1. CORPORATE TIT FOR TAT Sporting a bio-tech ear of corn in their logo the latest pseudo- populist "front group" for corporate agribusiness is an organization called Truth About Trade (TAT). The mission of this organization, chaired by ex-Farm Bureau president Dean Kleckner, is to fight for farmers and "to stand up for farm exports and advancements in biotechnology." Noticeably, agri-chemical industry connections are strong on TAT's board. Several of the directors hold offices in Farm Bureau organizations with investments and business deals with chemical andbiotech companies.TAT's most notable work is a recent publication called "Who Props Up the Protestors" - a quasi-journalistic report examining environmental groups that protested during the 1999 Seattle meeting of the World Trade Organization. With Farm Bureau insurance andbiotech-chemical leadership riding herd over this outfit it appears that when it comes tofunding it's the corporate tit for TAT. See "Who Props Up the Protestors" at: http://www.truthabouttrade.com/TruthResearch.asp 2. GREEN CREDITS FOR DUTCH FARMERS In a project financed by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture a consortium of groups has devised a comprehensive system of tax incentives and green credits for Dutch farmers. In addition to rewards for green farming techniques like organic production, a system has been devised for rewarding other green services such as habitat preservation and energy conservation. Under the proposed system the farmer receives points for well-defined green services or investments that go beyond existing regulatory obligations. When the farmer has reached a certain score, they receive a reward, financial or otherwise. The system of credits has been developed over the last two years and the consortium is now negotiating with the Dutch government regarding implementation.3. EARMARKED FOR EXTINCTION A. SEEDS: The Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) reports (7-17-2000) thatSeminis, the worlds largest vegetable seed corporation, would eliminate 2,000 varieties or25% of its total product line as a cost-cutting measure. According to RAFI, "Seed industry consolidation is dramatically narrowing the availability of non-hybrid vegetable varieties and a wealth of seed diversity is being lost forever."B. SPECIES: A new book, The Condor's Shadow, by Environmental Defense senior ecologist David Wilcove finds that "16% of species in the U.S. are in 'immediate danger of extinction'," says the Daily Grist 9/19. The book documents the wholesale destruction ofentire ecosystems and reports that "33% of the animals and plants on the EndangeredSpecies List are declining." The review is at: http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/books/books091900.stm 4. WEBSITE LAUNCHED: familyfarmer.org Last week Rural Updates! announced that we had launched a new website that "seeks tobuild alliances between farmers, environmentalists, consumers and other activists." Today that siteis up and running and we are busy fine tuning and implementing new changes. The website, which can be found at:Visit the site today and let us know what you think! If you have not signed on to the call for an investigation into the American Farm Bureau Federation Sign On Now! If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this list, e-mail: sjohnson@albq.defenders.org |
10/4/00