The eu is preparing legislation that will make it illegal to use saved seed!

[suzjbibby]

How many here know that the EU is preparing legislation that will make it illegal to grow crops that are not on a list of approved seeds? "File sharing" in the area of seeds will become a criminal act.
This information was just bought to my attention, I think that this is something that is worth supporting so I thought I'd share this link to an online petition so that those who feel they want to can show their support to it
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/We_dont_accept_this_Let_us_keep_our_seeds_EU/?ckqhGeb

A second petition on the same subject can be found here too
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/We_Will_Not_Comply/?cCgoWbb

 

[zigs]

Signed.

I've just about had enough of the EU sticking its fingers into our gardening, first they stop us using beer to trap slugs, then they make it illegal to feed chickens kitchen scraps, they've withdrawn Bordeaux mixture and you can't use Sulphur on mold anymore

No wonder UKIP is gaining seats.

 

[claudine]

I'll sign it too. These rules are silly! Why is EU so interested in our gardens? I understand that some rules are necessary to protect the environment and I'm okay with it but forbidding us from using saved seed doesn't make any sense at all

 

[limcid]

And it's always under the guise of protecting you, the environment, the children, or whatever works to get people to accept their foolishness. I believe they (governments in general) feed off of the power to control others. I don't see how they think that they can control what seeds people are putting into the ground, especially in non-commercial situations.

 

[Rzashida]

This is ridiculous, the reason I've always saved my seed is due to the fear of the law prohibiting it one day. I've heard we won't be able to grow our own food and that Monsanto's was going to dominate the food industry with GMO's. That seems kind of far fetched until you hear of people being fined for there gardens. Please save your seeds.

 

[loopyloo]

I dont understand why they feel the need to step in and make rules on things that have been working just fine for thousands upon thousands of years. Its becoming a scary world we live in when the laws are so strict we cant grow food in our garden We might as well all be slaves at that point.

 

[LindaKay]

Wow, that is crazy. I think one thing that shouldn't be heavily restricted is growing natural plants! GEEZE.

 

[maddie]

I really think this is too much .. Government regulations are helpful, but when it gets into personal stuff then it is dictatorial. I am glad I am not governed by those crazy legislations.

 

[headfullofbees]

Anti-EU, scaremongering nonsense.
It will not stop people from saving their own seed at all, and the law has also been amended to:
1) Permit home gardeners to swap “unapproved seed” without breaking the law.
2) Allow individuals and small organizations (with fewer than 10 employees) to grow and sell “unapproved seeds."
3) Establish seedbanks that can grow “unapproved seeds” without breaking the law.

I'm no friend of the EU, but this is propaganda.

There are perfectly good reasons for controlling what plants can be grown in certain areas; Japanese knot-weed was introduced as an ornamental.

 

[happyflowerlady]

They are working towards controlling things here in America as well. I have seen people saying that they are not even allowed to collect rainwater to put on their plants or gardens. And having to have a permit to grow vegetables in your garden. I am pretty sure that stopping people from saving their own seeds will be here, too, and I think Monsanto is probably behind all of that ruling. I am trying to grow heirloom plats as much as I can, so that I can save the seed. I am in the country, so there are no other requirements, like their would be in town.

 

[Soliloquy]

I doubt this legislation was introduced to stop the spread of invasive species, headfullofbees. If that was so then why is the wording targeted at companies, when it's usually an individual introducing an invasive species? It also doesn't mention plants or cuttings, which I'm sure it would if it was really all about invasive species. This is exactly the sort of thing that Monsanto has been behind in developing countries, of course they'd have an interest in spreading it in the developed world. Cui bono?

 

[headfullofbees]

I doubt this legislation was introduced to stop the spread of invasive species, headfullofbees. If that was so then why is the wording targeted at companies, when it's usually an individual introducing an invasive species? It also doesn't mention plants or cuttings, which I'm sure it would if it was really all about invasive species. This is exactly the sort of thing that Monsanto has been behind in developing countries, of course they'd have an interest in spreading it in the developed world. Cui bono?

The point is, that this legislation ONLY controls the big companies, (10 or more employees) and will not harm small outlets who produce for niche/heirloom markets, will not harm seed-swapping between amateurs, and will certainly not target individual seed-saving gardeners, as was stated in the OP.

There may well be issues with large companies and bio-diversity, but that's a totally different matter.

 

[Soliloquy]

And why shouldn't companies (that is, larger farms) save their seed from year to year, as they have for millennia?

 

[headfullofbees]

And why shouldn't companies (that is, larger farms) save their seed from year to year, as they have for millennia?

That's a good question, but a different one.

They can if they have 10 or fewer employees.

 

[Soliloquy]

That is precisely the question the legislation is addressing.