Millions Against Monsanto #225, May 21, 2010 Edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins In this issue: Connect with us: Quote of the Week Monsanto, Haiti's "New Earthquake" "A new earthquake" is what Haitian peasant farmer leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP) called the news that Monsanto will be dumping 60,000 seed sacks (475 tons) of hybrid corn seeds and vegetable seeds on Haiti, seeds doused with highly toxic fungicides such as thiram, known to be extremely dangerous to farm workers. Hybrid seeds, like GMO seeds (in contrast to Creole heirloom or organic seeds) require lots of water, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides. In addition if a small farmer tries to save hybrid seeds after harvest, hybrid seeds usually do not "breed true" or grow very well in the second season, forcing the now-indentured peasant to buy seeds from Monsanto or one of the other hybrid/GMO seed monopolies in perpetuity. Monsanto wanted initially to dump GMO seeds on Haiti, but even the corrupt Haitian government knew that this would spark a rebellion, so Monsanto cleverly decided to dump hybrid seeds instead. The Haitian small farmers organization has committed to burning Monsanto's seeds, and has called for a march to protest the corporation's presence in Haiti on June 4, for World Environment Day. Read More Learn more on OCA's Millions Against Monsanto campaign page. Alert of the Week Monsanto's Poison Pills for Haiti Take Action in Solidarity with Haitian Farmers Who Vow to Burn Monsanto's Toxic Fungicide-Coated Hybrid Seeds Since gaining their independence from France more than 200 years ago in a bloody slave uprising, Haitian farmers have wisely protected their seeds and nurtured native crop varieties. They know that true food security is maintained by farmers who save, trade and breed indigenous seeds using traditional organic methods. As Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the Executive Director of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP), wrote earlier this year, "We need to establish seed banks and have silos where we can store our Creole seeds. Local, organic seeds are the basis of food sovereignty. It's urgent that Haitians buy local seeds. ... What's the danger we face today? It's that food aid from USAID and others is getting dumped in the country." USAID and Monsanto have a poison pill for Haiti, designed to the make the island nation into a slave colony once again, except this time they won't be slaves for France, but rather for Monsanto and corporate agribusiness. Join the Haitian people and the growing global movement of Millions Against Monsanto. Take Action You can donate to the distribution of local, organic seeds within Haiti here. PLEASE DONATE! OCA Needs Your Help to Fight Monsanto and Spread the Organic Revolution OCA and our international network of organic consumers and farmers understand that we have a positive life-affirming solution for the global food, health, and climate crisis: organic food, farming, and ranching. But to fight Monsanto and get out our all-important message we need your support. Please send us a tax-deductible donation today. If you give OCA a donation we'll send you a free "Millions Against Monsanto" bumper sticker so you can spread the message in your city, town, or rural community. Please donate and write "Monsanto Sticker" in the comments field to receive your sticker! PLEASE DONATE Help OCA Get 35,000 Facebook Fans! We are so close! Last week, Organic Consumers Association's Facebook page topped 34,000 fans, people like Suzanne who writes, "What would we do without you guys fighting for all of us?" Please help us reach our May goal of 35,000 Facebook fans. If you're on Facebook, become a fan, recommend us to your friends on Facebook, and join the discussion! Our Facebook fans are active! Over 100 people have commented so far on the article we posted about Haitian farmers who have vowed to burn Monsanto's seed "donation." Genevieve says, "Yes, the Haitians need assistance, but please don't insult their intelligence by telling them they'd be better off eating poison." JOIN THE Discussion ON Facebook Video of the Week Monsanto Plant Shut Down By Dutch Activists Check out this great activist-produced video documenting Monday's action shutting down Monsanto's Dutch offices and greenhouses. On Monday, 50 people with the action group 'Roundup Monsanto' blocked both gates of the Monsanto seed company near Rotterdam in the Netherlands. 'Roundup Monsanto' wants Monsanto to back out of the seed market, and demands an end to patents on seeds and living organisms. Monsanto and other agro-chemical multinationals are lobbying the Dutch government and the EU for legislative changes that would make it easier for large companies to take control of the seed market and food production. Watch Download and print one of OCA's "Millions Against Monsanto" campaign leaflets, "Ten Things Monsanto Does Not Want You To Know". June 22-26, 2010: U.S. Social Forum in Detroit Another World is Possible! Another U.S. is Necessary! What is the U.S. Social Forum? The U.S. Social Forum (USSF) is a movement building process offering a space to come up with the peoples' solutions to the economic and ecological crisis. The USSF is an opportunity to declare what we want our world to look like and start planning the path to get there. The USSF provides spaces to learn from each other's experiences and struggles, share our analysis of the problems our communities face, build relationships, and align with our international brothers and sisters to strategize how to reclaim our world. One of the USSF's 14 major program tracks is "Climate Justice: Sustainability, Resources and Land." This track focuses on building power, resiliency and sustainability through movements for ecological, social, energy and environmental justice, with an emphasis on food security, agriculture and small farms. Learn More Little Bytes Nestle Announces it Will Stop Using Ingredients like Palm Oil that Drive Deforestation READ MORE Once Again, Feces from Factory Farmed Cattle Contaminate Lettuce in Latest E. Coli Outbreak READ MORE What Does Goldman Sachs Have to Do With Factory Farms? READ MORE Reform and Consumer Consciousness Buoy US Organic Sector READ MORE Research Links Pesticides With ADHD In Children READ MORE LOCAL Your State NEWS OF THE WEEK Your State - Get Involved Locally - Learn more about OCA related action alerts and other news in Your State here.
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