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Food, Farms, and Genetic Engineering
As of yet, no garden seed company sells genetically engineered seed to home gardeners, but these seeds may soon make their way to your gardening store. Along with vegetable and fruit seeds, genetically engineered grass for lawys is under development. And because Monsanto, DuPont, Aventis and other biotech giants are buying up seed companies, gardeners in the future may have no alternatives to genetically engineered seeds. As with foods, Mothers & Others recommends that seed companies conduct long-term safety tests and label genetically engineered seeds and plants so that gardeners can decide for themselves whether or not to choose them.
The good news: As members of a new a growing number of seed companies are pledging not to buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. , citing letters from customers as one reason, is among 40 companies in the U.S. and Canada to have signed the Safe Seed Initiative Pledge.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Preserve Biodiversity
Plant nonhybrid, heirloom and native seed varieties, and save and replant the seeds to prevent their extinction.
- Make your garden a safe habitat for wildlife by gardening organically and planting native varieties of flowers, vegetables, bushes, trees and ground cover that attract and feed birds, beneficial insects and pollinators. (Click here for
)
Buy seeds from companies that have signed the Safe Seed Initiative or certified organic seed, which is not allowed to be genetically engineered. Some companies are listed on the next page.
Encourage your favorite seed company or nursery to commit to adequate safety testing and labeling of genetically engineered seed in the future. Ask them to ensure that alternatives remain available.
Educate your gardening community about genetically engineered seeds.Encourage your gardening club to adopt a GE policy based on the need for adequate testing and consumer right-to-know.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Seed Company
As a regular customer of ______ Seed Company, I encourage you to take a stand on genetically engineered seed. To date, these seeds have not undergone rigorous long-term environmental and human health safety testing. Many scientists are concerned that these seeds may cause the creation of superweeds, harm nontarget insects, and increase pest and herbicide resistance. I encourage you to sign on to the Safe Seed Initiative, stating that you do not sell or buy genetically engineered seed. You may obtain more information from the Council for Responsible Genetics, 617-868-0870.
As one of your concerned customers, I have the right to know if your seeds are genetically engineered. If you choose to sell genetically engineered seeds, please label them. And, please provide traditional alternatives so that consumers like myself can enjoy choices when we are making decisions about what to grow.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
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Risks in the Garden
In addition to the health and environmental risks mentioned in "Why We Should Care" on pages 2 and 3, here are some problems home gardeners may face.
1. Herbicide Drift
If your neighbor sprays Roundup on his Roundup Ready vegetables on a windy day, your garden or lawn may die along with his weeds.
2. Genetic Drift
The pollen of genetically engineered plants, carried by wind and insects, can fertilize other plants. Due to such contamination, your non-GE garden plants may produce genetically engineered fruits and vegetables. Plus, the transference of genetically engineered traits such as herbicide and virus resistance to weedy relatives could result in superweeds that might invade your garden.
3.Loss of biodiversity
Due to genetic drift, GE plants might become dominant and overcome plants with unique genetic traits in the wild and the garden. As large companies gain control of the seed industry, home gardeners, like farmers, may find themselves limited to only a few geneteically engineered seed choices, making our gardens into mini-moncrop farms. This could mean the disappearance of rare or heirloom seeds--uncommon, noncommercial varieties, such as Red Celery and white Seneca Hominy Corn, that have been passed down from gardener to gardener over many generations.
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RESOURCES TO ORDER GE-FREE AND HEIRLOOM SEEDS
Copyright 2000. Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.
To request permission to reprint, contact greenguide@mothers.org
New York Office:
Mothers & Others
40 West 20th Street
New York NY, 10011-4211
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