In this class we have covered many controversies surrounding US agriculture. One thing we have especially focused on is ‘seed’ and its implications for farming (genetic modifications on seeds, seed saving, and promoting seed diversity). The article “Canola Debate Pits Biofuels Against Seeds” by Stephanie Haugen provides an example of seed controversy in our own backyard.
The main controversy is that some farmers would benefit from the planting of canola (in mass quantities) while other farmers in the specialty seed industry would be exposed to more diseases and pests and possible cross-pollination genetic contamination. As it turns out, land that is optimal for growing specialty seeds is also great for growing canola. This leads to the problem of deciding whether this valuable farmland should go towards growing food or growing fuel/non edible crops. The article “From Turf to Table- Grass Seed to Edible Grains in the Willamette Valley” also touches on this issue- only in this case it looks at wheat vs. grass seed (instead of canola vs. specialty seeds).
I believe ‘seed sovereignty’ is an important concept central to the canola debate. Large scale canola plantings near specialty seed farmers could compromise their ability to produce those specialty seeds (potentially destroying years of work and their livelihoods).“The ability to maintain a good seed stock, which is fundamental to producing a good crop, was a testament to their true ability as farmers, as much as the breeding and upkeep of their livestock…Each variety that was selected over time to meet the environmental conditions and the farmers needs became part of the whole system used on the farm (Navazio, 7).” On the other hand, canola plantings could help many farmers (and the farmer’s land) who are struggling financially within the system of conventional agriculture.
Our conventional agriculture system does not look at many of the long-term implications of its practices/ implementations. The seed sovereignty and food security movements of the world rely in part on the continuation of seed saving and genetic diversity within seeds to feed the future populations (without having to rely solely on GM seeds and conventional agriculture). “The seed is a reflection of the farming system as it is grown, cultivated, selected, and fully incorporated into that system. Are the crop varieties and the crop genetic resources of our ancestors going to keep adapting to fit the needs of organic agriculture at the hand and through the innovation of farmers and regional seed companies that have a relationship with farmers? (Navazio, 12)” What will it take for the conventional agricultural system to think and operate in ways that benefit the long term (multiple generations)?
The canola debate in Oregon is complicated; in many cases farmers who want to grow canola just want a good rotation crop and a chance to make some more money (which most rural Oregon farmers could really use). It is just a very risky situation of possibly compromising many of the organic specialty seeds companies that have been committed to fostering diversity (such as bringing back old heirloom varieties) as “The Willamette Valley is one of the few places left in the world where specialty seeds can still be grown (Haugen, 1).”
References:
Giombolini, K. J., Chambers, K. J., Bowersox, J. W., & Henry, P. M. (2011). From turf to table: Grass seed to edible grains in the Willamette Valley. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 2(1), 141–161.
Haugen, Stephanie. “Canola debate pits biofuels against seeds.” The Portland Tribune. Web. 2013.
Navazio, John. 2012. “A Short History of Agricultural Seed.” In The Organic Seed Grower: A Farmer’s Guide to Vegetable Seed Production, 1–12.