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ConflictFreeSeeds's avatar

(I posted a comment but not sure it went through or not!). Anyway, I'm part of a group based in the UK who are hoping to do the same and campaign once we have the info. We're only just at the point of sending out the letters to all the companies. Just wanted to say that I was so happy to find your post. We hadn't realised there were any campaigns around Israeli seeds, so this is such encouraging news!

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Mary Dunn's avatar

Please keep us posted on your work. Thank you!

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Lisa Savage's avatar

Seconding Mary's comment I do have readers in the UK and would love to share what you find. Thanks for doing this important research!

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ConflictFreeSeeds's avatar

I am so delighted to find this update. I am part of a group who is just starting this in the UK and I hadn't seen anything about a campaign like this anywhere!

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Sarah May Grunwald's avatar

I am waiting for three more seed companies to confirm

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Sarah May Grunwald's avatar

I am going to write to Botanical Interests and San Diego Seed company.

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Loquor's avatar

What an amazing response from Southern Exposure

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ConflictFreeSeeds's avatar

Adding to my earlier comment, we have seen some moves around some independent UK florists trying not to source Israeli-grown flowers.

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Mary Dunn's avatar

Hi Disha, This is new to me and if it is true, which I’m not convinced it is, it is only because of pressure. Fedco has not put out any public statements saying they will end purchasing Israeli seed. If you have seen a statement made publicly, please share. As you can see by some of the responses from other seed companies, there are those who have clearly and publicly renounced support of seed from stolen Palestinian land (Israeli seed). I will email Fedco, again.

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Sarah May Grunwald's avatar

I heard from botanical Interests. So I won't be buying from them anymore.

Hi Sarah! I’m Lorin, Botanical Interests’ horticulturist. Our seeds are sourced both here in the US and abroad. We typically do not identify the companies we work with by name, usually at their request; many smaller seed farmers just don’t have the personnel available to interact directly with the public, which is why they grow for the seed industry. As a company, we strive to provide the highest-quality seeds we can. We intend to provide only reliable varieties that you can trust, and we have third-party seed analysis labs confirm the germination rates on all of our seed lots to ensure that our customers will succeed with our seeds.

But this means we cannot promise that we won’t sell seeds from a specific country in the future. After all, some patented varieties can only come from their original breeder or patent holder. If our customers ask for specific patented varieties, we often must work directly with their source, no matter where they’re located; otherwise, we can’t get the seeds our customers are asking for.

We realize this may mean you won’t purchase from us, and we’re very sorry about that. But we do hope you understand the position that we’re in; it all comes down to ensuring we can provide quality seeds of the varieties our customers have requested.

Keep on Growing 🌻

Lorin Nielsen

Head Horticulturist, Senior Botanical Editor & Content Strategist

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Lisa Savage's avatar

Thanks for sharing what you learned, Sarah.

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Sarah May Grunwald's avatar

So I won't be ordering from them anymore. I need a guarantee they don't buy genocide seeds

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Mary Dunn's avatar

I got that exact same email. Let’s keep up the pressure . Thank you Sarah.

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Sarah May Grunwald's avatar

I told them I'd be sending their info to the BDS apps.

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Mary Dunn's avatar

Perfect

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Disha's avatar

**UPDATE ON FEDCO**

hi there as a farmer I appreciate you putting this to our attention

I’d also like to clarify some of the information being shared here about FEDCO. I have friends who work there & this is what they directly shared with me “We didn’t purchase from any Israeli seed companies this year and don’t plan to again. We are still selling some varieties that we purchased from Genesis, an Israeli company, prior to Oct 7 2023”

they also said you could call or email Fedco for their exact response about this

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Lisa Savage's avatar

Thanks for sharing their response. However, I didn't do the research on Fedco, my friend Mary Dunn did. She reports that they have consistently refused to pledge not to source seeds from Israel. And based on what you've posted, they are actively doing so.

Also, what is their point in pretending that brutalization and expulsion of Palestinians from their homes hasn't been going on since 1948? The wife of their founder is an ardent Zionist, and these are the kind of lies and half-truths I expect from ardent Zionists.

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Truth Seeking Missile's avatar

Thank you for posting this. I had no idea Israel was such a wisely used source of seeds. I am very disappointed to learn that Johnny's uses Israeli seed and I will no longer buy from them. I wonder how many large food growers buy from that apartheid state.

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Mary Dunn's avatar

Johnny’s is one of Genesis’s largest customers. They have yet to reply to my emails. Look them and Genesis up in a search.

Almost, if not all, large seed companies, purchase from Israeli seed companies. I chose to research small companies because of this.

We can at least ask a company before we order and let them know how we feel. We will not purchase from any company who buys Israeli seed. Period.

How sacrilegious to violently steal agricultural land and build a seed company. And then support and profit from that company while claiming social justice.

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Pat's avatar

Excellent to know! Thanks very much for this information.

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lynn bradbury's avatar

very importNt info, lisa. many thanks. lynn bradbury, lubec. am sharing.

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Lisa Savage's avatar

Thanks, Lynn, for spreading the word from Lubec.

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ontological intifada's avatar

thank you so much. i ordered a bunch of stuff from Johnny's for my flower farm last fall. (for some reason I thought their seeds were all in-house).

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Mary Dunn's avatar

They are a large customer of Israel based Genesis Seed.

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ontological intifada's avatar

thank you. i’m writing them a letter telling them i can no longer work with them for my farm.

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Mary Dunn's avatar

Thank you. If they respond, please share.

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Sarah May Grunwald's avatar

I just came across this on Notes. Palestinian heirloom seeds. Not genocidal. https://viviensansour.com/Palestine-Heirloom

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Lewis Ward's avatar

Thanks for sharing. Hadn't heard about FEDCO, we already ordered. I knew people who worked there. Been ordering from them since the 80's.

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Mary Dunn's avatar

They will tell you they did not order from them this year. They will post, “end the genocide” on their Instagram page. They will reply via email touting their social justice via Indigenous seeds. But they will not pledge to not buy from these companies and they will get incredibly defensive. Odd isn’t it? Compare that to some of the responses above. First time in 35 I have not purchased from them. It’s a definite challenge.

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