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Dakota Brant - My Blog
Dakota Brant - My Blog
Haudenosaunee Seed Keeping and the Future of Food
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My mother came home one day and told me a story. On one of her many visits to our82 year old uncle I found him in a frantic rage. The source of his unusual behaviour was a spot near his barn that had recently been dug up. He explained that he had been at the local farmers’ co-op store to get his corn made into pig-chop and a salesman approached him with a can. The man told him to feed the contents to his pigs and they would put on weight really fast. He parted with $30.00, an enormous amount of money for a subsistent farmer and upon returning home settled in to read the label. The contents of the can enraged him. He told her“That man wanted me to feed that to my pigs! What the hell will it do to me?” he was so upset that he took the can and buried it in a hole five feet deep in his yard, stating that the earth would take care of that poison! His reaction to the “poison” is a prime example of the fears of Indigenous people to the topic of this essay, genetic theft and modification of our food.
In light of everything, my family has always been farmers. Like my uncle I have been keeping my own garden at home. One day I was watching a video called “The Future of Food”, which was documenting the issue of genetically modified foods and the future of the legal safety that farmers are losing over their right to grow their own seeds. The reality of the world we live in as Indigenous people is that major businesses, backed by major governments around the world, are coming into Indigenous communities and stealing and patenting the genes of our foods because of their precious biodiversity. This grave issue is so new that there is little information available on the subject of protection for Indigenous peoples and the biodiversity of their seeds. Much of the information I have on this issue is provided by the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism (IPCB). “The IPCB is organized to assist indigenous peoples in the protection of their genetic resources, indigenous knowledge, cultural and human rights from the negative effects of biotechnology. The IPCB provides educational and technical support to indigenous peoples in the protection of their biological resources, cultural integrity, knowledge and collective rights” (IPCB).
How is this kind of future, where major food corporations are stealing Indigenous seeds and patenting the genes of the seed, going to affect the Haudenosaunee? We are farmers by right and by tradition. My essay will be a brief outline of the following thought: we have seeds that have been in our possession since time immemorial, is there currently any government protection for our seeds? Or anybody’s seeds? These are questions that I need logical answers to as I intend to pass on my own seeds to my children; they will need a plan for the survival of their right to grow their own food.
The make a brief definition of it, Genetics is the study of the structure and function of genes and the transmission of genes associated with traits between generations (Howard, 2001). It is the study of why we look like our parents, or why a plant is capable of adapting to its environment over time. It is an honest curiosity that when delving into this field of studying what makes us the way we are, one would begin to wonder if we are able to find those traits in our genes would we not be able to change the ones we do not like? What if we could adopt the traits that are enjoyed by other flora and fauna? The grossly unethical questions begin when we begin to practice those notions. Genetic engineers, under the guise of western scientific advancement and progress in the food industry are mixing the identities of plants, animals and humans for “agricultural and pharmaceutical purposes”. According to Stephanie Howard, Nexia Biotechnologies in Canada is crossing spider genes into goats DNA with the hopes of producing spider silk in their milk. These fibres, providing that all goes “well” with the experimentation will be used in bullet-proof vests and anti-ballistic missile defence systems (Howard, 2001). These engineers definitely deserve snaps in the area of creativity. In 1987, Animal genetics “engineer” Thomas Wagner eloquently clarified the notions genetic engineers have of any sort of morality to the creatures whose genes they are crossing when he said “A cow is nothing but cells on hooves.”
As of 2004 in the US, more than two-thirds of 36 commonly grown types of corn, soy and canola seeds that were known not to be genetically modified were tested and found to have traces of genetically engineered DNA (Weiss, 2004). Although the traces were small, it has proven the capability of these genes to hybrid themselves in plants that were grown without the intention of having them added. If federal rules and farm practices are not regulated, the US may soon be incapable of regulating what portion of its food supply is free of genetic modification. This could have grave results on all markets for organic food -- one of the fastest growing segments of food culture in the West. In Mexico, genetically modified corn is being grown in trial. Mexico is commonly known to be the birthplace of corn and some 5000 “known” Indigenous varieties of the plant. Since the 1930’s it is estimated that over 80% of the country’s traditional corn varieties have disappeared off the face of the earth. Now the remainder of those Indigenous seeds are under threat of genetic modification with the introduction of US customary cash cropping and elimination of bio-diversity (Howard, 2001). The evidence is clear of the lack of regulation and the prospective contamination of heritage seeds; the protection being offered to farmers proves to be meagre at best as well. In June 2000 a case entered the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan federal court pitting Monsanto against small Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser, suing Schmeiser for theft of Monsanto products when Schmeiser’s own Canola seeds became accidentally become crossed with Monsanto’s Round-up Ready Canola seeds. In an interview for “The Future of Food” documentary, Schmeiser had no knowledge of how Monsanto seed entered his crop however he believed they may have blown in from another crop or a passing seed truck. Without Schmeiser’s knowledge, Monsanto had entered his property, took samples of his crops, and tested them in their own labs to find “his seed” to be “their seed”. Monsanto sued Schmeiser for 15 cents/acre, the standard price for their technology. The case was a classic example of David vs. Goliath; however the case was to be viewed as a draw federally; but a loss for farmers and seed savours everywhere. The court ruled that Schmeiser did not have to pay Monsanto for the accidental seeding of his crop however the court recognized that Monsanto had a patent on the seed and therefore should their seeds enter a farmers land, whether knowingly or not; the seed cannot be the property of the farmer (Van Acker). This case should be regarded as a major loss and a point of devastation for all seed growers without a patent on their own seed; including Indigenous people.
The only requirement in the US for the patenting of seeds (and genes) is the same as any other patent you would enter the US Patent office with: as long as it has not yet been patented. This includes seeds that have been both genetically modified, and heritage seeds; this leaves no constitutional protection for Indigenous peoples and pro-biodiversity farmers. It is estimated that Monsanto, a major agriculture corporation in both Canada and the US owns 11 000 seed US patents (The Future of Food). The purpose of this patenting plan would be to own the seed population, and whoever owns the seeds inherently controls the food industry for all countries. Currently, there is a small yet visible movement coming from Indigenous communities around the world. A prime example is the founding of the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism (IPCB). One of the interesting resources the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism has been able to proven in terms of protection has been a sample piece of legislation that can be altered and adopted by any and all tribal governments for the regulation of research in their territories. This document, called the “Indigenous Research Protection Act”, was designed by Indigenous academics and traditional knowledge holders in the IPCB who have the collective ability to know when Indigenous Rights are being violated during research, and collaborated to design legislation that can be adopted by Indigenous Peoples for their own protection. This document includes findings and policy, definitions of research, establishment of review committees within the territory comprised of Indigenous Peoples, research proposal requirements, permits and regulation of biological samples and most importantly consent after full disclosure and consultation. This sample-legislation is an outstanding example of good ideas being pursued across Indigenous borders for the benefit of all Indigenous peoples who are affected by genetic and seed theft.
At this point there is no evidence of government protection for the preservation of Indigenous and heritage seed. Quite the contrary is evident; US patenting laws are protected by the US Constitution. Now that the US Patent Office has made it known that they will admit patents for living organisms, corporations like Monsanto are buying patents for every seed that is within their reach. Groups like the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism are fighting back in the form of self-determination; Indigenous peoples are asserting for themselves what is their property and they are protecting it. I have a few reflections of my own for the future. I don’t consider myself a wise person. I don’t feel that I have ever had a thought that was unique or ground breaking. My knowledge is more an accumulation of wise advice and insight of many different people. In our lives we learn to survive, to build and to love. Our deepest dreams are inspired by our environment; what our senses tell us. In terms of the environment that we now face as Indigenous Peoples; the world that on a daily basis questions our rights to a sovereign existence, my education is not being inspired by Marx, Che, old white university professors with hair growing out of their ears. My inspiration comes from a little closer to home. Haudenosaunee since time immemorial have been farmers. In spite of what we have gone through as a people it is extraordinary that we can continue to find our hope and responsibility in the land. We are keepers of the Earth and are essentially fighting to save what those large companies are not interested in or value. Despite this responsibility our actions in maintaining our stewardship has lead to the incarceration of many in the foreign Canadian system. The era of Indigenous reclamation and empowerment did NOT begin with the creation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It did not begin with the Indian Brotherhood, the NCAI, or even AIM. It began with the realization that our sustenance and life line were being severed. In light of persecution Our People have an extraordinary ability to remain empowered despite massive losses in our lifeline, in the words of Zach De la Rocha, “Hungry people don’t stay hungry for long.” Indigenous people are now faced with the reality that we will never stop being questioned on our right to exist, not at the pace at which the competitive western world chooses to live and fight each other. On the other hand, the land is us; and we begin with the land. Our gardens will never cease to empower us. Eating our own food is empowerment; singing our seeds songs is empowerment. Depending on nobody but us, that is true sovereignty.


Bibliography

Van Acker (2005), Co-existence of GM and non-GM crops in Canada: Current status and future direction. Second International Conference on Co-existence between GM and non-GM based agricultural supply chains. Viewed on November 24, 2008

Howard, Stephanie(2001), Life, Lineage and Sustenance: Indigenous Peoples and Genetic Engineering: Threats to Food, Agriculture, and the Environment. Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism. Edited by Debra Harry, Brett Lee Shelton. Viewed November 23, 2008

Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism (2008). Indigenous Research Protection Act. http://www.ipcb.org/publications/policy/files/irpa.html.viewed November 26, 2008

Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism (2008). www.ipcb.org. viewed on November 26, 2008

Weiss, Rick (2004); Study finds seeds tainted with engineered DNA strands, The San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/02/24/MNGV356VH11.DTL Viewed November 26, 2008.

Koons-Garcia, Deborah/Butler, Catherine Lynn (2004). The Future of Food. United States. Lily Films


March 1, 2009 | 4:34 PM Comments  1 comments

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bumbuwazed R Kahendi
March 4, 2009 | 10:40 AM

This is a great essay.
The implications of patenting biological organisms are frightening. Thank you for keeping us informed.
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