Monsanto has become the company everyone loves to hate, and the face of all that’s gone terribly amiss with conventional agricultural practices; in this case, an earned reputation. The geniuses there didn’t invent the so-called “Green Revolution” that created wholesale reliance on fossil fuels, the very strange practice of feeding the plant at the expense of the soil, seed patenting, and herbicide resistant GMOs; but they elevated each to new levels, while at the same waging various wars against their own customers on grounds of patent infringement and enagaging in what is quite rightly called “biopiracy.” I wrote a piece back in ’08, upon learning that Tom Vilsack was about to be appointed to head up Ag (upon the recommendation of the creepy Michael Taylor); there are some useful links therein, notably the Vanity Fair piece.
Anyway: there’s a rally against Monsanto and friends in Boston on MONDAY, JUNE 18th; AmberPaw (tied up with other pressing matters) requested I post this information regarding the event. I’ll be there, and hope some of you will consider joining us.
The biotechnology industry is having a convention June 18-21 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
To register for the conference costs thousands of dollars. Since we don’t want to give another dime to the biotech industry, Occupy Monsanto, Millions Against Monsanto, and other food democracy groups will be staging our own “Sidewalk Session” on the first day of the convention outside of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. We hope you can join us.
WHO: Occupy Monsanto, Millions Against Monsanto, & food democracy activists
WHAT: A Sidewalk Session – An open mic for activists to share & expose the dangers of the biotech industry
WHERE: Sidewalk in front of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210
WHEN: Monday, June 18th, at 8am until 10am
WHY: The biotechnology industry is conspiring to unleash more GMOs into the environment along with more toxic pesticides.
More information here.
I’m very pleased to see that NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) is endorsing this action. Since it happens to be my favorite organization on the planet. From providing bulk-rate purchases on green manures to assisting young organic farnmers with finding land to lobbying to litigating against Monsanto, these folks do it all, and do it well. And their annual three-day Summer Conference at UMass Amherst has been my summer vacation for the past few years.
Everything from Occupy Boston, the Wampanoag drummers, and several farmers organizations. Quite a coalition. I would be there if I could be, but as many of you know, going anywhere these days requires my making respite arrangements and I am VERY picky.