As I mentioned in my previous post, the State of Oregon has decided to allow genetically modified canola to be grown in a test area of the Willamette Valley.
As it turns out, it still needs to pass the house and senate. I urge all my Oregonian followers (which I bet is most or all of you) to weigh in your opinion, either for or against. Food rights are important to us all, whether you think so or not.
If you're willing to weigh in, here is the link to write your local Representative and Senator:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/writelegsltr/
If you want to personally phone them, but you don't know their number, check this link out:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/
For the politically active-minded that follow me (which again, I have a feeling is all or at least most of you), you might have a pet issue. This is mine. Those who know me also know that I love technology, I volunteer as an IT worker for Portland State University. I love science, but I feel that we step into dangerous waters with the issue of GMOs without truly understanding the consequences.
I also see this as a non-partisan issue, we talk about the basic rights of individuals to buy, sell, give, hold, and trade seeds without any worry that they are violating copyright law by doing so. This issue redefines whether or not we're allowed to grow plants freely, or if we are merely leasing them from a corporation. We define whether or not we want biodiversity in our land and our food.
Please, I urge you all to at least look into this issue, be better informed, and exercise your rights as an American citizen, and in this case, Oregonians, your rights as citizens of our beautiful and diverse state.
I've included my letter that I sent out, all are allowed to use it if they so choose, or modify it as they see fit (I release it under the GNU General Public Licence (GPL)):
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Hey all,
I wanted to voice my opposition to genetically modified canola being allowed in the valley.
Oregon is one of the few places in the world that large amounts speciality seed is grown. Due to Monsanto and other biotech companies being allowed (for the first time in human history) to copyright DNA, any crossbreeding (including accidental) of their crops and speciality seed grower's crops will result in the loss of years of work, and the loss of breeding rights of growers. Monsanto will legally own anything that crossbreeds with their Canola.
Now, to clarify, this doesn't mean that *just* people growing organic or traditionally grown canola will lose the rights to their own seeds. It means that anyone growing anything remotely related to canola will lose rights to their seeds.
The following plants *will* crossbreed with canola:
-Mustard (all species)
-Cabbage (all species)
-Turnip
-Rutabaga
-Kale
-Broccoli
-Cauliflower
-Brussel Sprouts
-Kohl Rabi
-And many more
Brassica vegetables are one of our largest staple crops. You have a two basic choices in front of you; you can either hand over all rights to Brassica crop seeds to Monsanto now, saving years of heartbreak to the farmers of the Willamette Valley, billions in lawsuits, and condemn all Oregon farmers to eventually being owned by Monsanto and it's ilk; *or* you can do the right thing and stop this from passing through, giving Oregon farmers their rights, stand strong against a corporation who has in the past, and will continue to try to undermine personal rights and freedom of any person who plants seeds to see them grow: farmers, growers, and any person who has ever been entranced by the joy of gardening.
Thank you for your time,
-Bart Brandner
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Thank you everyone. On a lighter tone, I hope all of you are doing well this Winter. I think this will be an early Spring for Oregon, and I hope all your early gardening is going well. I will be doing another journal entry soon. I have a community garden plot now, so expect to hear me gush about that.
Take care dear readers, good growing!
