-Caveat Lector- >---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ---------------- >Date: 9/11/99 7:00 AM >Received: 9/11/99 3:23 PM >From: Natl. Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > (by way of Debbie Ortman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>) > >PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR NETWORKS > > URGENT ACTION NEEDED > >U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS AT IT AGAIN!! >AGENCY CONTINUES TO FUND TERMINATOR TECHNOLOGY > >TELL USDA TO STOP ITS ONGOING SUPPORT OF NEW RESEARCH ON >TERMINATOR/TRAITOR TECHNOLOGIES. >USE PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR PUBLIC SECTOR RESEARCH > >Despite widespread opposition to USDA's involvement with Terminator >technology, the agency continues to use taxpayer dollars to support >genetic seed sterilization. Controversy over the Terminator >technology has generated an avalanche of public opposition. USDA is >blatantly ignoring the public outcry. A new patent reveals that USDA >funding supports additional Terminator research at Purdue University >(Indiana). > >WRITE, PHONE, OR FAX SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN >USDA, 200A Whitten Bldg., 1400 Independence Ave., SW. Washington, DC >20250 Phone: 202-720-3631; Fax: 202-720-2166 > >Tell him to stop using USDA=92s scarce public research dollars to >pursue a dangerous, antifarmer technology that threatens >biodiversity. Tell him that USDA must: > >** Abandon all research on genetic seed sterilization. >** Develop a policy prohibiting the use of public research dollars >on Terminator technologies ** Use public research dollars to support >plant breeding for sustainable agriculture > > > Terminator is a controversial technology that has generated >worldwide protest and debate because it renders farm saved seed >sterile forcing farmers to return to the commercial seed market every >year. If commercialized, it will threaten global food security and >endanger biodiversity. The original Terminator patent is jointly >owned by the US Department of Agriculture and a Monsanto subsidiary, >Delta & Pine Land Co. > > The notorious Terminator patent is just the tip of the > iceberg. >There are dozens of new patents describing a wide range of techniques >that can be used for the genetic sterilization of plants and seeds. >Every major seed and agrochemical enterprise is developing its own >version of suicide seeds. These technologies are extremely dangerous >because they will erode farmer control and decision making in >agriculture and increase dependence on a handful of giant >agrochemical corporations. Over 1.4 billion people, primarily poor >farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America depend on farmsaved seed >as their primary seed source. If they can't save seed, they can't >continue to adapt crops to their unique farming environment. The new >generation of patents goes beyond the genetic neutering of crops. >The patents reveal that multinational agrochemical and seed >corporations are developing suicide seeds whose genetic traits can be >turned on and off by an external chemical inducer triggered by the >company's patented agrochemicals. In the notsodistant future, we may >see farmers planting seeds that will develop into productive crops >only if sprayed with a carefully prescribed regimen that includes the >company's proprietary pesticide, fertilizer, or herbicide -- the >TRAITOR technologies. > > With Traitor technologies, farmers will be forced to > surrender >control of their seed supply and the Gene Giants will ultimately >dictate what the farmer grows, how to grow it, and where to sell it. >Seed sterility is not about insuring quality of productivity, it's a >power grab pure and simple, and tax dollars should not go to support >the development of these technologies. > >For detailed analyses of Terminator and Traitor technologies, see >websites: <http://www.rafi.org/>www.rafi.org & ><http://www.ucsusa.org/>www.ucsusa.org > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >-----= - >------------------------------------------------------ >Sample letter to protest the Terminator Technology: > >Please copy this letter to your representatives in Congress. > >Secretary Dan Glickman >USDA >200-A Whitten Bldg. >1400 Independence Ave., SW >Washington, DC 20250 >Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Fax: (202) 720-3631 > >Dear Secretary Glickman: > >I oppose the use of taxpayer money to develop Terminator technology >a genetic technology that renders farm-saved seed sterile. I urgently >call on USDA to adopt a policy that will prevent the use of public >funds (either through grants or in-house research) to support genetic >seed sterilization. > >I am writing to ask that the USDA immediately cease negotiations to >license the Terminator technology to a Monsanto subsidiary (Delta and >Pine Land Co.). I urge the USDA to abandon its worldwide patent >applications on this immoral and dangerous technology. > >The Terminator technology is a dead-end for farmers and a threat to >food security worldwide. I respectfully urge you to stop funding >Terminator technology and cease negotiations for its commercial >development. > >Sincerely, > > >Your Name > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >-----= - >----- >RAFI-USA >Rural Advancement Foundation International >P.O. Box 640, 21 Hillsboro St. >Pittsboro, NC 27312 USA >Ph: 919-542-1396; Fax: 919-542-0069 ><http://www.rafiusa.org/>www.rafiusa.org > >PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR FORMATTED OR HARD COPY > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Liana Hoodes >National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture >P.O. Box 396 >Pine Bush, New York 12566 >Phone: 914-744-8448 >Fax: 914-744-8477 >emamil: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ><http://www.sustainableagriculture.net/>www.SustainableAgriculture.ne >t If you would like to join our (free) Action Alert Network, please >email us your name, address, phone, fax, and email. >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >----------------- End Forwarded Message ----------------- ------- End of forwarded message ------- Kathleen "Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy." -- Franz Kafka DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. 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