A Seed Europe - Actions to stop Straathofs mega pigstables

A SEED's soy campaign questions large scale soy production in South America and supports sustainable and local food production in Europe. The campaign has the following goals:

To inform the general public about the social and ecological effects of the massive soy production in Latin America; land conflicts, violence, rising pesticide use, GMOs, deforestation, erosion and loss of food sovereignty.

To link the issue with meat production and consumption in Europe; Most of the soy is used as animal feed in Europe (and China). This meat industry creates animal cruelty and pollution by over-fertilisation.

To stop the current certification processes; nature conservation organisations and some NGOs, together with companies, are creating criteria for so called 'responsible soy' that are unacceptable for local peasants and don't question the current export-volume neither the use of genetically manipulated seeds.

To give direct support to local initiatives that fight the soy expansion by giving international attention to their struggle, doing solidarity actions in Europe and raising money.

While the problems related to soy production are continuously increasing, a new campaign focus is taking shape: fuel and electricity produced from agriculture products. Recently the threat of climate change and the increasing scarcity of fossil fuels has sped up this alarming development.

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Actions to stop Straathofs mega pigstables

Friday, 17 April 2009
Guerrilla Gardening in the Dutch Betuwe: “Animal industry equals animal suffering, climate disaster, and deforrestation.” Friday April 17, 2009- 40 activists of the group 'Stop Straathof' made a vegetable garden on the terrain where agro-industrialist Straathof plans to expand one of his many pig farms. The action was a protest against the animal industry and accompanying soy production for animal feed, that causes a lot of suffering in South America. The atmosphere was a little tense at first as the activists - dressed as pigs and farmers - had to use a back track to trick the police that were on guard. After reaching the location the digging and planting of vegetables and fruit trees started straightaway. Although three of the company's employees needed to be calmed down, it seemed the local police did not like Straathof very much; the protest activities were not interrupted. After the hard labour was done, the protestors were on their way to the local towns of Erichem and Buren on the beats of the Rhythms of Resistance action sambaband, spreading flyers as they went. Rebelact's play showed how big capital exploits animals and farmers alike. At the local supermarket and primary school a small manifestation took place with tasty food, music and a photo exhibition about soy production and the animal industry. Everyone in Buren knows the pig farm of Straathof and the stench it spreads, and most people would like to see the company leave. A flyer was handed out describing the general problems related to animal feed production and animal suffering, offering local people even more arguments against Straathof's pig farms and meat production in general. This date, April 17th, is the International Day of Peasant Struggle, declared as such by Via Campesina, a worldwide network of peasant organisations. At the same day the Aktionsnetwerk Globale Landwirtschaft did an action against a new pig Stable from Straathof in Germany. Have a look at the picture gallery.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 April 2009 )