Percy Schmeiser Speaking at University of New Mexico

Red or Green or GMO?

The new state question?

The 2008 New Mexico State Legislature approved funding for development of a genetically-modified chile.
What does this mean for you as a consumer, grower or seed saver?

Join us for a discussion with special guest

Percy Schmeiser

Date:  Saturday, December 13th, 2008

Time:  2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Cost:  FREE ( donations accepted )

Place:  UNM – Student Union Building – Ballroom

(map - http://www.unmsub.com/maps.htm)

Parking: FREE Parking is available in UNM campus, first come first serve basis so please arrive early to get good parking spots. There are also other events scheduled in Popejoy Hall next to Student Union Building. (PARKING MAP)

Mr. Schmeiser, a canola farmer from Canada, will speak about his  experiences of being sued by Monsanto for “planting” their seeds.  When in fact, the Monsanto seeds cross-contaminated seeds he had been saving for over 30 years. (www.percyschmeiser.com)
 

Other speakers include:

Kevin Zelig Golden,  a staff attorney with the Center For Food Safety (CFS), recently helped CFS score landmark court victories, proving that USDA approved Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE), Roundup Ready alfalfa for commercial use, without preparing an environmental impact statement to address impacts such as the threat of biological contamination to organic agriculture.

Duncan Hilchey is an agriculture and food system policy analyst with Cornell University’s Community and Rural Development Institute.  His   current projects include studying specialty crop industrial clusters.  As part of a National Geographic Society project, Mr. Hilchey has recently been traveling around the US studying specialized agricultural regions including the Hatch Chile growing region of New Mexico.

We will also be honoring two farmers for their contributions to our farming communities:

Ray Arrowsmith and Alberto Bustamante

Organizers & Sponsors

This event is sponsored by Cuatro Puertas (CP), a 501(c)3 dedicated to making agriculture a viable economy in NM and to “growing farmers”.  This event will be held in lieu of our annual Feast of Fields event.  CP is guardian of the state’s largest seed library called the Arid Crop Seed Cache (ACSC), which includes the Ghost Ranch Collection.  ACSC is a member of the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) that develops, protects and promotes the organic seed trade and its growers, and assures that the organic community has access to excellent quality organic seed, free of contaminants and adapted to the diverse needs of local organic agriculture.

This event would not be possible without the support from collaborating community organizations and donors.  These include: 

The Center for Food Safety (www.centerforfoodsafety.org),

Slow Food Rio Grande (www.slowfoodriogrande.org),

La Montanita Food Coop (lamontanita.coop),

Native Health Initiative (http://www.unc.edu/~flega/main.html),

The UNM AMSA Premed Chapter (http://www.unm.edu/~amsapm) and the UNM Service Corp.

Winning Coffee Co. (http://www.winningcoffeeco.com)

Soilutions ( http://www.soilutions.net )

Sustain Taos ( http://www.sustaintaos.org )

Organic Consumers Association ( http://www.organicconsumers.org )