Monsanto is not only overtly taking over the seed market, but covertly also. Did you know that Seminis, "the largest developer, grower and marketer of fruit and vegetable seeds in the world," is owned by Monsanto? Here is a blurb from the company website:
Seminis sells vegetable seeds in more than 155 countries. In addition to the corporate site, we have 10 regional/country-specific Web sites with useful information about local products and contact information....Seminis' parent company, Monsanto, announced plans to acquire Netherlands-based vegetable seeds company, De Ruiter Seeds. LINK
Seminis is a wholesaler, so chances are if you purchase seeds at your local store, or website, the company will have purchased seeds from Seminis/Monsanto.
Seminis offers more than 3,000 seed varieties in 25 fruit and vegetable crops. We do not work with tree fruit, grapes, berries, potatoes and other crops that are plant propagated. (seminis.com)
The company is very proud of their seedless varieties of watermelon and peppers. And why shouldn't it be? No seeds, no seed saving.
Seminis brand names
The Urban Crop Circles Forum is currently doing some research on seed companies that are either owned by Monsanto, or selling Monsanto seeds, or both. The link to the forum is HERE.
The following U.S. dealers stock Seminis/Monsanto seeds for the home gardener:
Burpee, W Atlee, Dege Garden Center, E & R Seed Co., Earl May Seed, Garden Trends, Gardens Alive, Germania Seed Co., Johnnys Selected Seeds, J.W. Jung Seed Co., Lindenberg Seeds, Mountain Valley Seed, Nichols Garden Nursery, Park Seed, Rocky Mountain Seed Co., T & T Seeds, Ltd., Tomato Growers Supply, Willhite Seed Co.
This list was taken from the Seminis site. You can find the full contact information on these dealers HERE. To find the home garden dealers for the rest of the world, go HERE.
The following is a list of products for the professional grower:
· Broccoli
· Cabbage
· Carrot
· Cauliflower
· Cucumber
· Dry Beans
· Fresh Market Bean
· Fresh Market Tomatoes
· Hot Pepper
· Lettuce
· Melon
· Onion
· Pea
· Pickle
· Processing Bean
· Processing Tomato
· Pumpkin
· Spinach
· Summer Squash
· Sweet Corn
· Sweet Pepper
· Watermelon
· Winter Squash
Here is a LINK to the network of seed dealers, distributors, and wholesalers that market Seminis/Monsanto seeds to the retail outlets and professional grower. The list is too extensive to print here.
The Seminis patents, located HERE, are mainly for hybrids and cross-breeding to develop certain traits. With Monsanto in the mix however, I expect we can see some changes.
Here is a LINK to the 4,336 Monsanto patents.
When you buy seeds, make sure they are heirloom seeds, and not hybrid or genetically modified. Check out the companies, and if they purchase their seeds from Seminis, find another company because you are supporting Monsanto when you buy their products. Save the seeds from your heirloom crops and start your own seed bank, because very soon, clean seeds will be unavailable unless they come from you or your neighbor. It is up to us to do the research, ask the questions, then follow through by action. Boycott Monsanto/Seminis seeds.
Barbara H. Peterson
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