Farmers Rights to Seeds and breeds under threat!

Press Release of the Land Workers’Alliance.

(European Parliament, Brussels , 20 01 2014) Today, the Landworkers’ Alliance mobilise alongside 27 other European farmers’ organizations during the agricultural commission’s meeting at the European Parliament. At stake are the rights of 40 million European farmers to have control over maintaining, improving and trading their seeds and livestock breeds.

 

Small and medium scale farmers produce over 70% of the world’s food; they rely on farm-saved seed to remain resilient and adaptive. Farmers’ seeds and breeds are the foundation of our food system and must remain in the service of farming communities and ultimately, eaters.

Over 300 farmers, under the umbrella of the European Co-ordination of La Via Campesina have joined ‘The mobilization to defend farmers rights’ today. They are calling on the Parliament to affirm the centrality of farmers’ rights to control their own seeds and breeding animals, and to reject proposed privatisation of public regulation.

Adam Payne, a market gardener from London and member of the Landworkers’ Alliance said:  “European farmers need regulation to enable access to good and appropriate seeds and breeds. The EU must prioritise farmers’ needs, not cede further power to corporate interests.”

The LWA is a member of the international peasant farming movement La Via Campesina which represents 200 million small-scale producers around the world. We campaign for the rights of small-scale producers and lobby for policies that support the infrastructure and markets central to our livelihoods.

Photo Opportunity:15:00-16:00 20th Jan, Pl. du Luxembourg, Brussel

Press Contact: Ed Hamer

t: 07858 381539

e: LWApress@riseup.net

w: landworkersalliance.org.uk