3 A Lesson in Food Politics

Clare and Dante

 

“ So you ’ re saying that before GRIM was established, Nipungyo was already starting to dictate what kind of crops were grown? ”

“ Yes, Jason, that ’ s right. ”

“ W ait, who is Nipungyo? Is that another government agency? ” It was the talkative middle-aged woman , Minnie. The one who acted like she knew everything about gardening. But obviously she didn ’ t know her history and wasn ’ t doing a very good job of listening, either. Clare sighed—a little too loudly—garnering both a glare from Minnie and a chuckle from Jason.

“ Nipungyo,” the instructor repeated, clearly agitated that Minnie had asked a question he had just explained, “ is not a government agency. Nipungyo is a corporation. A multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. ”

Those were big words . P erhaps, Clare thought , meant to intimidate Minnie into silence.

“ They are a leading producer of pesticides—have you heard of Bull ’ s Eye? Also of genetically engineered seeds. Many of you may wrongly believe that Nipungyo no longer exists, that it ceased to exist when it morphed into the United States GRIM agency, but that is incorrect. It only seems that way because of the history between Nipungyo leadership and government officials . . . s o many former Nipungyo leaders receiving top posts in GRIM. But Nipungyo never went away. Worldwide, it actively seeks to gain footholds in dozens of countries every day. ”

Stan looked around the classroom. As a history teacher, he relished the classes he taught for the Garden Guardians. Rarely were students as interested in history or politics as the refugees who had fled on account of the very history he was here to teach. “ So, Jason, are you wondering how Nipungyo had that kind of power before it was law? ”

The teenager nodded.

“ I’ ll try to explain as simply as I can, on behalf of time ”— he glanced at the clock— “ and you are certainly welcome to stay after class to discuss it further. First, Nipungyo gained a large part of the GMO seed market— 80 percent by the turn of the century. Then it advertised its seed in a positive light and many farmers and governments bought into it. Meanwhile, small family farms unable to compete with large corporate farms decreased in number. As more large farms planted GMO seed, it became increasingly difficult for farmers to find regular, un patented, non-GMO seed to buy and plant. Add to that spying by Nipungyo on farmers who didn ’ t buy their seed , harassing and suing them when their clean seed became contaminated by pollen drift. ”

Stan shrugged his shoulders and held his palms up. “ In no time, Nipungyo basically control led the food supply because they owned the seed . Mind you, the food hadn ’ t digressed into this inane drivel Americans, or at least the lower classes, eat now, but the spiral had started. ” He raised his eyebrows. “ In other countries, Nipungyo still has an annual yearly budget in the millions devoted entirely to investigating and prosecuting farmers. I ’ m sure they ’ ve saved a lot of dough by having the U.S. government take over surveillance in the States. ”

Stan looked down briefly, as if studying his shoes. When he raised his face his eyes were gleaming. “ Only now I hear there are getting to be too many people like you to keep track of. ” His lips twitched. “ Troublemakers, ” he said, addressing the class warmly.

A deafening applause answered back.