Cease Support for Multi-National Seed Companies

Part of our Action for Seed Freedom Series

Large companies and corporations are attempting to create a monopoly over local markets and natural resources through the manipulation of seed and its distribution. If they are not supported through the purchase and promotion of their products they will begin to lose income. Income is essential to any business in order to support itself and to plan and sustain itself into the future.

In the first half of the 20th century, seeds remained in the hands of farmers, gardeners and public-sector plant breeders. In the decades since then, large companies have used genetic modification and intellectual property laws to commodify the world seed supply. Through eliminating the rights of farmers and primary producers they aim to control plant germplasm and maximize profits.

In 2007 the proprietary seed market accounted for around 82% of the world's commercial seed supply. This does not include farmer-saved seed. In less than three decades, a handful of multinational corporations have engineered an explosive corporate enclosure of the first link in the food chain - our seeds.

 The World's Top 10 Seed Companies

Company 2007 Seed Sales (US$ millions) - % of global proprietary seed market

1.Monsanto (US) - $4,964m - 23%
2.DuPont (US) - $3,300m - 15%
3.Syngenta (Switzerland) - $2,018m - 9%
4.Groupe Limagrain (France) - $1,226m - 6%
5.Land O' Lakes (US) - $917m - 4%
6.KWS AG (Germany) - $702m - 3%
7.Bayer Crop Science (Germany) - $524m - 2%
8.Sakata (Japan) - $396m - <2%
9.DLF-Trifolium (Denmark) - $391m - <2%
10.Takii (Japan) - $347m - <2%

Top 10 Total - $14,785m - 67% [of global proprietary seed market]

Source: ETC Group

Patented gene technologies will not assist small farmers survive climate change, reduce their dependencies on agro-chemicals or solve world hunger. They will however concentrate corporate power, drive up costs, inhibit public sector research and further undermine the rights of farmers to save and exchange seeds whilst at the same time increasing an ever-growing burden on the environment and our health.

ACTION: Read the labels on everything before you buy. Save your own seeds. Reduce your use of chemicals in your house and garden. Question and learn about chemical ingredients you are not sure about - Wikipedia is a helpful tool for this.

You can view an on-line video called Genetic Roulette here. A documentary that highlights the actual dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms - primarily plants - in our food chain. Essential information for every being.