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Re: seeds of change



>seeds of change was recently purchased by the m&m mars corporation. also,
>I have known people who have had bad luck using seeds from them- problems
>such as poor germination, mislabelled seeds, and very late delivery of
>orders.  just thought you'd like to know.
>
>Angelo in NY
>
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Dear Angelo -

>From my conversations with Howard Shapiro earlier this year after I heard
the news that you mentioned above, I have found that  Seeds of Change is
the same company it has always been, only with a great many improvements
now due to having some cash available to them. (Improvements such as being
able to pay more organic growers to grow more organic seeds and being able
to conduct more searches in South America for more varieties of heirloom
seeds and so on.) Charismatic and ETHICAL founders Al Kapuler and Howard
Shapiro are still at the daily helm of Seeds of Change marketing and
experimentation. It is important to note that this change in ownership took
place some time ago (what, early LAST year?) and essentially went unnoticed
until Food and Water (?) took exception to this transition.

Mars is a family-owned, not a publically-owned, corporation. As such is is
not as subject to the pressures of the market place as the profit-motivated
publically -owned organizations we commonly think of when we hear the word
'corporation.'

Seeds of Change sells real living heirloom seeds grown on the whole by real
grassroots farmers. As such their product may lack the homogenity and
consistency of the big seed companies. Their product is guaranteed however.
(And I admit to some surprises from Seeds of Change seeds myself. (Such as
bush squash that sprawl all across the field.)

I am probably biased in this report since Seeds of Change has always been
generous in supporting any Sustainable Ag outreach I have been involved in.
Given the amount of work they've done in the past to protect and promote
biodiveristy, I'd hate to see them lose support in this community because
economic pressures have forced them to work with what appears to be benign
corporation.

Which reminds me: it is NOT my impression that greed motivate SoC's
agreement with this 'take over' but rather a desire to have the 'energy' to
service diversity better.

Just my thoughts,

-Allan Balliett
BD NOW!






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