Prop 37: Heirloom Corns and Other Reasons to Support California’s Right to Know

Reader Contribution by Ira Wallace
1 / 5
2 / 5
3 / 5
4 / 5
5 / 5

In addition to being an avid gardener and heirloom seed grower I consider myself a person seriously concerned about the state of our food system. But the last few weeks I have been distracted with finishing my book on gardening in the Southeast. Well I’ve sent the book off to the editor and I’m back to reading my emails and paying attention to what’s happening in the world. Although I live in Virginia, yesterday and this morning my inbox was flooded with links to Michael Pollan’s NY Times article: Is the Food Movement for Real? The article asks Americans to realize our food movement, by stepping up and helping the voters of California approve Proposition 37, the ballot initiative to label GMOs. Check out the California Right to Know website.

At Southern Exposure Seed Exchange we are very concerned about the threat of GMOs to our supply of pure organic seeds. We, along with 74 other seed businesses, family farmers, and agricultural organizations, are still in court with the ongoing lawsuit OSGATA et al v Monsanto. We are asking for legalprotection from Monsanto’s patents on genetically engineered seed.

One of the most precious things at stake in this lawsuit is heirloom and organic corn varieties. As a wind pollinated species corn needs a mile or more of isolation distance to guarantee pure seed. With more than 90% of the feed corn being planted using GMO seed and no protection for organic farmers who are accidentally contaminated, it is getting more and more difficult to find locations where pure corn can be grown. What a sad day it will be if varieties rich in flavor and history like Daymon Morgan’s Kentucky Butcher corn or Cherokee Long Ear Small popcorn are lost due to contamination with GMO corn. 

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368