Bioneer,
Without seeds, where would we be? Seeds are the foundation of the food that sustains us and much of the life we interact with every day. Today is International Seeds Day, and we’re celebrating these small but mighty wonders. As Bioneers’ Arty Mangan writes, while seed saving once served a vital role in cultural preservation, our seed diversity is now at risk. “Unfortunately, we now have a troubling loss of diversity and monopolistic control of the most fundamental source of our food. Perverse patent laws allow corporations to own life-forms through their genetically engineered seeds, and three chemical companies now control more than 60% of the seed market. Governments around the world have approved these mergers, leaving no way for citizens to sue or break them up. Even more disturbing is the fact that these companies continue to buy up seeds and then ‘shelve’ them as a way to eliminate competition, further limiting the diversity of seeds that farmers can buy and plant.” Large seed corporations are making it tough for the little guys to get by, writes Gracy Olmstead in The American Conservative. As global climate change continues to make food production more challenging, and as regions throughout the world face food scarcity to growing degrees, many are arguing that putting the power of seeds back into the hands of the people is the solution we need. |
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Join a Global Seed Saving Network
Our friends at the Center for Food Safety launched the Global Seed Network in 2017, which “promotes the free sharing of rare, heirloom, and culturally significant seeds among farmers and gardeners around the world.” Gardeners, farmers, and small organizations can use the Network to connect with seed savers in regions throughout the world with similar growing conditions to theirs. In so doing, they’ll have access to seeds that meet their specific needs, such as drought and disease resistance.
We’re excited about the Global Seed Network’s potential to empower non-corporate growers of all kinds and foster the seed diversity we believe our planet and communities need. Keep reading to learn more about the magic and potential of the mighty seed. |
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Learn How to Save Seeds
Ready to start saving your own seeds? To learn more about how plants are pollinated and get tips on how to save seeds each year, check out this Bioneers talk with experts Sarah McCamant, John Navazio, and Matthew Dillon. |
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Seeds, War and Breeding Crops for Climate Change
An award-winning environmental investigative journalist, Mark Schapiro’s work has appeared in Harper’s, The Nation, Mother Jones, and The Atlantic Monthly. He’s also the author of Seeds of Resistance: The Fight for Our Food Supply. In this excerpt from his Bioneers 2018 presentation, Schapiro weaves together American foreign policy, agricultural heritage, and the story of how an Italian seed breeder working for the United Nations in the Middle East managed to shepherd a refugee seed collection through two wars in hopes of preserving an ancient genetic treasure that could help farmers adapt to climate change.Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the city of Abu Ghraib became infamous as the location of the prison where horrible things were done by American soldiers to Iraqi prisoners. Prior to 2003, Abu Ghraib was renowned for being the host to an extremely important seed bank that collected seeds from all over that region. Iraq is the center of the fertile crescent and Abu Ghraib is located in the great Delta, the meeting of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which was the birthplace of domesticated agriculture. Seeds that have been planted for many, many centuries began their journey into our ecosystem in the Delta of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, which means these seeds in Abu Ghraib were some of the most ancient domesticated seeds on the planet. In April 2003, American troops rolled into Iraq and made their way pretty quickly to Baghdad. As the fighting got more and more intense around Baghdad, the seed bank was hit by a random rocket – it’s unclear whether it was an American rocket or rocket from the Iraqi defenders – and the seed bank was rattled and almost destroyed. Read more here.
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Bioneers 2019 Super Early Bird Tickets!
Our best ticket deal of the year expires at midnight on Monday the 29th! Buy yours now for 15% off our already discounted early bird tickets. Learn more here. |
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Don’t Miss the Latest on Bioneers.org!
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Eat Like a Fish: Restoring the Oceans Through Kelp Farming
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What We’re Tracking:
- On May 4, Bioneers Executive Director Joshua Fouts is moderating a panel with journalists Mark Schapiro and Vince Beiser called “Sand and Seeds: The Surprising Stories Behind Humanity’s Most Vital Elements” as part of the Bay Area Book Festival. Reserve your tickets here.
- In recognition of the central role that women play in environmental and climate movements and the resources they acutely need to grow their impact, WEA (Women's Earth Alliance) and the Sierra Club are calling for application to participate in the recently launched U.S. Grassroots Accelerator for Women Environmental Leaders. This action-oriented accelerator will convene a powerful group of women leaders who are out front – fiercely protecting our water, food, air, forests, land, sacred sites, indigenous lifeways, and future generations. If you're ready to scale your solutions for environmental and climate justice, apply today.
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