NOFA/Mass, the Massachusetts chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association, is a community including farmers, gardeners, landscapers and consumers working to educate members and the general public about the benefits of local organic systems based on complete cycles, natural materials, and minimal waste for the health of individual beings, communities, and the living planet.
As a part of that education we organize conferences, demonstrations, farm tours, videos, publications, and seminars on organic topics. We also support appropriate public policies to encourage the expansion of small and organic farms and provide better access by consumers to locally raised animal and vegetable products.
We have joined the lawsuit against Monsanto for three reasons: • The existence of transgenic plants and their capacity to contaminate natural crops is a clear and present danger to organic farming, where use of transgenic seed is prohibited, • Corporate monopoly control of seed patents prevents growers from selecting, saving, and breeding crops appropriate to their locations and management systems, a traditional endeavor of thoughtful farmers, and • Monsanto’s history of suing farmers and attacking those doing research into the health and safety of transgenics has intimidated and silenced many of its critics. We seek court protection for our members and our organization from unfounded lawsuits designed to interfere with our work.
This suit is a joint effort on behalf of organic farmers, seed dealers, seed breeders, and others who, alone, might be destroyed by the costs of responding to Monsanto’s harassment and litigation.
We hope our common cause and this pre-emptive action can enable us to continue our important public educational work undeterred.