Food Does Not Come From A Store. Part One: Seeds

The loss of genetic seed diversity facing us today may lead to a catastrophe far beyond our imagining. 100 years ago we planted over 150 different food crop species, now we are down to about two dozen. As just one example, of the over 10,000 varieties of apples, but we only utilize about ten now.

The Irish potato famine, which led to the death or displacement of two and a half million people in the 1840s, is an example of what can happen when farmers rely on only a few plant species as crop cornerstones.

Here are some more worrying facts about the food we have available to us.

One kind of seed, called First generation hybrids (F1 hybrids), have been hand-pollinated, and are patented, often sterile, genetically identical within food types, and sold from multinational seed companies. From thousands of seed companies and public breeding institutions three decades ago, 10 companies now control more than two-thirds of global proprietary seed sales. The proprietary seed market (that is, brand-name seed subject to exclusive monopoly – i.e., intellectual property), now accounts for 82% of the commercial seed market worldwide.

A second kind of seed is the genetically engineered seed (also know as a GMO - genetically modified organism). GMO seeds are fast contaminating the global seed supply on a wholesale level, and threatening the purity of seeds everywhere. The DNA of the plant has been changed. A cold water fish gene could be spliced into a tomato to make the plant more resistant to frost, for example. And we wonder why grocery store tomatoes don't taste all that good. Also, recent research has shown that GMO corn is linked to kidney and liver disease in test animals. If you are eating ANY processed corn product (corn chips, foods with corn syrup, etc.) you are eating GMO corn.

Do you want to do something about this? Let's start with seeds. Grow your own. Here's where and how.

Bioneers is a nonprofit educational organization that works to restore the biological diversity of our world.
Beauty Beyond Belief has heirloom vegetable seeds. Beautiful wildflower seeds, too.
Appalachian Seeds has heirloom tomatoes and seeds.
Seed Savers Exchange is a good place to start if you want to "grow your own."
Seeds Of Change pretty much started the organic, heirloom seed business.

Next time: Meat, buying locally (and not at the grocery store).