Sensible Farming Practices Outlawed In U.S. Client State.

[athelind]

Thanx araquan

Iraq law Requires Seed Licenses

Iraqi Farmers Aren't Celebrating World Food Day

Iraq's new patent law: A declaration of war against farmers

Iraqi farmers can no longer save seeds for next year's crop. They must buy genetically-modified seeds from American agrobusineses.

Suddenly, reasonable, sensible, pragmatic practices dating back before the dawn of human history have become illegal.

If you want to see Corporate America's wet dream for the U.S. and the world, look at what they're doing in Iraq. We didn't invade just for the oil Weapons of Mass Destruction; the entire "reconstruction" effort is directed at turning the country into a corporate haven, a laboratory of experimental subjects testing their dreams of unfettered expansion and captive consumers.

No, they haven't pushed such agricultural monopoly laws into effect in the U.S. -- they haven't had to. They've had most of a century to make the American farmer entirely dependent on them for seed, fertilizer, pesticides, and other designer accessories. They've got the same kind of "Intellectual Property Rights" on their GM seeds here; they just haven't had to outlaw other seed sources, since 90% or more of their target market is already so tightly bound up in their product chain.

This is the New Feudalism. The serfs may technically own the land, and they may even be allowed to sell what they grow -- but they are legally obligated to buy seeds from the Corporate Overlords. This is sharecropping. This is indentured servitude. Oh, yes, I'm sure the agricorps will provide generous lines of credit to the poor Iraqi farmers who need it.

You grow sixteen tons, and what d'you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store...

Comments

No Taxation Without Representation...

[normanrafferty.livejournal.com]

It's more like imperalism than feudalism.

Hey, wasn't being forced to buy expensive, foreign goods instead of cheaper, local ones what started the American Revolution in the first place?

So, we depend on them for oil, and they depend on us for food. Wow, the Bush Administration is smarter than I thought.

Re: No Taxation Without Representation...

[richardf8]

Food for Oil?

Re: No Taxation Without Representation...

[hitchkitty.livejournal.com]

It's more like imperialism than feudalism

Clarification, please. What's the difference, aside from scale?

Re: No Taxation Without Representation...

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

The difference, as I understand it, is in intent. Imperialists are there to make money any way they can, and usually don't give two figs for the native population. When things get to rough for them, the colonials pull out, leaving said native population worse off (generally) than before. Feudalism implies a hierarchy which in turn implies responsibility. Each level is directly responsible for the one right below it. Though, obviously, this could be abused, for the most part, serfs were treated fairly well (as compared to slaves who could be bought and sold, at least.)

I agree that the American presence in Iraq is more imperialistic than feudal. After all, what do you think will happen to the Iraqi people on the day the Americans decide the cost-benefit ratio is no longer in their own favour?

[araquan.livejournal.com]

The other reason they don't have to do it here- if the pollen from GM crops blows over into non-GM fields, the "code" spreads. And guess what- the farmer who inadvertently receives patented genetic material is considered to be stealing it if he keeps the seed and re-uses it. Nevermind whether he even wants the stuff to begin with... And no, he doesn't get compensation for his pure seed being contaminated. He's the one who stole the GMODNA after all.

[pathia.livejournal.com]

RTFA.

They can save any seeds they want, they just cannot save GM seeds.

[araquan.livejournal.com]

*points at what he just wrote above*

DNA spreads. There's a farmer in Canada who found that out the hard way.

[pathia.livejournal.com]

So? I still don't get 'teh outrage' Gee, how long is this government going to last?

Oh, another few months, maybe a year or two. =P

[araquan.livejournal.com]

Some of us don't like the idea of corporate will trumping ten thousand years of human tradition. Pardon us if we also don't like it when they get governments- ours or someone else's- to make the practices involved with same legal. Especially when the laws, coupled with the nature of... nature... mean that the option to not participate in the corporate-controlled part of the system becomes more and more limited. We also don't like it when some of this stuff affects things like, you know, the food supply. Why the outrage? It's a matter of principle.

[pathia.livejournal.com]

Also, having read the actual law itself and considering the source of the outraged articles. (Editorials on advocacy webpages).

Color me sceptical as if whether even actually true.

[araquan.livejournal.com]

Regarding the case of pollen contaminating non-GMO crops, thus causing intellectual property problems for the contaminee: http://www.ghorganics.com/Monsanto%20vs.%20Percy%20Schmeiser.htm Free trade and the IP laws that go with it are wonderful things, eh?