EU proposes ban on seed swapping

Keith g · Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 7:45 pm Post subject: EU proposes ban on seed swapping

Hi all, I can't believe my eyes, as the title says, the EU are now considering making illegal the practice of swapping seeds !

http://seedpolicy.arche-noah.at/en/eu-seed-law

What say you? Ridiculous or should be encouraged?

Keith

energise · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 24 Sep 2012 Posts: 47

Sounds bloody rediculous Rolling Eyes

Have those beurocrats nothing better to be doing with their time.

davidk · Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:18 pm Post subject:

energise · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 24 Sep 2012 Posts: 47

maigheomac · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 03 Dec 2009 Posts: 18

Yes, heard about this through Irish Seed Savers..
It seems to me that it very much suits large seed companies/corporations (surprise, surprise!) as the regulations would only allow a narrow range of regulated/controlled seeds to be legally distributed which of course these corporations would supply.

Also protects their revenue as this regulation will eliminate the sharing, swapping of seeds (God forbid people might swap seeds for free).

It seems to me that organisations/charities (eg. Irish Seed Savers) that have worked so hard to save heritage seeds and philanthropically redistribute them to the people will shortly be prohibited from doing so..

tippben · Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 4:40 pm Post subject:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/We_dont_accept_this_Let_us_keep_our_seeds_EU/?ctCLIbb

I'll keep giving away plants and seeds, and gladly accepting those given to me. Go on. Lock me up. Watch what happens.

ormondsview · Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:56 am Post subject:

The top 10 global seed gmo hybridizers are listed here http://www.gmwatch.org/gm-firms/10558-the-worlds-top-ten-seed-companies-who-owns-nature just so you know where to direct your anger. Just when the world is facing climate change and food security is being compromised the bit corporate lobby groups are seizing their opportunity to control seeds globally. As a shopper, check for non hybridized seed packets as they are not tampered with and will self seed. Otherwise, your local garden centre may just be selling terminator seeds that will not reproduce, are already developed for pesticide resistance and ultimately are responsible for bee deaths.
Someone worried about being chased down for trading seeds. Well, the copyright allows big aggra to catch people on the internet selling seeds.
Many countries like Romania and Poland have banned gmo'd seeds. The EU is heading the wrong way in allowing them.

Good guy · Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 9:59 pm Post subject:

This links straight back to the recent posts about Seed Savers and their financial troubles.