Seeds are responsible for the ENTIRETY of our food supply, so why do just 10 companies control over 70% of the global seed market? Are they trying to erase culture and history?
Good question.
For some, the control of seeds is connected to the erasure of culture and history. And ultimately, control.
The most recent Food Slain podcast episode was released today, Topic : Seeds : The Erasure of Culture and History.
Listen to the full episode here and share this episode with someone you love!
While researching the topic, I learned some really interesting things about history, specifically the history of the watermelon. Did you know that watermelons originated in Northeast Africa? In modern day, this place is Sudan. Watermelons were cultivated by Ancient Egyptians and grown for function, as opposed to taste. They were grown to store water during the dry season. Brilliant.
Why is this important? Because watermelons are deeply connected and represent a kind of liberation for American black people. Who knew…? What’s more important though, is that seeds are under threat thanks to the consolidation of seed companies in the past two to three decades.
If our seeds are under threat, our food supply is under threat.
And so is our national security, our cultural identity, our history, our bio diversity and our economic prosperity.
I hope you listen to the episode and save your own seed, or at the very least, support some of the organizations, seed farmers and small businesses that are diligently working to preserve the rich history and culture of seeds around the world.
Here is a small list of some of those amazing organizations and businesses (that I personally support). And no, this post is NOT sponsored by anyone. 🙂
Organic Seed Alliance
Seed Savers Exchange
Slow Food International
INTERNATIONAL and NATIONAL SEED ADVOCACY GROUPS
You can connect regionally with seed stewards in your region
- Pacific Northwest Regional Seed Network
- California Regional Seed Network
- Southeast Regional Seed Network
- Northeast Regional Seed Network
- Hawai’i Regional Seed Network
- Midwest Regional Seed Network
- Intermountain West Regional Seed Network
- International Seed Ambassadors
- Carrot Breeding Network
There’s a seed library network in Michigan – miseedlibrary.org
INDIVIDUAL SEED COMPANIES I PERSONALLY SUPPORT
Territorial Seed Company
Adaptive Seeds
North Circle Seeds
The Tree Collard Project
Fruition Seeds
Rare Seeds/Baker Creek Seeds
Victory Seed Company
Some others that I haven’t had a chance to personally support, but are out there are :
- Sustainable Seed Company
- Native American Seed Sanctuary (doing great work in New York)
- Seedshed
- Indigenous Seed Keepers Network
Anyway…there you have it. Now…on another note…
So, for some reason I totally fell off from posting on my blog. Ugh.
Now, five seasons later since the last blog post, we are now in Season Nine, episode 95! Wooohooo. Needless to say, things have been busy. And if you are a regular listener to the Food Slain Podcast, thanks for sticking around and listening to and sharing episodes with people you love!
Chow!
