This is from a news article in Frontier Natural Products Co-op.
The Associated Press has obtained confidentila contracts that reveal how Monsanto, the world's largest seed developer, is squeezing out competitors and controlling smaller seed companies to increase its dominance of the miltibillion-dollar biotech industry. Neil Harl, agricultural economist at Iowa State University, describes Monsanto's level of control over seed genetics as "almost unbelievable."
Monsanto's patented genes are being inserted into about 95% of all soybeans and 80% of all corn grown in the US. It's feared the lack of competition in the seed industry could lead to price hikes for "everything form animal feed to wheat bread and cookies." (The price of seeds is already rising - Monsanto increased some corn seed pricess last year by 25% and Monsanto brand soybean seeds went up 28%.
Monsanto's business strategies and licensing agreements are being investigated by US and state justice departments to determine if they violate US antitrust laws. The seed giant's practices are also the basis of civil antitrust suits filed by its competitors. Monsanto acknowledged that US Department of Justice lawyers are seeking documents and interviewing company employees about its marketing practices, but the suburban St. Louis-based agricultural giant says there is "no merit" to allegations about their licensing agreements.
But here is what really gets me. The seeds are genetically modified to be resistant to Roundup, a toxic herbicide. So farmers can spray their crops with this poison and it won't kill the crop but will reduce the weeds. The crops WE evenutally eat. GMO and poison. Thanks a lot. Oh and did I mention who has the patent on Roundup? Monsanto. What can you do? Be choosy at the supermarket. Eat fresh food. Eerything you buy that goes across the scanner is your vote for what the public wants to eat. I llike tortilla chips as much as the next person but knowing that the ingredients started out genetically modified and sprayed with poison will help me say no. I even cringe when I buy tofu.
End of rant.
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