Submitted to Wenatchee World on 3/28/2012:
Your local small farm is under siege. The threats are many and varied.
As the owner and operator of The 3-Bell Ranch, I am dedicated to growing GMO-free, pasture-fed beef, pork, chicken and rabbit. I screen all supplemental feed to be sure it's GMO free; this usually necessitates buying certified organic feed. I was dismayed when Monsanto succeeded in pushing GMO Alfalfa through this fall. Another threat, you know? Right now, my hay is safe; my neighbors have not planted GMO alfalfa, so my plants will not be contaminated by cross pollination. Down the road I may have to find a replacement legume for I simply refuse to feed my animals FrankenGenes.
Threats. In Michigan, the small farm Bakers Green Acres, is fighting the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) which is using the state Invasive Species Act to expand its jurisdiction beyond hunting and fishing to farming operations. They claim the Bakers Green Acres' heritage pig is a "feral" breed and must be destroyed or else DNR will arrest the farm family on felony charges and the DNR will shoot the pigs.
Threats. Just last month the FDA won its two-year fight to shut down an Amish farmer who was selling fresh raw milk in the Washington, D.C., region.
Threats. Farmers all around this country and Canada are facing law suits waged by Monsanto who claims that the farmers harmed the mega corporation when the farmer's seeds became contaminated by the patented GMO frankencrop genes. Some of these farmers had been carefully saving seeds for decades. Now their seed is ruined and Monsanto is suing them. What's wrong with this picture?
You can say, "I don't drink raw milk, so I don't care. You can say, "I don't eat pork, so I don't care." You can say, "I don't know that there's anything wrong with eating genetically modified food, so I don't care."
But we small farmers need you to care. Your voice will assure that we will continue to have food grown locally under sustainable practices. Your voice will protect our small farms from extermination.
We need you. Please speak.
Your local small farm is under siege. The threats are many and varied.
As the owner and operator of The 3-Bell Ranch, I am dedicated to growing GMO-free, pasture-fed beef, pork, chicken and rabbit. I screen all supplemental feed to be sure it's GMO free; this usually necessitates buying certified organic feed. I was dismayed when Monsanto succeeded in pushing GMO Alfalfa through this fall. Another threat, you know? Right now, my hay is safe; my neighbors have not planted GMO alfalfa, so my plants will not be contaminated by cross pollination. Down the road I may have to find a replacement legume for I simply refuse to feed my animals FrankenGenes.
Threats. In Michigan, the small farm Bakers Green Acres, is fighting the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) which is using the state Invasive Species Act to expand its jurisdiction beyond hunting and fishing to farming operations. They claim the Bakers Green Acres' heritage pig is a "feral" breed and must be destroyed or else DNR will arrest the farm family on felony charges and the DNR will shoot the pigs.
Threats. Just last month the FDA won its two-year fight to shut down an Amish farmer who was selling fresh raw milk in the Washington, D.C., region.
Threats. Farmers all around this country and Canada are facing law suits waged by Monsanto who claims that the farmers harmed the mega corporation when the farmer's seeds became contaminated by the patented GMO frankencrop genes. Some of these farmers had been carefully saving seeds for decades. Now their seed is ruined and Monsanto is suing them. What's wrong with this picture?
You can say, "I don't drink raw milk, so I don't care. You can say, "I don't eat pork, so I don't care." You can say, "I don't know that there's anything wrong with eating genetically modified food, so I don't care."
But we small farmers need you to care. Your voice will assure that we will continue to have food grown locally under sustainable practices. Your voice will protect our small farms from extermination.
We need you. Please speak.
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