christian
28th July 2012, 23:31
This appeared July 12th on SPIEGEL ONLINE (http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/eugh-richter-kippen-saatgut-monopol-der-konzerne-a-844019.html).
Farmers will be allowed to sell seeds by themselves - even if those seeds are not officially approved. This is what the European Court ruled and how the power of big agra has been broken. Farmers call this an incredible victory for farmers and consumers.
Europe's farmers are allowed to produce and sell seeds, that are not officially approved. The controversial EU guideline doesn't forbid this, the European Court ruled. This decision is very important for consumers, farmers and the agricultural corporations.
Because from now on farmers still may plant their old crops, even if industrial seed-producers don't offer them anymore. In Germany the case of the "Linda" potatoe made headlines a few years ago. The producer deleted it out of the register to prevent farmers from planting it license free. Farmers and consumers complained about this behaviour. With the new court ruling this wouldn't be possible in the future. Because every farmer can plant and sell the crops as he wishes.
"This ruling is an almost incredible victory for farmers, bio-diversity and the consumers", said Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf to SPIEGEL ONLINE. He is the head of a task force of farmers and former members of the European Parlament. Years ago they got the EU Commission to make an exception to exclude small farmers from having to declare their seeds. This exception has now been made the rule. "This is a huge victory in the fight David vs. Goliath", said Graefe zu Baringdorf.
67 percent of the global seeds are being controlled by corporations like Bayer, Monsanto and Syngenta. To have new seeds approved is complex and expensive and usually only affordable for the big corporations. Small business have a hard time. In the initial case, a farming cooperative, the Kokopelli Initiative, has been sued and ordered to pay 50.000€ compensation, because they traded non-approved seeds. According to the EU regulations usually any crop sold on the market had to be approved in an expensive procedure and to be registered officially.
Farming networks like Kokopelli don't meet those requirements for the approval of their old crops. But the sale of those crops is not prohibited by EU guidelines, the court ruled.
Good to see some common sense. But still chemtrails poisoning the earth and GMO crops infecting other crops are a serious issue. One step taken, more to go.
Farmers will be allowed to sell seeds by themselves - even if those seeds are not officially approved. This is what the European Court ruled and how the power of big agra has been broken. Farmers call this an incredible victory for farmers and consumers.
Europe's farmers are allowed to produce and sell seeds, that are not officially approved. The controversial EU guideline doesn't forbid this, the European Court ruled. This decision is very important for consumers, farmers and the agricultural corporations.
Because from now on farmers still may plant their old crops, even if industrial seed-producers don't offer them anymore. In Germany the case of the "Linda" potatoe made headlines a few years ago. The producer deleted it out of the register to prevent farmers from planting it license free. Farmers and consumers complained about this behaviour. With the new court ruling this wouldn't be possible in the future. Because every farmer can plant and sell the crops as he wishes.
"This ruling is an almost incredible victory for farmers, bio-diversity and the consumers", said Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf to SPIEGEL ONLINE. He is the head of a task force of farmers and former members of the European Parlament. Years ago they got the EU Commission to make an exception to exclude small farmers from having to declare their seeds. This exception has now been made the rule. "This is a huge victory in the fight David vs. Goliath", said Graefe zu Baringdorf.
67 percent of the global seeds are being controlled by corporations like Bayer, Monsanto and Syngenta. To have new seeds approved is complex and expensive and usually only affordable for the big corporations. Small business have a hard time. In the initial case, a farming cooperative, the Kokopelli Initiative, has been sued and ordered to pay 50.000€ compensation, because they traded non-approved seeds. According to the EU regulations usually any crop sold on the market had to be approved in an expensive procedure and to be registered officially.
Farming networks like Kokopelli don't meet those requirements for the approval of their old crops. But the sale of those crops is not prohibited by EU guidelines, the court ruled.
Good to see some common sense. But still chemtrails poisoning the earth and GMO crops infecting other crops are a serious issue. One step taken, more to go.