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FOOD SOVEREIGNTY THROUGH FARMER SOLIDARITY

VISIT TO BRISBANE, Food Connect and meeting representatives from LA VIA CAMPESINA www.viacampesina.org

I was so fortunate to be invited to attend a workshop on the 27th and 28th June 2010 organised by the Food Connect Foundation to meet La Via Campesina representatives from Japan, Timor Leste, Indonesia and South Korea.  In total 65 people attended with people coming from Hobart, the Atherton Tablelands, western Queensland, NSW and Victoria and, of course, Canberra.  We also had a hook-up with Nettie Webb from Canada, one of the founders of La Via Campesina so this was a really internationa gathering.

The issue- Food Sovereignty through Farmer Solidarity - is pertinent anywhere farmers are growing foods with corporate agricultural interests attempting to crowd out and close down family farming enterprises and small operations.

The prinicapal objectives of La Via Campesina will resonate with farming family enterprises across Australia to develop solidarity and unity among small farmer organisations in order to promote -

  • gender parity and social justice in fair economic relations;
  • the preservation of land, water, seeds and other natural resources;
  • food sovereignty; and
  • sustainable agricultural production based on small to medium sized producers.
One of the shared situations between the farmers from LVC at the workshop, Nettie Webb from Canada and farmers in Australia is the relentless onslaught of Monsanto as they arrogantly continue to spread their genetically engineered seeds across all continents.  Monsanto view farmers as end-users for their patented products and continue to promote them in spite of consumers LOUDLY indicating they will not buy them.
However, the insidious spread of volunteers [seeds which are spread by wind, birds, vehicles, boots and animals] across the landscape are contaminating other crops so much that, in western Canada, it is now impossible for certified organic croppers to retain their accreditation.
Only last week, [June 2010] the CSIRO announced they are conducting field trials of GE wheat and barley in NSW and WA in spite of vast resistance from conusmers for these products.  At this stage, there is no market at all for these products yet these patented seeds are being grown........for whom?
Gene Ethics  www.geneethics.org.au and the Network of Concerned Farmers www.non-gm-farmers.com are two very important organisations committed to educating the community as to the implications of using GE products and provide a wealth of information on this contentious and nonsenical issue.
Ask your local members of parliament  why they continue to allow Monsanto, Syngenta and Bayer CropScience to peddle these seeds in spite of continuous protestations of consumers.