BIG WIN! El Salvador Farmers Kick Monsanto Out
Refuse to take Monsanto's GMO seeds
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Farmers from El Salvador make many US biotech farming practices look like the work of a bunch of crazed lunatics. At least in El Salvador they realize the importance of non-GM food and heritage seed saving. After outperforming Monsanto’s biotech seed with record crop yields, they have also now managed a giant defeat of Monsanto by preventing the company from supplying El Salvador with its poison seeds.
Monsanto’s biotech crops have been linked with kidney disease, liver failure, reproductive problems, and more. Most recently, the WHO called glyphosate, the main chemical ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Round Up, ‘probably carcinogenic.’
The El Salvador farmer resistance is great news considering the monopoly that Monsanto and other biotech companies have managed to hold over much of the rest of the world. Monsanto will deny having sway over the government, including federal judges in the US – but they actually do. Though they don’t have control everywhere. El Salvador farmers are working with the Minister of Agriculture there to lessen local farmers’ dependency on biotech seeds.
Juan Luna Vides, the director of diversified production for the Mangrove Association, a nongovernmental organization that was created to support a grassroots social movement for environmental conservation in El Salvador, says:
“Remember that Monsanto is together with DuPont, Pioneer, all the large businesses that control the world’s seed market. Unfortunately, many of the governments in Latin America, or perhaps the world, have beneficiary relationships with these companies.”
The Ministry of Agriculture just released a new round of contracts to provide seed to subsistence farmers across the country.
Monsanto attempts to do business in other markets with other company names, or brands, but the transnational hold is the same. And make no mistake, it is run by Monsanto and the other Big Six.
For example, companies like Pioneer generate commercials for various media outlets in El Salvador marketing their agrochemical products, and exerting great influence over the local farmers of the country.
Many farmers see the importance of keeping their seed supply local, though. small-scale seed producer Santos Cayetan told Truthout:
“We are losing the traditions of local seed, so we are trying to maintain it here. Native seeds don’t have what these other seeds have that come with the chemicals, based in chemicals.”
Cayetan, who is a recipient of corn seed from the government program that uses local, GMO-free seeds and also works to grow native corn, said that the difference between using local seed versus Monsanto’s is quite amazing.
“[Native seeds are] always the same, they always produce, and they’re always there,” he said. “[Native seeds] are drought resistant.”
This and other farmers also comment on the fact that local seed has been adapted to the conditions specific to the region, and Monsanto’s seed has not. The local seed grows well even in dry soil. Farmers can also save and re-use seed without having to worry about patent infringement, as well as having to repurchase seed every season since much of the GM seed Monsanto, Pioneer, and others sell is meant to self-destruct after just one season, otherwise known as suicide seed.
As in many areas of the world, one of Monsanto’s sinister goals is to force farmers to purchase the company’s seeds every year, at highly inflated prices. These seeds also rely on toxic industrial fertilizers and their best-selling herbicide, Round Up.
“[Using only local seed] would be much better [for Salvadoran farmers]; they wouldn’t have to buy seeds every year,” Vides added. “It has to do with generating the conditions to promote food security … you can produce what you consume … produce and consume the same product.”
Cayetan explains that most farmers in El Salvador cannot afford Monsanto seeds – but that is by design.
“If all the producers produced [imported] seed, [local producers] would lose their businesses … this is what [Monsanto] wants.”
Additional Sources:
Photo credit: Farmers drive through the “coffee lands” of El Salvador, November 6, 2013. (Photo: Stuart)
 | Christina Sarich is a humanitarian and freelance writer helping you to Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and See the Big Picture. Her blog is Yoga for the New World. Her latest book is Pharma Sutra: Healing the Body And Mind Through the Art of Yoga. |
Hi,
Could You please tell us what are your sources ? Could you give us a proof about your story ? Don’t get me wrong, if this is true, it is definitely a good knows, but i’ve seen thousand of websites telling this story & adding naturalsociety as the main source. But i never heard about You or your website, & there isn’t a single major newspaper telling about that either ! Therefore, the veracity of your article is strongly compromised & it would clearly be benefits to everyone if proofs where given.
What are You sources ? Where can we verify this information ? Thank You
Crossfinger
Hillary Clinton: Support GMO labeling and public health, not Monsanto!
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/hillary-clinton-its-time?source=c.url&r_by=5382364
Petition
Monsanto vs our health
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/monsanto_dont_silence_science_img4/?bxwJmib&v=57107
Can you say ‘civil war’? I would not want to be living in El Salvador presently. Monsanto and their evil ilk (including the U.S. government) will not sit idly by as El Salvador shows the world what a fraud the Bio-Ag cartel is – expect big trouble (CIA instigated) to show up there in the not too distant future – and I’ll be amazed if it doesn’t – that’s how fascist world government operates. Watch your back side El Salvador. Too bad the people of this country (U.S.) don’t have the courage or intelligence to do what those in El Salvador have done.
The stupidity on this website is beyond belief.
Very bad reporting I agree.
Latin America’s biggest problem however will always be dirty government and corrupt officials. These are two things ripe for Monsanto and other Biotech’s business model to feed off of. So nothing should be taken as a given here.
Congratulations to the farmers of El Salvador.
The world should be doing the same! Every farmer and consumer should be forcing these Biotech Monsters out of their countries.
Biotechs have been killiing humanity and this whole planet for decades. Our stupid governments turn a blind eye. These Corupt Politicians are no doubt receiving kickbacks from these Monsters. Greed has gone to their heads, but their day will come!
You need to get a clue Annie.
Hey Bobo, can ewe read?? Get a clue! You’ll soon be out of work and have to be retrained to flip burgers and Mac and Dons!
Glyphosate Testing Skyrockets After WHO Report on Cancer
Feb 24, 2015 GMOs Are Destroying Our Food Security (and Heirloom Seed Treasures)
A report from Baker Creek Heirloom Rare Seed’s catalog explains how the genetic engineering of crops is having real life consequences for business, as well as food security.
http://youtu.be/tHynofR8I3Q
STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE ON THE HEALTH RISKS OF GM FOODS V1.24.13
We all know stories of tobacco, asbestos, and DDT. Originally declared safe, they caused widespread death and disease.
Although their impact was vast, most of the population was spared. The same cannot be said for sweeping changes in the food supply. Everyone eats; everyone is affected. The increase in several diseases in North America may be due to the profound changes in our diet. The most radical change occurred a little over a decade ago when genetically modified (GM) crops were introduced. Their influence on health has been largely ignored, but recent studies show serious problems. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been linked to thousands of toxic or allergic-type reactions, thousands of sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ and system studied in lab animals.1 Nearly every independent animal feeding safety study shows adverse or unexplained effects.
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/posts/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/State-of-the-Science-of-GMO-Health-Risks-sm-.2013.pdf
With inarticulate grammar/spelling ignorant shills like GMO Roberts and Tont Davies commenting like the drooling idiots they are, we have less to worry about with the biotech industry.
With 90% of corn and beans being gmo, I’d say we don’t have much to worry about from you.
for some one not worried you seem pretty worried.
Not really I could care less.
The big six biotech firms all have horrendous records and should have been shut down years ago with Nuremberg type trials and convictions. Everyone knows about Monsanto Agent Orange, PCBs conviction of outrage and other crimes for knowingly destroying entire towns like Anniston Alabama. Dow chemical creator of BPA is another community destroyer, Syngenta sells a pesticide so deadly it is banned in their home country but sprayed near children in America, DuPont a bunch of nice guys, plus former Nazi chemical members of IG Farben Bayer and BASF. They are doing everything possible to avoid the independent environmental and health studies Maui voters demanded last election. If we can stop the production here on Maui at the heart of GMOgroundZero it will be a win for humanity.
Kinda funny how your ban has not only been put on hold, but is fully expected to be over turned. I also wouldn’t call a 51-49 election a resounding win either.
Hey Bobo, you never got back to the other day about how your doing your part on sterilizing Americans, dropping the population, and being a Bill Gates pawn. Do you do your GMO vaccines too?? It’s tough being an idiot shill, and always wrong. I see ewe got some help too. You’ll need it!
Yes the population is sure dropping. Strange how none of your horror stories ever come true. You are a very sad individual.
So you are illiterate. That’s why I don’t prove nothing to you, because when I do you don’t read it, or totally ignore it. You really are a psycho shill Bobo!!
“I don’t prove nothing to you.”
What does that mean in English?
Oh Bobo has little buddy now. HOW QUAINT.
It’s funny how he can’t see that the people of Maui defeating over 8 million in lies, the most spent in the history of Hawaii, by Monsanto and Dow with only 65k in an average of $50 donations from residents and the truth is anything short of a “resounding victory”.
One that isn’t going to stand.
I’m sure the mainstream isn’t covering this at all.Jon Rappaport has been watching this like a hawk. Something is rotten in Maui!! Bobo and his buddies don’t want to see, but spread the message of the wonders of GMO’s. Don’t let Bobo and his ilk get you down, and take what ever he spouts off about with a grain of salt. He’s a shill, a putz, a water bug, a piss boy. The fact is, a lot of ordinary people are doing extraordinary things. I’ve been watching this long enough to know that when Seralini’s NK-603 paper came out, that was the tipping point. The momentum builds by the minute. Picture Bobo as the Dwag-Spragley rat. standing there flipping the bird, whilst an eagle is a split second from grabbing him in it’s talons. He doesn’t know what else to do, 5 years from now he’ll be flipping sliders at Mac and Don’s, or the Burger Queen. Maybe you’ll get to break the paddle off in his Maximass.
What is Monsanto hiding in secret documents?
A scientist offers shocking comments
https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2015/04/12/what-is-monsanto-hiding-in-secret-documents/
“That’s why I don’t prove nothing”. Can you say a double negative? That means you prove everything I say is true!! Thanks for confirming gmos as said be Abe himself!!
That is not a double negative you are dense
You are stupid, don’t and nothing are both double negatives. Learn the language comrade.
So what kind of a government do we have Bobo you Kakocrat ewe!
Why don’t you tell us oh wise one, holder of the next conspiracy theory.
Not surprising at all that Monsanto and Dow would hope a corrupt Judge would overturn the will of the people. We fully expected them to sue instead of conducting independent environmental and health impact studies to lift the moratorium. We won the vote despite Monsanto spending the most on false propaganda in Hawaii’s history.
The law is the law and your feeble injunction was illegal. It will be over turned so quit telling people how you defeated gmos, because it is just a li. Real science will rule and losers like you will be off o the side looking in.
Lol…The law is the law we passed for independent studies to show safety before lifting the moratorium. The feeble injunction you mention was filed by your friends at Monsanto to avoid the law. Science deniers like your self are losing. You are ruining the little store your dad gave ya by selling this junk. Love to hear how the law is illegal. Bobo
State law trumps local law in this case and there is precedents in this case as well. That is why it will be overturned, of course you already know this but are hoping beyond hope, because you are the science denier. You don’t seem to be able to get much right at all actually.
Lol…No Hawaii state law exists in regards to Gmo! We already have had a ban on GMO taro in Maui since 2009. The corrupt biotech sponsored bills to deprive homerule were all defeated this legislative session. If they already had a state law, why would they try and fail to pass a state law protecting Monsanto and Dow. Science denying bobo.
Are you really that stupid? If the state approves gmos for planting then a local government can’t override that. It had been proven before that is why you are about to be defeated, because your state leaders know better than you.
You are an idiot and I don’t have all day to teach you about life just because the special schools and your parents failed to raise a person who understands the world. No Hawaii state law approved planting. Our state law makers never approved the law you are wishing for show me the law saying Hawaii approved Gmo for planting they don’t exist.
“Wishing for show me”. Still need to learn the language there comrade. The state legislature gave the state ag commission authority to decide chemicals can be sprayed and what gmos can be planted thereforevanother separate bill wasn’t necessary as the authority had already been given. It is a shame I must not only teach you the language, but he rules as well.
You just said: “thereforevanother” obviously, you need to learn the language. No state law in Hawaii regarding GMO and you know it. Your last comment is so full of BS, the state legislature never gave any commission authority to approve GMO. Keep Dreaming:)
Where are you from comrade? Obviously not from anywhere in the United States of America. Maybe from the United states of cry babies.
There is zero evidence that Gm seed is poisonous zero. Not a single hospitalization in 20 years m, billions of acres while organic food has killed
How does organic food kill?
I think you have read the bogus report.
This is nonsense. You have to have seed germplasm that is adapted / bred for the region it is grown in. Take Gm seed from US and grow it in Brazil and it doesn’t do well. Native lines non- hybrids of corn do not out yield hybrid corn whether it is organic, Conventional or Gm.
Monsanto makes less than 5% of words seed it is not a monopoly
You are ignorant of the facts
How well do third world ag feed the world? Not close to adequate
Far rich is this country – low due to fails practices like this
If they wish to stay a third world country dependent on others for food, then let them.