Farm Aid Statement on the Farmers' Declaration on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

Farm Aid
Tuesday, 23 November 1999

As the issue of genetic engineering in agriculture exploded in the U.S. media during the spring of 1999, Farm Aid began talking with farmers and the leadership of farm organizations across the country about the implications of this new technology. Of primary concern was the impact these new seeds might have on our family farmers and on our food system

What we heard was troubling. Changes were coming rapidly, and farmers were worried about loss of markets, unreasonable seed contracts, corporate intrusions into everyday farm operations, pollen drift, the potential for creating superweeds and superbugs and the impact of genetic engineering on the quality of our food supply. There were a lot of questions and very few reliable answers. It was clear farmers needed some factual information and a chance to talk face-to-face about genetic engineering.

To answer that need, Farm Aid, working in collaboration with the National Family Farm Coalition, convened a Family Farmers' Summit Conference on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture. The Summit took place on Saturday, September 11, 1999, on the eve of our annual concert and farmer gathering in Manassas, Virginia. More than 20 family farm organizations and 100 individuals participated. What emerged from the discussion was a consensus position reflected in the Farmers' Declaration on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture.

The Declaration has now been endorsed by more than 30 family farm organizations representing tens of thousands of family farmers throughout the United States.

Farm Aid views the summit conference and the declaration as an historic moment in the rising debate over genetic engineering in agriculture. Together, they show that family farmers, like the rest of us, are learning more every day about the potential for problems caused by genetically engineered seed. Family farmers' worries about these products should cause everyone to take a critical look at any proposed use of this untested new technology.

-- Carolyn Mugar, Executive Director

For more information, or to contact Farm Aid, see their website at: www.farmaid.org