Environmental for Food Justice

Seeds. Jyoti Thomas. Source: absolutearts.com Moderator’s Note: The Seed Savers Exchange has actively served the nation’s farmers, gardeners, plant breeders, and seed librarians since 1975 as a reliable source of non-GMO heirloom seed. The Seed Savers released a statement in support of seed libraries last week. I am reposting their eloquent declaration in defense of seed libraries; for the original, please visit the Seed Savers home page . The statement makes a strong declaration of support for the principle tenet that seed saving is part of our deepest cultural heritage and people have been saving and sharing seeds for millennia.   Moreover, “Despite what some institutions have suggested, seeds can be valuable, safe and healthy without laboratory germination tests or government licenses.” I would like to remind our readers that seed libraries still face the real challenge to come up with a collective policy response that includes the ability to verify the non-GMO quality of our s...

Seed libraries are one strategy to avoid the compression of seed  biodiversity we have seen under the practices of commercial seed houses. Seed Library Social Network calls for discourse BIOPIRACY AND GMO BIOSAFETY MUST BE ADDRESSED Devon G. Peña | Las Colonias de San Pablo, CO | August 31, 2014 On August 5, I reported on the closing down of a seed library in Pennsylvania by the state’s Department of Agriculture.  A week later, August 13 , I posted an analysis and position paper on U.S. seed laws prepared by Sustainable Economies Law Center ( SELC ). Continuing with this series on Seed Sovereignty in the U.S., I am posting this call for a discussion of a National Seed Library Protocol prepared by Leslie Goldman affiliated with the Seed Library Social Network (SLSN). The call was posted on August 27 on the SLSN homepage . I have re-posted Leslie Goldman’s announcement and call for discussion below (unedited). Goldman also reports on initial email correspondence with state offi...