France's Seeds Catalogue Threatens Biodiversity

The French government keeps an official list of seed varieties that can be grown by commercial farmers. Varieties of vegetables and cereals not on the list can’t legally be sold by professional farmers. But some biodiversity activists argue the official seed catalogue reduces the number of fruit and vegetable varieties available to the French consumer and restricts biodiversity. An association of farming militants is fighting to keep older plant varieties in circulation and alive. They do this by illegally selling and planting unofficial seeds. They say only this will preserve food biodiversity and heirloom varieties of vegetables and grains.

Reporter: Genevieve Oger from Paris