Justice Begins with Seeds

On October 13, Vandana Shiva returns to San Francisco to present A Global Citizens Report on the State of GMOs (details in events listing below).

Vandana Shiva (http://www.vandanashiva.org/)
Vandana Shiva & event organizer Miguel Robles (http://biosafetyalliance.org/)
Ignacio Chapela of UC Berkeley (http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/chapelalab/)
Marcia Ishii-Eiteman of Pesticide Action Network North America (http://www.panna.org/). Read Marcia's coverage at http://www.panna.org/blog/seeding-justice-cultivating-democracy.

“Current Legal Climate & Challenges Surrounding GMO Crops” presentation by attorneys Daniel B. Rachiver (http://www.pubpat.org/), Rebecca Spector (http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/) & Philip Heiselmann (http://www.sustainablefoodlaw.com/).
Adam Scow of Food & Water Watch (has excellent backgrounder on GMO food at http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/reports/genetically-engineered-food/) & Ashley Schaefer of Rainforest Action Network outside sunny Valencia St. after their presentation on “Building a Powerful Political Campaign Against the Corporate Control of Seeds: Learning From Other Contexts.” Read Ashley's coverage at http://understory.ran.org/2011/09/21/justice-begins-with-seeds/
Label GMOs
Lunch
Jorge Molina of Peru
South Central Farmers (http://southcentralfarmers.com/)
“Counteracting Food Industry with Ethnic Diversification & Alternative Market Forces” panel discussion with Michael Dimock (http://rootsofchange.org/), Tezo (http://southcentralfarmers.com/), Maria Catalan (http://cuesa.org/farm/catalán-family-farm) & Cesar Gonzalez (http://mandelamarketplace.org/)

“Agricultural Diversity & Real Solutions We Need” panel discussion with Michael Dimock, Adelita San Vincente, Miguel Altieri (http://agroeco.org/) & Miguel Robles

Olivia Chumacero of Everything is Medicine Ceremony & Seed Give-A-Way
For The Free Farm, picked up some non-GE seed packets with the following descriptions: "Fava Beans (Vicia faba) can be eaten while still young & tender, raw or cooked; also can be fried, causing skin to split open, salted &/or spiced to produce savory crunchy snack; popular in China, Colombia, Peru (habas saladas), Mexico (habas con chile) & Thailand (where their name means "open-mouth nut"); plant fixes nitrogen in soil if you cut down plant when it starts flowering. Pipicha (Porophyllum tagetoides) edible as fresh uncooked green; allow seedheads to dry on plants before removing them & collecting seeds; indigenous communities use Pipicha against bacterial infections, as well as for liver cleansing & detoxification."
Non-GE Alfalfa (Medicago sativa): "edible fresh & great as juice; high in protein, calcium, other minerals, vitamins B, C, E & K; young alfalfa leaves treat disorders related to digestive tract & kidneys; cooling poultice made from seeds can be used to treat boils."
Jeffrey Smith (http://www.responsibletechnology.org/)
“Shifting Industrial Food Regime with Community Based Solutions” panel discussion with Robert Morrison & Oscar Grande (http://www.podersf.org/), John Wick (http://marincarbonproject.org/)
Doria Robinson (http://www.urbantilth.org/) & Aaron Lehmer (http://www.baylocalize.org/)
Mari Margil of Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (http://www.celdf.org/)
Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin (http://www.mayorgayle.net/) on "Political Commitments & Engagements for Alternative Food System" Event organizer Karen Swift (http://biosafetyalliance.org/)
The Free Farmers Pancho & Lynn (also Getup classmate). Read Lynn's coverage at http://lynnfang.com/2011/10/justice-begins-with-seeds-the-magic-begins/
Dinner

October is non-GMO month (http://www.nongmomonth.org/)

Thurs., Oct. 13, 2011, 12 noon A Global Citizens Report on the State of GMOs: False Promises, Failed Technologies
City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton D. Goodlett Pl, SF
Press conference featuring Dr. Vandana Shiva, elected officials and other speakers. Invitation to the presentation of the West Coast launch of The Global Citizens Report on the State of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)— False Promises, Failed Technologies and West Coast Right2KnowMarch. Contact: Miguel Robles, 415.368.1891

Thurs., Oct. 13, 2011, 7-9 pm A Global Citizens Report on the State of GMOs: False Promises, Failed Technologies
San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center, 401 Van Ness Ave., SF
Published by Navdanya (India), Navdanya International, the International Commission on the Future of Food with the participation of the Center for Food Safety and contributions from other partners and groups around the world. Speakers: Dr. Vandana Shiva, Philosopher, Environmental Activist and Eco Feminist. Debbie Barker, International Program Director, Center for Food Safety. Miguel Altieri, Associate Professor of Agroecology at UC Berkeley and Associate Entomologist. These new reports highlight scientific research and empirical experiences from around the globe demonstrating how genetically modified (GM) seeds and crops have failed to deliver its advertised promises. The reports document and expose how contrary to the myths of feeding the world and protecting food and environmental safety, GMOs have increased the prevalence of herbicide resistant 'superweeds' and pests, have led to farmer debt and suicides from the high price of seeds, have degraded ecosystems and have benefitted the corporate industry while failing to increase food production. The reports further illustrate the alternative solutions we need to see real food security, just agricultural systems, and outline how we can act together to see this necessary transition. RSVP at http://globalstateofgmos.eventbrite.com/

Fri., Oct. 14-Mon., Oct. 17 West Coast Right2KnowMarch from SF to Sacramento
Fri., Oct. 14 at 9 am, depart San Francisco from the BART station at 24th & Mission, our first stop, will be in around 10:00 AM. In West Oakland, from there we will ride to the Rising Sun Entrepreneurs/ La Placita Commercial Kitchen in Oakland, where we will have a presentation and around 1 pm we will go to City Hall to Deliver the Report to Mayor Jean Quan's Office.
Around 1:00 PM we will be at Peoples Park in Berkeley to have a gathering and Berkeley University to pass some stickers and flyers, then we will walk to the City Hall where some members of the California Biosafety Alliance are arranging a meeting with a City Council Member, we will drop a report at the Mayor's office.
Around 4:00 PM, we will ride to The City of Richmond, where we will be making a presentation at a urban garden, then we will give a report to Mayor Gayle McLaugin and maybe we will screen a movie during the evening. We will stay over in Richmond.
Sat., Oct. 15 during the morning, we will cross Vallejo Bridge and the plan is to meet with people in Vallejo, Vacaville, Fairfield, Davis. We don't have anything confirmed yet in this area, so it would be good to have local contacts if you have.
Sun., Oct. 16 during the morning, we are riding to Sacramento to join the rally.
Mon., Oct. 17, we are delivering the report at Governor's Jerry Brown office.
Contact: Miguel Perez, 415.240.1697

Sun., Oct. 16, 2011 World Food Day Rallies for the Right to Know About Genetically Engineered Foods
More than 90% of Americans want to know when we’re eating genetically engineered (GE) food. Up to 80% of non-organic food on our shelves contains a GE ingredient. We’re concerned, and rightly so.
Much of the rest of the world — including Japan, Australia, the European Union and China — require GE foods to be clearly labeled. But in the U.S., biotech companies like Monsanto enjoy unfettered and unlabeled access to the market.
If almost everyone wants them, why aren't there labels on GE foods? Because we haven't yet built up a large enough movement to force companies, grocery stores, and elected public officials to bend to the peoples' will. That's what OCA's Millions Against Monsanto campaign is all about.
We have an opportunity now to greatly increase involvement and action in the Millions Against Monsanto campaign for labels on GE foods.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_23862.cfm

Tues., Oct. 18, 2011, 5-7 pm “Our Daily Poison” screening
Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley, 2607 Hearst Ave., Berkeley
Meet muckraking documentarian and The World According to Monsanto author Marie-Monique Robin in U.S. premier of her latest documentary. “Our Daily Poison” (http://icarusfilms.com/new2011/pois.html) is a documentary film that reveals a broken safety system concerned more with protecting trade secrets than human health. The film shows that the main cause of the epidemic of cancer and neurological diseases is environmental: it is the result of the 100,000 chemical molecules that have invaded our environment, and primarily our food, since the end of the Second World War.
https://www.foodfirst.org/en/Our+Daily+Poison