Post by JonathanE on Apr 15, 2009 19:49:13 GMT -5
A little background. Monsanto is a technological leader in the patenting of Genetically Modified Organisms, GMO's for short. What Monsanto does is to produce GMO seeds, with DNA that causes, for example, cotton plants to produce a natural insectiside that kills boll-worms and produce a higher yield. The drawback is that the GM cotton is not resistant to local bacteria, and die off quickly as a result.
Monsanto's hold on the seed patents, for many species of crops, are marketed to the exclusion of local seed sources, which are replaced.
The problem is, that while resistant to boll worms, the plant is not completely resistant, meaning that farmers must still spray insecticides for boll worms, and get a plant that is not resistant to local parasites, particularly moulds that kill the plant, creating more profit for Monsanto through the sale of pesticides. Not only do they corner the market on the crop seeds, they corner the market on insecticides and fertiliers, too.
Virtually every crop seed on the planet is being GM'd by Monsanto, who will then own a patent on a seed, which can and does cross-pollinate with non-GMO plants, further spreading the genetic alteration.
This is business practice at its most despicable. Native seed stocks, some very ancient seed stocks, will be gone, and Monsanto will own a monopoly on food. This needs to be made much more public. People must learn what is happening to our world food supply in the name of free-enterprise capitalism. There is a clear and present danger presenting itself, whereby a single corporate entity will effectively control the world's food supply, and will milk it for as much profit as it can before the world wises up and stops this practice.
Monsanto's hold on the seed patents, for many species of crops, are marketed to the exclusion of local seed sources, which are replaced.
The problem is, that while resistant to boll worms, the plant is not completely resistant, meaning that farmers must still spray insecticides for boll worms, and get a plant that is not resistant to local parasites, particularly moulds that kill the plant, creating more profit for Monsanto through the sale of pesticides. Not only do they corner the market on the crop seeds, they corner the market on insecticides and fertiliers, too.
Virtually every crop seed on the planet is being GM'd by Monsanto, who will then own a patent on a seed, which can and does cross-pollinate with non-GMO plants, further spreading the genetic alteration.
This is business practice at its most despicable. Native seed stocks, some very ancient seed stocks, will be gone, and Monsanto will own a monopoly on food. This needs to be made much more public. People must learn what is happening to our world food supply in the name of free-enterprise capitalism. There is a clear and present danger presenting itself, whereby a single corporate entity will effectively control the world's food supply, and will milk it for as much profit as it can before the world wises up and stops this practice.