Who Owns Seeds?

Seeds are a public good and should be collectively owned and controlled.  3/4 of the world's farmers save their seeds and/or grow local varieties.  At least 1.4 billion people depend upon farmer-saved seed.

However, the vast majority of seeds available are owned and controlled by corporations that make profit-driven decisions.  Corporations are patenting life.  Corporations are changing seed, for example by genetically modifying organisms (GMOs), and can limit access and undermine farmer self-sufficiency by promoting capital and chemical intensive agriculture (and unsustainable practices).  Farmers must defend themselves from GMO contamination rather than being protected or being paid reparations.  Most of us are eating GMOs because of the extent to which they are prevalent in the US food supply (corn, soy, canola and other products), and GMOs have not been proven to be harmless.

There has been tremendous consolidation in the seed industry, which can lead to undemocratic food systems and food distribution issues.  Corporate control of seeds has dimished genetic diversity and adaptation to local climates and conditions, which undermines our food security (80% of food industry research and development is dedicated to shipping, storage and market maximization, rather than seed adaptation to increase genetic diversity and adaptation).  By contrast, local seed varieties are more resilient and better adapted to the region than those grown in an undisclosed location.

You can make a difference by saving your own seeds from regionally or locally sourced seed companies.