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News :: Miscellaneous |
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People victorious over agribusiness in South Dakota |
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by Fritz Herrick
Email: fritzherrick (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified!) |
05 Jun 2002
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South Dakota voters defy corporate pressure and vote to keep large corporations out of the farming business. |
In a victory for the small farm, 54% of South Dakota voters chose to keep large companies out of South Dakota farming on the state's June 4th primary ballot.
The now defeated constitutional amendment known as "Amendment A" was rushed on to the ballot with the support of corporate farming interests. Had the voters approved it, Amendment A would have allowed companies like Smithfield and Monsanto to form dummy corporations designed to control farms. It also would have permitted companies to do genetic research on farm products in the state.
These corporations are experts at externalizing their costs, and placing financial burdens on the rural social fabric. They also are limited liability entities, able to pollute the environment without consequence.
For the past 30 years, grassroots movements of farmers have opposed corporate control of farms. Due to Amendment A's defeat, corporate control of farms will continue to be prohibited in South Dakota.
"In spite of the confusion the corporate ag promoters were spreading, the people have thought this out before, and had already decided against corporate farms" stated Jeanne Koster, organizer with the Stand Firm! Coalition against Amendment A. "Most people were not fooled by what they were saying." She adds that since 1999 South Dakota has seen no change in the number of family farms. The state is unique in this sense, and this may be because of restrictions on corporate farming.
Upon hearing the anti-corporate views of the voters, the corporate media immediately chastised the voters of South Dakota. As the votes were coming in against corporate farming, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader released an editorial accusing the voters of taking a "step backward."
But despite corporate pressure, the will of the people prevailed. South Dakota's environment and social fabric will continue to benefit as the state once again is saved from exploitive corporate farms. |
See also:
http://twincities.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=5604&group=webcast
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