Wholesale rejection of EC seed directive by GRAIN | 12 Oct 2007 Seedling - October 2007 Eight years ago directive 98/95/EC was issued to cover the whole of the seed industry within the European Community. It was recognised at the time that special conditions must be established for so-called “conservation varieties” of seeds, regarded as important for genetic conservation. It is this enabling legislation, spelling out what directive 98/95/EC means in practice, which was finally published in April.In the end, this enabling legisation has turned out to be highly restrictive. Eight years ago directive 98/95/EC was issued to cover the whole of the seed industry within the European Community. It was recognised at the time that special conditions must be established for so-called “conservation varieties” of seeds, regarded as important for genetic conservation. It is this enabling legislation, spelling out what directive 98/95/EC means in practice, which was finally published in April.In the end, this enabling legisation has turned out to be highly restrictive.
Film reviews by GRAIN | 10 Oct 2007 Seedling - October 2007 We review three films: "Squeezed" a film about the cost of free trade in the Asia–Pacific region; and two short films about fisherfolk in Canada We review three films: "Squeezed" a film about the cost of free trade in the Asia–Pacific region; and two short films about fisherfolk in Canada
Cracking some hard nuts by GRAIN | 5 Oct 2007 Seedling - October 2007 Behind the scenes, and together with others, GRAIN has been involved in two projects this year which are now drawing to a close - an external evaluation and a study on whether and how it could be possible to set up a special funding mechanism. Behind the scenes, and together with others, GRAIN has been involved in two projects this year which are now drawing to a close - an external evaluation and a study on whether and how it could be possible to set up a special funding mechanism.
Japan digs its claws into biodiversity through FTAs by GRAIN | 27 Aug 2007 Seeds Japan is increasingly using free trade agreements (FTAs) to tighten corporate control over seeds and other forms of biodiversity that are crucial to food, agriculture and medicine. Two such deals, sealed this month with the Chilean and Indonesian governments, put Japan in the big league of nations using bilateral trade deals to make seed-saving on the farm a thing of the past. Japan is increasingly using free trade agreements (FTAs) to tighten corporate control over seeds and other forms of biodiversity that are crucial to food, agriculture and medicine. Two such deals, sealed this month with the Chilean and Indonesian governments, put Japan in the big league of nations using bilateral trade deals to make seed-saving on the farm a thing of the past.