Patented Life: Sharing Gardening Seeds Illegal in Numerous US States
Now, planting an organic garden is an act of defiance
illegal
It is time for some outdated, unconstitutional laws to be scrapped. Informally sharing seed with a neighbor who gardens down the street is illegal in multiple states in the US. The penalty for violating this ridiculous law is a fine of up to $7,500 a day. Like so many other senseless laws, this rule needs to be put to rest.
You can’t even give away seeds to someone in your own neighborhood under certain laws. For example, in some states you need to buy an annual permit and submit each lot of seeds for germination testing; if you don’t, you are defying the law.
If this smacks of corporate farming infiltration to you, you aren’t alone. just 6 companies in the world have patented most of the seeds grown in the entire global agricultural market. Our food diversity is crumbling and it’s largely because corporations, not people, are in charge of the supply.
Neil Thapar, an attorney for the Sustainable Economics Law Center, has reviewed laws like these and found that many states define seed sharing without a permit as an illegal act.
People have been saving and sharing seeds for millennia. It isn’t just our grandparents and great-grandparents who saved and exchanged seed – it has been practiced among farmers and gardeners since we first became an agrarian society.
More importantly, it is a vital practice which must be protected, not only because of biotech seed monopolies, but because gardeners in each area of the world are keenly aware of which kind of organic, heirloom seeds grow best, and are especially adapted to their climates. We can’t let corporations and even government agencies like the USDA regulate non-GMO, organic seed banks to death.
Keeping seed exchanges local ensures a better food supply, that is not tainted by corporate interests, but also that will allow the smaller farmer and gardener to grow better food. Never has planting an organic garden been such an act of defiance against corruption.
According to EcoLife:
“[Seed saving and exchange] is a great way to preserve what is left of the diverse, exotic, and interesting of our food and flower history. Some are forming seed exchanges through local libraries like . . . while others are organizing their efforts through online seed swap groups.”
Additional Sources:
Mother Earth News April-May 2015 Issue, p. 4
 | 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. |
Yes it will just be a matter of time before the Monsantos of the world control the complete food network from seed yo consumer and all the idiots here who were not forward thinking enough to understand what is going on will have a stunned look on their faces with their thumbs in their bums and their minds in neutral. Wake up people you used to live with democracy but that will soon all be gone. Monsanto and the government are plotting democracy’s end and the trolls and disbelievers will be the loudest to complain. You’ll soon be told what you can and cannot plant on your own soil. Oh wait it won’t be your own soil then- Monsanto will control your soil on your property.
In looking at the comments, I see I am not alone in my belief that Ms. Sarich needs to get different job and stop writing nonsense. Most of her articles on here and other blogs are not factual or even well written. Anthony Gucciardi needs to monitor and say bye to this one.
Which states? It would be nice to have an article that has complete information.
I agree. This gets annoying when she says something without anything to back it up. I went to the site and couldn’t get a real definitive answer to which 30 states they’re talking about. I see the same story is all over the net with the same ho hum as to where they’re talking about. Maybe Ed Shultz, Bill O’Reilly or Anderson Cooper knows?
http://www.shareable.net/sharing-cities
Could just be another psy-op. It seems everybody is getting in on the act.
Anybody worth their salt, when publishing an article, backs it up with documentation.
Heck, even if you are commenting in a forum, most people expect documentation if you make a claim that sounds off the wall.
It could be just food for the trained monkey to chatter about. Of coarse Bobo never leaves a link to the insanity’s he claims either.
I was just checking out Sibel Edmonds gallery. I see Roy “Monsanto Protection Act” Blunt is on her gallery. 3rd row. I’m sure he distinguished himself well to be in her gallery.
Sibel Edmonds’ State Secrets Privilege Gallery
http://www.justacitizen.com/images/Gallery%20Draft2%20for%20Web.htm
http://letsibeledmondsspeak.blogspot.com/2008/01/sibel-names-names-in-pictures.html
yes I would like to know which states as well. Weird.
Would like to know which 30 states.
do a search for community rights and learn how to beat corporations “legally” in the courts at a local level it’s easier than you would think
Sorry if the government and Monsanto want you to lose you will lose. Community rights – Have you totally lost your mind? You’re living in fantasy land with spectomaniac and Bozo.
Grow your own garden.
Use NON GMO HEIRLOOM Seeds only.
Boycott ALL Monsanto products.
Yes that’s the way to combat this evil menace. Americans must regain what is rightfully theirs and to establish their democratic rights.
Informally sharing seed with a neighbor who gardens down the street is illegal in multiple states in the US.
I don’t think that’s accurate. Since the author mentioned Minnesota, I checked the Minnesota Dept of Agriculture website. It only takes about the need for labelling and permits for commercial sellers, not for getting seeds from your neighbour.
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/seed
Even the 300 seed libraries throughout the US can’t give away seeds or facilitate the exchange of seeds between organic gardeners unless they purchase a permit.
That’s simply not true.
“the library is free to distribute seeds, but it can’t accept harvested seeds without following the state’s testing and labeling requirements for seed distributors. The library is…free to host seed swaps where individual gardeners can exchange seeds with one another.”
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2014/12/08/seed-libraries-and-state-laws/
http://www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/sites/default/files/SIM/Documents/Misc/2014_SeedLibrary_Protocol.pdf
Yet another example of why Christina Sarich is not a credible source for information.
I agree these laws need to be changed. When they were written they were not meant to include such things, but didn’t make provisions for them either.
I wonder what our resident GMO sucking trolls have to say about this. OK I’ll bet our most imfamous GMO Monsanto sponsered troll will respond in oh, let’s see ….about 2 hours. He probably won’t be up til noon anyway. Then we can see what lies he spews out this time
Another lie, since you already have replied to the posts I did this morning. Take care though, with warm weather approaching I will be way to busy helping my customer get their gmos in the ground and their fields sprayed and fertilized to mess with you very much. I will still check in on you to see if you have figured out what kind of government we have yet.
You’re pretty conceited to think I was talking about you. But I guess being so insecure you’ll answer any desperate call.
Johnny, that is all you ever do is talk about me, it is you passion. You are my own little groupie. That doesn’t know what kind of government we have.
Now we all know you are insecure. By the way I thought that business men could read and write. What kind of government do we have Bobo?
New tactic johnny? You must be getting desperate, you started this johnny so tell us what our government is, I might even make you president of my fan club.
You mean you and your sister? Even your mommy doesn’t to join your fan club
Yup right on key. Bobo just can’t keep his nose out of things he doesn’t understand.
I just heard his mommy finally decided to kick him out of her basement so it’s going to be difficult for him to do too much posting here. Check out the libraries, Bobo.
>>I just heard his mommy finally decided to kick him out of her basement <<
Looks like we have another Astroturfer here. Try changing your script book every now and then – these "mommy basement" ones are getting as tiring as "tin foil hat" or "someone is off their meds."
If you are supporting GMO Roberts you must be taking the same stuff he is.
No, just outing an Astroturfer. I’m getting tired of your ilk and bent.
— You never address the subject, just attack the messenger.
— You constantly use the same tired phrases.
— And you keep at it until you reach your goal, getting rid of the poster you are harassing.
But I guess you don’t complain when the checks come through…
OMG Mr Robert’s twin. Double trouble. I don’t think Bobo will like you using his old tired boring lines- yawnnnnnnnnnnnnn