Quietly across the nation, organic farmers are making progress in their battle to raise organic, GMO-free crops without the threat of cross-contamination from genetically modified fields.
And, perhaps most surprisingly, a federal court has sided with the farmers.
That’s the subject of today’s edition of Off The Grid Radio, as organic farmer Elise Higley tells us the latest news out of Jackson County, Oregon, where voters approved and a federal judge recently upheld a new law that prohibits the growing of GMO crops – handing biotech companies such as Monsanto and Syngenta a big loss.
Elsewhere across the U.S., organic farmers are pushing for “GMO-free” zones within counties, whereby organic farmers can grow their crops without fear of contamination from non-traditional crops.
Higley, who also is executive director of the Our Family Farms Coalition, an advocacy group for family farms and traditional seeds crops, tells us:
- How cross-contamination could ruin a family’s entire organic crop – and result in it literally being owned by biotech companies.
- What will happen to GMO crops in Jackson County now that such plants are banned.
- Why she believes organic farmers could lose millions of dollars in domestic and international markets if a solution isn’t found to prevent cross-contamination.
- How the livelihoods of even non-organic family farmers are being threatened by Monsanto and GMO crops.
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Finally, Higley tells us how supporters of organic and traditional farmers can join the fight to protect the rights of small farms. If you like inspiring stories of modern-day Davids defeating Goliath, then this show is for you!