Posted on 03/07/2009 10:39:24 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Some say that if farmers dont want problems from Monsanto, the simply shouldnt buy Monsantos GMO seeds. But it isnt quite that simple. Monsanto contaminates the fields, trespasses onto the land taking samples, and then sues, saying they own the crop.
Meanwhile, Monsanto is taking many other steps to keep farmers and everyone else from having any access at all to buying, collecting, and saving of normal seeds:
1. Theyve bought up the seed companies across the Midwest.
2. Theyve written Monsanto seed laws and gotten legislators to put them through, that make cleaning, collecting and storing of seeds so onerous in terms of fees and paperwork that having normal seed becomes almost impossible.
3. Monsanto is pushing laws that ensure that farmers and citizens cant block the planting of GMO crops even if they can contaminate other crops.
4. There are Monsanto regulations buried in the FDA rules that make a farmers seed cleaning equipment illegal because its now considered a source of seed contamination.
Monsanto has sued more than 1500 farmers whose fields had simply been contaminated by GM crops.
Sources:
Surviving the Middle Class Crash February 5, 2009
Compare to how many Ukrainian farmers Stalin starved.
Same goal, slightly different M.O.
ping
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h875ih.txt.pdf
.pdf file of S 425:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s425is.txt.pdf
I’m confused, who is Monsanto? This article makes me feel like I walked into the middle of conversation and I’m supposed to know everything that has been said up until that point.
Can someone please help this poor ole ignorant gal out?
The planting seed business is a legal mine field today.
The state regulation is incredible.
They have poisoned competition.
Another biggie, AgriPro, have almost tied up all the research Universities with them.
And on the Distribution side ADM, Continental, Cargil have almost total control.
Real mess.
Monsanto is a HUGE monopoly. Thier research has been profitable in production but extremely costly in planting. Farmers used to routinely catch seed from their own crop for PART of the next year’s planting but it is illegal for GM seed to be caught. So using their seed is a dead end, one time use activity. I could go on. AT some point, it seems that these seeds would be treated like generic medicine.
Also, this is one big expense justifying crop subsidies.
I’ve heard this from various sources. It is virtually impossible now to procure natural corn seed as all of the seed stocks have been genetically modified. As if this isn’t bad enough, who knows how the food chains are interrupted by the genetic manipulation of animal feedstocks.
Do we trust the better living through the modern chemistry of Dupont or Monsanto, (makers of napalm and Agent Orange for peace on earth, goodwill towards man?)
http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/monsantopropaganda723.cfm
Monsanto is not the most cuddly company around. Their manipulation of Washington in support of their rBST hormone for increasing milk production is another case in point.
Many regard Monsanto is Corporate Evil personified .
Check out their web-site. It’s marketing central for nutritional stuff.
My father in law has built a lot of equipment for Monsanto over the years. Coincidentally, my company has built a little bit for them. They are a good customer.
Like you, I don’t know what to make of it.
They learned from big pharma (NPI). Get a patent, run it for all it’s worth, tweak it when it’s time is about out, run some more. Farmers simply can’t afford to counter-sue for the contamination.
It’s a stealth attempt to control the food supply by restricting access to the seeds.
If they own the patents for the hybred seeds and influence, or pay off, legislators to pass laws that restrict or forbid planting of heirloom variety seeds, then Monsanto and other agricorporations can control food production.
Think using food as a political weapon ! It is being done today in Africa.
My starting suspicion is that the author is mainly opposed to genetically modified foods but I’m open to evidence.
FTA
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written Monsanto seed laws and gotten legislators to put them through, that make cleaning, collecting and storing of seeds so onerous in terms of fees and paperwork and testing and tracking every variety and being subject to fines, that having normal seed becomes almost impossible (an NAIS approach to wiping out normal seeds). Does your state have such a seed law? Before they existed, farmers just collected the seeds and put them in sacks in the shed and used them the next year, sharing whatever they wished with friends and neighbors, selling some if they wanted. Thats been killed.
In Illinois, which has such a seed law, Madigan, the Speaker of the House, his staff is Monsanto lobbyists.
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the democrat party is a shell game.
Ooohhhh, they are an agriculture company. Like Del Monte or something.
We have our own garden every year, looks like I better stock up on heirloom seeds while I can get them. I’m calling the local feed and seed now.
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