Seed sharing and food-plant sharing would become illegal

Issue Definition: Definition of food includes seeds, and hence the distribution of seeds is restricted.

Details of this issue: Seed banks and seed-sharing networks could be shut down if they were not able to obtain authorisation, and that authorisation can be denied by the Minister of Food Safety or MAF.

See also: Restrictions on seed sharing will lead to reduced bio-diversity

The amendment by way of a Supplementary Order Paper promised by Hon Kate Wilkinson has not yet been made, so the issue still stands.

Kate Wilkinson could be removed from her Cabinet position of Minister for Food Safety and could use this fact to pass on the responsibility for any amendment of Food Bill 160-2 to her successor. Her successor may not table any such amendment, and further will never have promised to do so. So it may very likely never happen happen. At which point Wilkinson will be off the hook, and the Bill will go through as it currently stands on the matter of seeds sharing.

If Hon Kate Wilkinson does honour her promise, however, it would mean that seed sharing within networks could continue without prohibitive regulation. Networks are essential for seed sharing to succeed in its chief aim – to preserve seed lines so that organic/heritage foods are not lost. But the subsequent Food Safety Minister could use his/her wide powers (granted by the Food Bill) to later retract the amendment.

If seed lines are lost they will, in the present context of agribusiness, ‘naturally’ be replaced with big-business (Monstanto et al) hybrid or GMO varieties. These are difficult to save seed from (because some of their plants are genetically modified to produce sterile seeds) or illegal to save seed from (restricted by big business ‘gene copyrights’), so a grower must keep buying seeds each season to replenish stock. It’s a nice business model, and the Food Bill serves it brilliantly. It’s also a serious issue for growers in light of any further ‘accidental’ financial collapses, when they might have no money to buy seed.

References & Citations: A letter of response dated 03/Aug/2011 from Kate Wilkinson (Minister for Food Safety) to Sue Kedgley (MP for Green Party) stating that she intends to include an amendment in a Supplementary Order Paper such that “Seeds for cultivation and food seedlings are not within the definition of food under the bill.”

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