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Post by bunkie on Dec 4, 2014 11:01:42 GMT -5
Tom, Darwinslayer, and I were discussing this this morning. I was thinking of starting a seed section in our little library. Will have to check the rules and regs of our state now. Amazing the control the big guys are attempting over the little guys. He posted this on Idig.... " Seed trading/gifting now a crime in Minnesota Dont know how many of you saw the news, but the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, under the advisement of two seed companies and multiple organizations whose purpose is to maximize market share and profits for commercial agriculture in the state of Minnesota, have redefined the words "gift, borrow, lend & trade" to mean "sell", placing anyone transferring seeds for any reason to another person under the rules of the commercial seed companies, which includes a license (not too much money) and annual laboratory testing of 400 seeds to guarantee the viability and that they are true to type, that sampes of 400 seeds must be kept on hand for 24 months, all laboratory tests of all inventory seeds must be kept on hand for 24 months, and where these are kept must be open to inspection during all normal business hours. Not a joke or ONION story. www.mprnews.org/story/2014/11/30/duluth-librarys-seed-sharing-program-hits-a-hurdleTo say I am pissed off about being made a criminal by a committee whose purpose is to promote commercial agriculture, is like saying the sun is warm. Tom" |
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Post by blueadzuki on Dec 4, 2014 11:32:47 GMT -5
What I find particularly worrisome (and where the library may run into a hurdle even if it DOES find a tester) is the "true to type" bit. Given the way big seed companies (and hence the government) defines that "true to type" is likely to be rapidly defined as being synonymous with "all morphologically (or as testing gets better, genetically" identical.) They'll probably define the rules such that any variation in the plants results in an automatic failure of the sample (much as what happened to some of the British strains when they started appling the EU seed laws more rigorously)
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Post by flowerweaver on Dec 4, 2014 11:34:07 GMT -5
That's frightening, bunkie!
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Post by steev on Dec 4, 2014 11:46:11 GMT -5
Oddly, I'm bewildered by such HUA actions.
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Post by billw on Dec 4, 2014 12:14:38 GMT -5
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Post by billw on Dec 4, 2014 12:16:26 GMT -5
The requirements on eliminating contaminant seeds may also be a problem for seed libraries.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Dec 4, 2014 15:25:17 GMT -5
Seed libraries creep me out... mostly because of quality control issues.
Is the seed likely to germinate?
Is the variety name accurate?
Did someone tinker with the labels or seeds?
Is it even the species specified on the packet?
Have the sweet peppers been contaminated with hot genes?
Is there really any seed in there among the chaff?
Perhaps I say that only because the seed libraries that I have seen photos of consisted of seeds just sitting in a drawer at a public place without any type of safeguards. They are open and waiting for tampering, vandalism, theft, bugs, mice, kids, etc...
I would love it if I could drop by some place and obtain locally-grown and locally-adapted varieties that have been proven to thrive in my area, but I don't think that the current "seed library" movement would be able to provide what I am looking for. Perhaps a seed library more along the lines of a special collections model would work better for me: Where you ask the seed custodian to retrieve seeds for you, and check seeds in with a curator rather than just anonymously tinkering with the collection.
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Post by 12540dumont on Dec 5, 2014 18:54:47 GMT -5
I hate these laws. Sure the seed library seeds may be off type. But if you have no money and are starting your first garden, a lettuce is a lettuce. And if it doesn't germinate, well it was free right?
I can't tell you how many seeds I have bought from "REAL" seed companies that failed to germ, thrive and were off type. Fie!
So, I had this plan to bring my seeds to the heirloom seed festival in California. But it required that I get a license. Fie!
Look it's my position that I will give away seeds when I want to, and to whom I wish to give them to. Regardless of their state of residence or state of mind. I guess you're likely to find me in a "seedy" jail one of these days.
Right now I'm reading a book on anti-gravity....I can't put it down.
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Post by billw on Dec 5, 2014 19:07:36 GMT -5
I figure that I already ignore a huge number of laws out of ignorance, so it won't hurt to ignore a few more out of obstinance.
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Post by oldmobie on Dec 5, 2014 23:56:23 GMT -5
I guess my little drawer full of seeds will have to be relabeled.
Luckily, the wise and benevolent United States Government is here to help! I feel better already.
(How'd I get up here? Is this a soap box?)
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Post by paquebot on Dec 6, 2014 2:00:18 GMT -5
That law is pretty much the same in every state, of which each has their own set independent of any USDA regulations. All were implemented to protect the gardener from unscrupulous sellers at a time when gardening may have meant survival. The county I live in has a seed library program. A friend checked out a packet of lettuce and the seeds were round and black. Turned out to be radishes!
Martin
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Post by bunkie on Dec 12, 2014 15:13:54 GMT -5
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Post by spacecase0 on Dec 12, 2014 23:56:30 GMT -5
they already got the last seed library I visited shut down (in richmond CA)
they say it was due to the possibly of agricultural terrorism
think about what kind of thought process this took, and where it ends up
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