by Chris Bisson
Since seeds are embryonic plants that can grow to be larger and more productive, there is no question more important at the heart of food sovereignty than access to seeds. Unfortunately, universal access to seeds has become increasingly challenging as corporate growers continue to patent genetically engineered plant varieties and – under the recently passed Bill C-18, dubbed the Agricultural Growth Act – have their royalty claims to hybrid varieties legally protected. Multinational seed companies such as Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta therefore have a chokehold on cereal crops, in particular grains, beans, and pulse.
The good news is that it remains relatively easy to source outstanding varieties of seed outside of the industry actively trying to destroy seed sovereignty. It is easier still to save your own seeds once you have grown the plants.
Ethical, sustainable, and quality seeds can be sourced in three ways: by buying certified organic seed, researching and buying heirloom varieties, and establishing a relationship with a local producer. One of the most reliable indicators of a desirable seed source is whether it is certified organic. Organic certification is far more challenging than you can possibly imagine – trust me! Certification requires growers to demonstrate traceability of their production as it conforms to a very strict guideline of accepted products and practices which may be used. Genetically engineered seeds are not permitted under organic certification. However, corporate claims to plant breeder’s rights (PBR) for hybrid crops may theoretically enable their certification, since corporations claim intellectual property over entirely novel organic products. No doubt the usual cast of multinational seed companies will give it a shot.
Well-known heirloom varieties will also offer assurance that you are not buying seeds licensed under corporate PBR as the market adapts to new hybrid seed laws. Heirloom varieties are simply so common that there is no way to claim PBR over them. So research seed catalogues from various organic sources, and talk to local gardeners – or your grandparents – about their favourite heirloom varieties. They tend to taste better anyways, even if they do yield less and are more susceptible to pests and disease than hybrids.
Finally, the most trusted source of seeds that you can grow will come from a friend or your own garden. Visit the farm from which you are buying seeds; I bet they would sure love a hand weeding!
Seed sovereignty really gains traction when you are saving your own seeds. It only makes sense: agriculture, and all plant life, function cyclically. The seeds we use today are the common genetic legacy of all humanity through millennia of cultivation.
Food is a right and all seed belongs to the global commons. So make sure you use it not just as a political statement, but also for yummy food!
This article first appeared in the Leveller Vol.7, No. 4 (Jan/Feb 2015).
