Following on from the lively gathering that took place in Douglas on May 25th 2013 (the first global March Against Monsanto, in which the Isle of Man enthusiastically took part), there are plans for just as wholehearted a showing in the Island's support of the next march.
This event neatly dovetails with World Food Week, and there couldn't be a more appropriate time to focus on all of these differing factors that the 'Big Food' companies such as Monsanto and its ilk are accused of.
In case you've only just started paying attention, the issues are many and sometimes complicated. But it's worth getting up to speed, if you care about yourself, your family, the Island, the people less lucky than ourselves - and, in fact, just about anyone! The issues with Big Food include:
- The problems caused to human and animal health by Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in foods - and their devastating consequences on both the environment and those that consume them. There is NO solid evidence proving GM food safe, and masses of peer-reviewed, sound research indicating that it's probably not.
- The small matter of honesty in food labelling. Survey after survey shows people want to know if their food contains GM ingredients. But if companies are so proud of their GMOs, why have they fought so hard this year to get laws in place that mean they needn't label them on foods? In April 2013, the major UK supermarkets dropped their consumer-friendly GM labelling policies. Why? Don't we deserve to know? As one protester at our March in May asked, "If you"re so proud of your GMOs, why won't you label your GMOs?". Even if we don't do GM farming here, it still ends up on our dinnerplates...
- The rise of unsafe farming practices, including monocultures, chemical-laden practice, and the steady destruction of the soil structure and fertility that arises from the use of these companies' fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
- The shocking increase in new laws in the EU and US, which control what plants can be sold, swapped and have their seeds saved(the EU Plant Reproductive Materials Law is just one example). These laws grant companies patents not just over plant types that they've engineered, but also over whole species which have existed naturally for as long as anyine can remember. Broccoli now 'belongs' to Monsanto in certain EU countries, and melons and cucumbers are also in their sights. Unthinkable? Yes. Uun-doable? Well, it's being done$$
- The use of methods, and products, that profit certain businesses - but destroy or weaken our precious ecosystems and the livelihoods of smaller farmers by reducing their options and controlling what they can plant and buy; and
- The hijacking of our food system the world over, bringing hunger, poverty and inequality to millions.
The March in May earlier this year was the biggest single worldwide protest ever to have taken place. October's will, we suspect, be even bigger. There'll be people congregated in more countries than you can imagine, all around the world, staging a massive protest against the damaging activities of - in the main - one company: the food-to-chemicals-to-agriculture giant, Monsanto. But the protest's also about other Big Ag firms, and about a system which holds populations hostage through manipulation of the food system.
We'll be there, in force. For those who fancy a spot of banner-making, face-painting and logo-spraying, we'll be gathering outside the Green Centre to make these between 12 and 2pm. At 2, we'll convene everyone outside Oxfam's store, just across the road, where we'll hear how your spending in that lovely little shop doesn't just help you buy great items at fair prices - it funds Oxfam's massive and robust campaigns for (among other things) food justice and an end to monocrop, GM agriculture in developing countries.
From there, we'll march, walk, run, jump or dance (depending on how much rhythm's in your feet) as we head through the town, letting the public know why we don't want to buy GMO, and why we DO want supermarkets to reinstate their GM labelling policies.
We'll end our march at the One World Centre, where there'll be the opportunity to learn a bit about that amazing charity's work to promote fair trade, clean farming and food justice - and how you can, if you're willing, help.
Please come and join us. You'll meet great people with the same interests as you (honest food, a well and happy population), have the chance to dress up (a sweetcorn, anyone?). You'll have fun - and you might just help us secure some important changes, both at home and far afield!
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