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Communications Pennsylvania Dept Ag & Simpson Seed Library
More About Communications between PA Ag and Simpson Library
Date: 8/11/2014 9:09:13 AM ( 10 y ) ... viewed 1220 times More About Communications between PA Ag and Simpson Library
More later! I am writing on this now…
Tuesday, August 12, 2014; 3:25 pm
PLANTING A SEED FOR CLARITY FOR THE SIMPSON SEED LIBRARY-PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AG EVENT
This is the photo that appears in The Sentinel News Article by Naomi Cleason of July 31, 2014 submitted of the Joseph T. Simpson Seed Library.
I have been on an extensive two week journey inspired by events at Simpson Seed Library and its communications with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. I was familiar with the existence of Seed Banks through my relationship with Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds the National Heirloom Expo that it produces. This event brought me up to speed with the existence of the Seed Library movement. I see this movement spreading awareness of the need for Open-Pollinated Heirloom Seeds and bringing Seed Saving, support for Seed Libraries, and GMO Education to a new level of public awareness.
I believe that many people who never heard of Seed Libraries are now getting them on their radar. My intent in writing this Plant Your Dream Blog is to contribute toward setting the record straight.
I do not imagine that too many will read this report. It needed to be written.
I believe a national conversation on Seed Saving, Support for Seed Libraries, and GMO Education needs to come the Simpson Seed Library-Department of Ag interactions. My intention is to plant this seed through the Plant Your Dream Blogs in this series.
My personal initiative is that I would like Uncle Sam to marry Auntie GMO, the Anti GMO movement. I see this coming through a shift of consciousness that comes out of the U.S. becoming again a nation of Gardeners. I see this as a value expressed through our Founding Gardener Presidents. I see a need for more of us to get Engaged in growing Heirloom Seeds and Ancient Grains. We need to get engaged before Uncle Sam Gets Married to Auntie (Anti) GMO. This will be my focus at the upcoming National Heirloom Expo September 9,10,11, 2014.
See Helping Uncle Sam Marry Auntie (Anti) GMO
http://curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2181365
There will also be a National Seed Library Summit at this Heirloom Expo. I am wanting to meet some of the leaders. That National Summit is scheduled for 4-6 Wed, September 11. More details will be forthcoming.
http://seedlibraries.weebly.com
How fast can a dream grow? ~As Fast as a Blade of Grass!
PLANTING CLARITY! SIMPSON SEED LIBRARY AND AG DEPT WRAP UP
http://curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2196333
I had more communication today, Monday, August 11, 2014. with Johnny Zook | Seed Program Supervisor, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture | Bureau of Plant Industry.
I wanted to understand how the meetings between him, as the Department of Ag, representative, and the Simpson Seed Library came to happen.
A fury of emotion has been unleased on the internet Since July 31 when Naomi Cleason, City Editor of wrote a story called, "Department of Agriculture cracks down on seed libraries." The Carlisle Sentinel Newspaper covers events in Mechanicsburg, PA,
http://cumberlink.com/news/local/communities/carlisle/department-of-agriculture-cracks-down-on-seed-libraries/article_8b0323f4-18f6-11e4-b4c1-0019bb2963f4.html
I have spoke to Johnny Zook twice now as of the writing of this Plant Your Dream Blog. I have also spoken to Naomi Cleason, once, and once to Sue Erdman, director of the Joseph T. Simpson Library where the Seed Library was housed that drew the attention of a Department of Agriculture. It appears that their is a historic quality to this event. It is the first time that a Department of Ag has communicated with a Seed Library that is organized within a public library,
I believe something good will come out of the interactions between Zohnny Zook, and the Simplson Seed Library.
Johnny Zook explained to me that some of his work has to do with Truth in Labeling. This does not seem too far off from the goal now of many who are involved in asking that foods that contain GMOs be labeled.
TRUTH IN LABELING IS ONE OF THE JOBS ZOHNNY ZOOK DOES WITH SEEDS
Johnny Zook explained to me in our second conversation over the phone Monday Aug 11, that one of the functions of his job is to make sure that when seeds are distributed they are what they say they are.
He told me about tests he does with sophisticated equipment. He said, as an example, when someone turns in grass seeds, sometimes the package with say that the seed contains only 10% of a specific kind of grass seed, but under lab conditions that involved lighting, the percent of grass seeds that are labeled to be of one variety will show up as one color . A different variety will have another color. Many distributors of seeds have good intent, but it has been at times that where 10% of one kind of grass seed was indicated in a batch of seeds, 90% has been incorrectly labeled.
Johnny Zook reports in his first letter to the Simpson Public Library that he became aware of the existence of the Simpson Seed Library because of all the press the Simpson Seed Library got when it started.
Numbers of those press articles are delineated on the Simpson Library website where all the correspondence from Johnny Zook to the Simpson Library, and the correspondence from the library to Zohnny Zook can be found. The press clippings are here as well.
A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF CORRESPONDENCE AND PRESS ON THE JOSEPH T. SIMPSON LIBRARY SITE REGARDING THEIR SEED LIBRARY
http://www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/?q=SIM_SeedLibrary
JOHNNY ZOOK'S INITIAL CONCERN
Johnny Zook said that he thought their could be a problem as the Seed Library movement grew if communication did not begin. He wanted to make sure that Seed Libraries in Pennsylvania knew about the existence of the Pennsylvania Seed Law of 2004. It is his job as Seed Program Supervisor to understand this seed law. The Seed Law applies to how seeds will be distributed in Pennsylvania. How seeds are distributed is regulated.
As he told me, he was not out to blame the library for not knowing about the existence of the Seed Law.
He mainly wanted to start communication.
He told me that if the Seed Law was different, he would be applying it as it was different. His job is mainly to apply the Seed Law as it stands to protect the consumer so that they get what the package says.
He explained that he sent the first letter, and then waited. There was no date mentioned in his first letter as to when the Seed Library needed to be in touch with him. As the last paragraph of his letter says,
"I'm sure a creative, innovate [innovative] way can be found to continue to promote healthy gardening while maintaining seed quality and meeting the requirements of the PA Seed Act."--Johnny Zook, Seed Program Supervisor, PA Department of Ag, in his first letter to the Simpson Public Library, 6-12-14.
http://www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/sites/default/files/SIM/Documents/Misc/2014_PADeptAgriculture_Letter.pdf
REP SHERYL M. DELOZIER HELPED SET UP THE MEETING BETWEEN THE LIBRARY AND PENN DEPARTMENT AG
(I will fact check this with their office…ASAP)
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/House_bio.cfm?id=1167
So Johnny Zook waited.
He received a call from the office of Sheryl M. Delozier, a member of the House of Rep that covers Cumberland County. She arranged the meeting. The date of the meeting was July 8.
The call set up a meeting with Rebecca Swanger, who is part of the Simpson Public Library staff and other staff.
I aim to get in touch with her soon.
I will report her experience of that meeting.
OTHERS AT THE JULY 8TH MEEtING
In response to my questions about the July 8th meeting Johhny Zook sent this email receive Wed Aug 12:
ON AUG 13, 2014, AT 5:41 AM, ZOOK, JOHNNY WROTE:
Hi Leslie,
The protocols were developed based on the information that the Simpson Library gave us. They told us their goals and intentions. They did not mention anything about developing local eco-type adapted seed/plants. But even so, I don’t see the protocol as written preventing that from happening.
The meeting with the library was on the 8th of July in Rep. Delozier’s office. The people in attendance were Beverly Kawaller - from Rep. Delozier’s office, Jay Howes - Deputy Secretary of Ag, Kerry Golden – Agricultural Liaison, Erin Bubb – Agronomic and Regional Services Division Chief, myself - Seed Program Supervisor and three reps from the Seed Library.
I don’t remember the term “patent infringement” coming up, but I think proprietary rights being considered, was talked about.
I don’t mind inputs/feedback from other people.
Regards
Johnny
REBECCA SWANGER WHO WORKS WITH THE JOSEPH T. SIMPSON SEED LIBRARY ATTENDED THE MEETING WITH JOHNNY ZOOK
The protocols that were submitted came out of this meeting. Johnny Zook sent a letter to the library with the thought that the library would red ink some of the ideas, but they accepted them as is, he told me today, August 11, 2014, in our second phone call.
I am going to put out some calls to Rebecca Swanger.
HERE IS MY PLANT YOUR DREAM BLOG I WROTE AFTER SPEAKING TO JOHNNY ZOOK FOR THE FIRST TIME
This Plant Your Dream Blog has the Protocols.
http://curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2194704
LOCAL SEED LIBRARIES BENEFIT FROM CREATING LOCAL SEED STOCKS OF THEIR OWN SEEDS ADAPTED TO THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
I personally thought the protocols sounded good. Then, later in the day, I spoke to one of the Seed Library Founders, Dave King of the Seed Library of Los Angeles SLOLA) who reminded me of some very important facts. Local Food Security expands through many Seed Libraries being able to create their own unique generations of seeds that are adapted to the local climate and environment.
JOHNNY ZOOK COMMENTS ON "NECESSITY: TO DEVELOP LOCAL ECO-TYPE ADAPTED SEEDS
It was clear that one of the sticking points with the Protocols was that the Seed Libraries benefited from having Seeds returned to them generation after generation.
I communicated this to Johnny Zook. He responded in an email and said I could put his email on my Plant Your Dream Blog:
On Aug 11, 2014, at 6:04 AM, "Zook, Johnny" wrote:
Hi Leslie,
The issue of the Library receiving seeds back into the Library and storing them as a "necessity" to develop local eco-type adapted seed is interesting.
Couple issue:
-If the Library does this, accepting then distributing seed, they should be licensed and have the seed properly labeled, and they need testing to do this. I don't think a PA $25.00 seed license and a $7.00 germination test per variety will break the bank so to speak, but to have an official test we need 400 seeds and that may be hard to obtain for some kinds/varieties.
-The library instruct patrons who were not successful in harvest/saving seeds to buy heirlooms to have something to return/swap.
-But this is a sticking point, have people obtain their starter seed from a seed swap. This would answer this concern. The Library can still act has the focal point for the seed swaps, and the source of knowledge on seed saving and storage, and events to encourage seed saving and promoting community through gardening.
Why does the Library have to store the seed? Why can't the patrons store the seed? If the patron store the seed it will be spread out over many locations and far more robust to resisting "total loss".
If a Library burns down (God Forbid) then all those years of development could be lost in a single night - sorry to be so dramatic, but wouldn't multiple locations be "safer"?
Regards
Johnny
I SENSE THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR MORE COMMUNICATION TO HAPPEN BETWEEN JOHNNY ZOOK AND SEED LIBRARY LEADERS
My sense is that the Seed Library movement is growing very fast. Many states have Seed Laws that mirror national Seeds Laws.
I sense that further communication will resolve and define working Protocols.
WOULD IT BE BEST TO CHANGE THE SEED LAWS TO EXEMPT SEED LIBRARIES FROM THEIR JURISDICTION?
I asked Johnny Zook if he thought the Seed Laws needed to be changed to exempt Seed Libraries from their regulations.
He told me that he thought it would be a lot of trouble to change this laws. It said it was easier just for the Libraries to organize themselves outside the law. The current Protocols are a model for one way they could function. They do encourage the Libraries to be involved and host the seed swaps. They do encourage Seed Saving, and could be adapted to meet the needs of the Seed Library movement, I sense.
I sense further communication can open the needed communication.
NOTES TOWARD SUPPORT OF SEED LIBRARIES AND GMO EDUCATION
This theme for the need for local adapted seed stock repeats in many of the stories about Seed Libraries.
I look at stories about Seed Libraries and reactions to the Naomi Cleason stories of July 31 and Aug 5 in this Plant Your Dream Blog
http://curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2196333
A NATIONAL CONVERSATION IS NEEDED ON SEED SAVING AND GMO EDUCATION
My position is that it is timely for a national conversation to continue now on Seed Saving and how Seed Saving can be impacted by GMO Seed contamination.
I have addressed these ideas is a draft for a Petition that may or may not happen:
DRAFT OF A PETITION IN SUPPORT OF SEED LIBRARIES AND GMO EDUCATION
http://curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2193991
This is a draft of a Petition in support of Seed Libraries and GMO Education as it stands now August 12, 2014.
My feedback is that this petition would not be the highest priority. I am going to rework this as a letter I will address to President Barack Obama,
TALKED TO SUE ERDMAN, DIRECTOR OF THE SIMPSON LIBRARY FOR THE FIRST TIME, FRIDAY, AUG 8
I talked to Sue Erdman, director of the Simpson Library, last Friday, August 8, 2014. I am interested in buying a tote bag and umbrella from the Simpson Library. I want to support them.
The library is receiving a lot of attention now because of the stories on the internet.
This is where things stand now.
MY INTENTIONS
HOW I RECEIVED A U.N. PEACE MEDAL
http://lesliegoldman.com/AboutLeslie/id33.htm
This is a photo of the U.N. Peace Medal that then Asssistant Undersecretary of the United Nations Robert Muller gave me in 1983-1984 for the work I would do in my life. That work includes Winning Back our Sacred Seeds.
from this Plant Your Dream Blog:
Interviews with Leslie Goldman
6,000 plus page views.
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1635915
These are expressed in a Plant Your Dream Blog of this morning, August 11, 2014
They include:
Creating a National Conversation about Seed Saving and GMO Education and…untimately...
UNCLE SAM MARRIES AUNTIE (ANTI) GMO
By Leslie Goldman
This year I am creating the intention that there is a celebratory Wedding up ahead for the United States to regain our original vision. Will you help build a grassroots movement so that Uncle Sam gives up his unholy relationship with Biotech GMO in the farm bed and gets married to “Anti” (Auntie) GMO? The invitation to the wedding goes out to all who get engaged growing Heirloom seeds and ancient grain. The wedding date is in your hands! Being a matchmaker for this wedding is a job that belongs to many Anti-GMO Activists who I want to encourage to become gardeners. In taking up gardening, we can fulfill the vision of the Founding Presidents of America.
WITH PHOTOS…MY COMPLETE STORY
http://curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2181365
SAMPLE OF AN EARLIER ARTICLE THAT EXPRESSES THE INITIAL OUTRAGE BEFORE SOME OF THE FACTS STARTED TO COME TO LIGHT
http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/dept-of-agri-shuts-down-cell-of-potential-agri-terrorists-seed-libraries-outlawed-in-pennsylvania-08032014
THE VALUE OF A LOCAL SEED IS VERY IMPORTANT TO DAVID KING
"The local seed is the most important thing of everything. "--David King, Seed Library of Los Angeles Seed Library of Los Angeles
http://slola.org
David said, they had 300 varieties. If all the varieties needed to be tested, that could be expensive. Many Seed Libraries could not afford the expense.
He agreed that there was value in having Seed Libraries in many locations, even within his own Los Angeles Seed Library.
Some agreed that their is merit in having members have their own stock of seeds.
His goal would be to curate the Seed Library in the best way possible/
OTHER NOTES
PHONE CONVERSATION WITH JOHNNY ZOOK,
AUGUST 13, 2014
I will refine these later…
culmination product of everyone at at the July 8 meeting.
Upset came as as exploration of what people read into the article of July 31 by Naomi Cleason. My intention was made to shut down the Seed Library, heresy to bring it in sync with existing seed laws.
The seed libraries can find ways to exist in relationship to the public Libraries as well members of Seed Library. They can have multiple locations for the Seed Libraries.
Such as in the Seed Library of Los Angeles. This is their goal.
MY INTENT IS THAT WE BECAME AGAIN A NATION OF GARDENERS AND GARDENING MENTALITY THAT INFLUENCES THE CLIMATE IN WASHINGTON
I talked about my petition with David King. He expressed concern not the best use of time addressing this to President Obama.
Numbers of feedbacks…on my petition to cut out the relationship of Seed Libraries to GMO Education.
As they grow, we are being exposed to GMO Seeds more and more. People need to be cautioned that GMO Seeds contaminate Heirloom Seeds.
wanted
wanted seed
don't have to define--
"It's fine. It's part of working this out," Johnny Zook.
August 13, 2014
11:23 am
He has been very accessible…
Answered the phone Seed Library…
Lots of people calling, but once they talk, they calm down.
It was a group that worked on them..at the July 8, and then Johnny Zook wrote. them up.
When the rep calls, you send some of your top people.
the Protocols came out of the meeting. July 8th
in rep Delozier's office….
MY SPIRITUAL TAKE ABOUT SEEDS
GMO seeds concern me very much. I feel they are an assault on the seed itself. I consider seeds great teachers. I consider that each of us are inherently a Sacred Seed and that it is through Plant Parenthood, having an intimate and personal relationship with growing seeds, that we not only can help a plant, but a plant can begin to help reparent us.
Most people today suffer from a disconnection from their true nature. Nature itself is a pathway to help us connect with our unique individuality, that many call the Soul.
Without enough nature contact, people can do very shortsighted things. I consider the creation of Genetically Modified Organisms, introduced into the natural gene diversity, as one of these shortsighted things.
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