moderator’s Note: Continuing a series related to the movement for seed sovereignty, we are presenting an insightful and timely analysis of U.S. seed law and its implications for the organization and exercise of the right of citizens and residents to participate in seed saving and exchange networks. The Sustainable Economies Law Center ( SELC ) in California prepared the analysis and the primary conclusion they arrive at is that we need to … change laws to create a clear legal space for seed libraries, we should perhaps also do so for small-scale seed enterprises….[D]uring times of food insecurity, climate disruption, and genetic consolidation of the sources of our food (seeds!), the benefit of seed libraries is enormous as compared to the potential harm of a seed packet gifted within a community. Let’s make sure our laws get with the times! This is a timely analysis given the recent actions that we reported on last week involving seemin...