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Currently the DEFRA is doing the UK's struggling agriculture sector a huge dis-service, as there are many opportunities in the UK to produce the likes of OP/Heirloom cabbage, turnip, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, peas, short day onions, chives and other seeds. The UK should be the world leader in these types of seed, but DEFRA and those who pull their strings are making it far too difficult. Of course, one look at the average ASDA or Sainsburys produce aisle will tell you that, since over 98% of the produce consumed in the UK is actually grown elsewhere.
However originally, they had every intention of illegalizing non PVP seeds (ie. non patented, hybrid varieties, which would have essentially made it illegal in the UK to possess ANY seed not produced by a Global Seed Corp.) after they bent for some of the Multi-National Companies. Essentially, this is the same rubbish this handful of companies are pulling elsewhere, most recently in Iraq after it became occupied by the US and UK. Since then, these new seed laws have all but destroyed Iraq's agricultural heritage. They also had (still have) this plan in mind for the UK, EU and the US, which basically means that even a variety like say Harbinger, which has been bred in the UK for 120 years, would effectively become illegal to possess. But, after a reporter at The Guardian exposed the story (and interviewed me in the process), the public outcry was so severe and DEFRA quickly backed down on the issue of vegetable, herb and flower seed. One area where they have remained heavy handed is with grass seed. In this case, they have fined some very small companies up to 5000 quid for selling non PVP grass seed. There was no outrage over that simply because the backyard gardener doesn't care too much about what type of grass he can have in his lawn. The intention of course, is to squash these companies, because the Multi-Nationals want a monopoly in this industry.
Obviously, after we were publicly critical of DEFRA in The Guardian, they made it a point to pay a lot of attention to us in the UK office.
We are currently talking to a solicitor about getting these rules and regulations changed in the UK but this is a big task and could take years to happen
hope this makes sense to everyone
I will keep everone informed
However originally, they had every intention of illegalizing non PVP seeds (ie. non patented, hybrid varieties, which would have essentially made it illegal in the UK to possess ANY seed not produced by a Global Seed Corp.) after they bent for some of the Multi-National Companies. Essentially, this is the same rubbish this handful of companies are pulling elsewhere, most recently in Iraq after it became occupied by the US and UK. Since then, these new seed laws have all but destroyed Iraq's agricultural heritage. They also had (still have) this plan in mind for the UK, EU and the US, which basically means that even a variety like say Harbinger, which has been bred in the UK for 120 years, would effectively become illegal to possess. But, after a reporter at The Guardian exposed the story (and interviewed me in the process), the public outcry was so severe and DEFRA quickly backed down on the issue of vegetable, herb and flower seed. One area where they have remained heavy handed is with grass seed. In this case, they have fined some very small companies up to 5000 quid for selling non PVP grass seed. There was no outrage over that simply because the backyard gardener doesn't care too much about what type of grass he can have in his lawn. The intention of course, is to squash these companies, because the Multi-Nationals want a monopoly in this industry.
Obviously, after we were publicly critical of DEFRA in The Guardian, they made it a point to pay a lot of attention to us in the UK office.
We are currently talking to a solicitor about getting these rules and regulations changed in the UK but this is a big task and could take years to happen
hope this makes sense to everyone
I will keep everone informed
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