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Re: Natural Life Magazine #61 - Saving Seed Becomes Illegal

At 10:47 AM 8/4/98 EDT, you wrote:
>But how do these farmers come by these seeds that are climatically adapted to
>their areas?  If they get them the way that Brandywine was obtained, then
they
>bred them themselves, and saved the seeds themselves.  They own the
technology
>and the product.  Companies invest in producing genetically altered (whether
>biologically or chemically) produce, and they can now protect that
investment.
>I don't see the problem.  Brandywine saved by seed savers and small farmers
>won't go away or suddenly become sterile as a result of someone else's
>altering their produce.  
>
>Linda
>
The farmers buy the seeds once, and grow the crops for years, saving their
own seeds.  Had they been treated with the sterile technology in the first
place there'd be no opportunity to acclimatize the seeds.  What technology
do the farmers "own"?    

Brandywines purchased from subsidiaries of these technocrats will "suddenly
become sterile."  I have no problem with companies that do alter a product,
and want to protect their investment.  I do have a big problem with
companies claiming they've altered a product when they haven't  ("hybrid"
tomatoes Dona and Sweet 100s come to mind), trying to scare off seed
savers.  I have a problem with companies selling seeds that have been
fitted with a sterile gene so they'll germinate once.  And their progeny
will be sterile.  First crops ex pected to be treated this way are wheat,
soybeans and rice.  Might's well kill the buffalo, but I suppose you don't
see anything wrong with that, either.  Margaret
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