Terminator seed

#terminatorseed #terminatorgenetechnology #suicideseed #TBIF #thebasketisfull

What is terminator gene technology?

In March 1998, Delta and Land Pine Company of Scott, Mississippi received the patent for the genetically engineered terminator seed. This seed prohibits the natural evolution of the crops from occurring and instead stops the growth process of the seeds’ second generation before they can mature. These genetically modified seeds have little benefit to the farmers. Those who are an advantage are the seed companies. The seed prevents farmers from re-planting seeds throughout the seasons by producing a sterile seed, which is unable to reproduce. This forces the farmer to turn to commercial seeds, profiting the large corporations and “creating greater dependency on proprietary seeds and their companion chemicals”. Another advantage would be the improvements for monopoly seed pricing decreasing price discrimination between farmers. But this again benefits the seed corporations as well, by paying farmers equally, with no risk of paying a farmer who reuses their seeds (less expensive for the farmer) the same as a farmer who does not.

Aggressive marketing schemes target uneducated farmers, unable to see through the scientific claims being promoted by the major agrochemical corporations. The introduction of the terminator seed means the traditional method of saving seeds for certain environmental conditions is obsolete. Without a farmer’s ability to alter their seeds as environmental conditions change, their resources will deplete. Those who can’t afford to replace seeds seasonally, such as those in developing countries, are greatly impacted by the disposability of the terminator seed. Poorer farmers of the tropics and sub-tropics produce 15-20 percent of the world’s food and encourage genetic diversity in plant breeding. Not only are the farmers at a loss, but also the population’s food security. Even the better-off farmers of developing countries are at risk, as the need to re-purchase seeds increase costs and control through licensing agreements, leaving the resource-poor farmers to “lose” their ability to determine their own lives – transforming them to meet the demand of their new masters”. This isolates farmers from the corporations, harming their much-needed relationship.