Defending Good Science

December, 2004

Seeds of Stupidity

Every now and then I run into a story so ridiculous, it actually makes you stop and laugh out loud.  The following piece of junk science - about poor Iraqi farmers now beholden to US multi-national seed corporations - definitely qualifies.

In fact, it's so insane I almost hesitated to profile it, for fear of drawing attention to allegations so far out in left field that they're not even in the same zip code, much less the same ball park.

Internet gossip/newshound Pierre Bourque highlighted this particular story on his website. In breathless fury, the article regales us with, "Iraqi farmers will no longer be permitted to save their seeds. Instead, they will be forced to buy seeds from US corporations -- which can include seeds the Iraqis themselves developed over hundreds of years."

The article concerns the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV.  The actual convention can be seen here.)  The interim government in Iraq has joined over 55 other countries and signed unto this convention.

Under the terms of the convention, a country may prohibit farmers from saving specific seeds from protected varieties of plants.  Iraq chose to follow this rule - but this only applies to registered varieties that satisfy the requirements of the Plant Variety Protection Law. 

It is simple acts like signing conventions and respecting international treaties which will pull Iraq into the 21st century.  Establishing a framework of laws and principals is a welcome step to any developing democracy.

But more to the point - guess how many Iraqi farmers are going to be affected by this new order?

None.  There is not a single ‘protected’ variety of plant currently being sold or marketed in Iraq.  In other words, this doesn't affect Iraqi farmers one iota.

This doesn't stop activists from screaming "the US has declared a new war against the Iraqi farmer."  Criticize all they want -- they're still wrong.

It's hard to get any blunter than this.  This isn't a case of two differing viewpoints or interpretations.  There's no amount of subjective analysis needed to counter this ludicrous allegation - it's just plain wrong. 

When contacted to comment on this particular article, the Monsanto spokesperson I spoke to was nonplussed.  "I'm not even sure we even HAVE a biotech business in Iraq," she replied. 

Monsanto is certainly used to being criticized.  They've shared blame for a long list of biotechnology related scares.  But surely, even the most strident of Monsanto-haters has to realize the difference between healthy skepticism and a line like "In a short time, Iraq will be living under the new American credo: Pay Monsanto, or starve."

Welcome to the age of Internet "journalism."  Articles like this (which, tragically enough, are still being highlighted on the front page of hosting website) are an end result of closed-mindedness and prejudice.  When you take emotional hot-button issues such as the war in Iraq and USA global multi-nationalism and throw in some genetically modified food issues, the end result is hardly surprising.

Monsanto is used to it.  Will you be ready when it happens to you?

Link of the Month

Genetically Modified Orchestra?

I defend good science - which sometimes includes GMO foods.  But very rarely do readers see me defend GMO music...

'The GMO's' - "a blend of Blue Rodeo and The Eagles" - are a creation of a agricultural-minded people 'with other day jobs'.  The band consists of Ag communications experts Len Kahn, Rob Hannam and Owen Roberts, Botany Professor Doug Larson, and Rob McLean - aka the husband of Ontario Soybean communications maven Lisa.

The band, based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, is starting to achieve some success, and has just released their debut CD.  I think it's due to the strength of their slogan... "Banned in Europe.  Tolerated in Japan.  Accepted in America.  Loved in Canada."

http://www.gmomusic.com

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