I had no idea.  I swear.  I thought I was supporting small farmers and heritage plants, but I was tricked into supporting Monsanto.  I recently purchased onion sets from Dixondale farms and I actually planted them today.  Yes, I planted things in my precious soil that put money in the pocket of Monsanto.  I’m considering whether I should rip them all up and send them back for a refund…

How did I get tricked?  It turns out that Monsanto has purchased a whopping 40% of the entire seed market by purchasing the company Seminis.  This was back in 2005, but most of us have never heard of this acquisition and certainly don’t know the importance of it.  Seminis is one of the biggest seed distributors in America and includes organic and heirloom variety seeds.  That means when you think you are being true to your little anti-monsanto heart, you may actually be putting money into their slimy, over-reaching hands.  Just like I did.

Dixondale farms is on the list of seed distributors for Seminis.  Therefore, I purchased Monsanto products or at the very least supported a company who buys from Monsanto.  And that’s really the same thing, isn’t it.

Here are 4 things you can do to keep Monsanto out of your garden and farm:

Buying Organic or Heirloom Seeds Without Supporting Monsanto

1. Avoid buying from the seed companies affiliated with Monsanto. Here’s a list of these seed companies: http://www.seminis.com/global/us/products/Pages/Home-Garden.aspx
2. Buy from this list of companies Monsanto HASN’T bought and are not affiliated or do business with Seminis:  http://www.occupymonsanto360.org/2012/03/06/monsanto-free-seed-companies/
3. Avoid certain heirloom varieties because Monsanto now apparently owns the names. This article lists the seed varieties to avoid: http://www.occupymonsanto360.org/2012/03/17/monsanto-owned-seednames/
4. Ask seed companies if they have taken the Safe Seed Pledge.  Here’s a list of companies that have done so:  http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/ViewPage.aspx?pageId=261

Please read more with this great article here.

I dread pulling all those hundreds of onion sets out of the ground and demanding my money back.  I don’t think I can do it after all that work.  But I will write to Dixondale and let them know I will not be purchasing from them again until they take the Safe Seed Pledge.

Kathy, author of our onion blog post, and owner of Sufficient Grace Farms suggests that you order onion sets from Peaceful Valley who has taken the Safe Seed Pledge.

Our email to Dixondale

Hi Dixondale, I just purchased and planted a few hundred onion sets from you guys.  They looked and smelled great.  However, I learned this evening that your company is affiliated with Seminis seed distributor who is owned by Monsanto.  I was so disappointed and actually angry.  I felt like I was tricked into supporting Monsanto.  I wanted to pull all the onion sets up and send them back for a refund, but my family (who had helped plant them) was not happy with this idea.  I will satisfy myself by informing you that I won’t be purchasing from Dixondale again until your company takes the Safe Seed Pledge http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/pageDocuments/IVYEP234F2.pdf  I was perfectly satisfied with your product, but I am ashamed that I now have either a Monsanto product or a Monsanto-affiliated product growing on my ranch.  I do hope that you will consider ending your affiliation with Monsanto.  I am also informing people on my blog and on my facebook, both of which have a considerable following.  I am also friends with an anti-Monsanto Huffington Post blog writer who I am going to inform about this in hopes that she will blog about the many ways Monsanto sneaks into the home garden and small farms.  Please understand that I will also be extremely happy to let my fans and the Huffington post blog writer’s fans know (and I will purchase onion sets from you again) when you have signed the safe seed pledge.  Sincerely, Serina Harvey

Update: 2/4/13

Good Afternoon Serina,

I will let you know that the Candy and the Super Star are the only two
varieties of onions that are the Monsanto.  The rest of your order is not
associated with them at all…I have passed your email on to the president
of Dixondale Farms…we appreciate all feedback from our customers good or
bad.

Thank you so much,
Mary McKaskle-Caddell
Office Manager/Customer Service
www.dixondalefarms.com