The country of Venezuela, through its National Assembly, has approved a law that will ban GMOs and prohibit seed-patenting.
Its aim is to promote sustainable agriculture and real food security. Grassroots efforts for years has finally culminated in the passing of a law that prohibits Monsanto, Bayer, Dow, Syngenta, and others from controlling the seed supply and poisoning the people.
- The creation of a national seed institution which will audit crops, and actively pursue those who violate the GMO ban.
- Peasant seed will be protected. It will not be hybridized through biotechnology, nor patented. Neither will it be threatened with cross-contamination by GM seed.
- Natural cross-breeding will be allowed, as it has been used for centuries, and seed saving and sharing should also be promoted.
Furthermore, the SEED LAW proposal was developed by a partnership between the communal spokespersons and the legislative and executive branches of government. This example of the “People as Legislator” represents the organized expression of popular power in its push back against competing stealth legislation that would open the door to transgenic seeds and the kind of legislation we see made in America, where corporate groups make shady deals behind closed doors (such as with the DARK Act and the Trans Pacific Partnership.)
According to Anna Roth, senior editor of Civil Eats, a news source for “critical thought about the American food system:”
“H.R. 1599 would negate all of these laws, and more–according to the Center for Food Safety. The preemption language in the bill would nullify over a hundred local laws that, directly or indirectly, regulate genetically engineered crops.”
Way to go Venezuela! You have had the steadfastness to overcome the biotech industry in your country, and your activists have helped to create legislation that is more transparent.
I think many reporters are missing the point here because they are not familiar with farming. A report recently also presented Guatemala’s “victory” as that of food safety while that’s not the core driving force in a ban of such by farmers.
The huge core issue is that -Monsanto for instance- requires a purchase of new seed each year. This doesn’t allow using seed from the farmer’s own crops of the previous years. This is a core money savings mechanism for farmers to be profitable to provide for their own families.
My own farming family in the USA aren’t concerned with safety of GMO’s as they’re not created equal. GMO does not equate to unsafe. What they are concerned with is the freedom to use -seed corn for instance-from their own previous year’s harvest.
If your family isn’t concerned about GMO safety, it should be – because 92% of Americans who want GMOs labeled Are concerned, and 53% of Americans who want GMOs banned Are concerned, and for medically sufficient reasons. Already the GMO industry is losing sales and losing stock value. People don’t want to be sickened by GMOs and the associated carcinogenic biocides.
Moreover, farmers of natural and organic crops are really angry at losing income due to cross-pollination from GMO crops. Contaminated crops can no longer be sold as natural or organic, and the income loss is significant.
Wow those ninety two percent must not live in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, or Washington. Since each state had a chance for labeling and each killed it. Another minor point you left out.
Millions of dollars on immoral lie-filled campaigns by Monsanto, the GMA, and people from outside those states caused the slim defeats. Another ‘minor’ point of corporatist-fascist control that you left out. Deliberately. Shill.
A few million dollars made half the people change their mind? Obviously they didn’t feel very strongly about their convictions or more likely once again you are lying.
GMOs are not created equal is a valid point. Not all are bad. IE:
neonic coated seeds are toxic to handle to skin but do not relay into
the pollen as threat to pollinating bugs, nor the crop we eat.
GMO is not an across the board valid argument. However, Monsanto as a MONOPOLY is.
Further, if we’re talking labeling products, U.S. Americans would do well to demand petrol based products including containers. WE are driving the Petrol demand ourselves and yet we forget that when it comes to our demands to what we wish for gov’t to do or not do. WE need to be reminded by those labels that we are the biggest consumer of everything on the planet.
Neonicotinoids are a major source of bee die-off.
So long as GMO diets cause the production of novel proteins that the body has no historical experience in processing, so long as GMOs cause organ failure and infertility, so long as GMOs systemically absorb carcinogenic glyphosate, it’s wise to avoid GMOs.
Petrol-based products indeed need labeling.
The war mongering neocons in Washington DC and their buddies at “Mount Sano” won’t be happy about this. If Caracas would have slipped and said they also quit using the dollar I’d expect an invasion from our psychotic military/industrial complex within a week or two. Anyway, it seems the leaders in Venezuela are more thoughtful and caring about what their people grow and eat than the politician’s running the “Great Satan’s Clown and Magic Show” here in the US seem to be. Or is that just…me?
USA! USA! has been trying to overthrow Venezuela for years. I.e., the corporations that now control nearly every aspect of US government and citizen life are trying to overthrow it. The socialist reforms made under Chávez benefited the non-rich, and the plutocracy can’t stand it. Recently, e.g., a millionth house was provided to a family in need.
Hi there I am in Venezuela and regarding this Law it has not been passed. The Assembly was about to pass it last week, but because of administrative matters the approval was postponed, not sure if its for this week or before the sessions close on January 4th of 2016.
I dont know where you got the information that it had passed
“The National Assembly of Venezuela, in its final session before a neoliberal dominated opposition takes the helm of legislative power on January 5, passed one of the most progressive seed laws in the world on December 23, 2015; it was promptly signed into law by President Nicolas Maduro.”
http://venezuelanalysis dot com/analysis/11798
The question now is whether it will stand – due to the right-wing nature of the neofascist opposition that now controls Parliament and is itself controlled by corporations (including Monsanto) and Big Money.