More on Monsanto…

I have recently come across this article on Monsanto:

Who Owns Life, Not Monsanto?

It is the story of one farmer fighting back. 

In a nutshell, Monsanto has these genetically modified seeds and own the patents on them.  Then, when crops grown with these seeds cross-pollinate and contaminate crops of other (non-genetically modified) crops, Monsanto sues those farmers for “growing the Monsanto crop without a license”.  When the farmer tries to removed the Monsanto crop from their own land, Monsanto claims the farmer cannot do that because they (Monsanto) own the crops!

This farmer fought back and actually won. The farmer (rightfully) claimed that Monsanto’s crops were “trespassing” on his land and sued Monsanto for the cost of removing the Monsanto plants from his land.

Seems that Monsanto’s insistence that they own any crops that carry their patented genetic profile has back-fired in that it establishes liability for contaminating non-genetically altered crops!

“It was a great victory, not only for ourselves, but for farmers all over the world because it has set a precedent where a corporation has accepted liability for contamination and clean up costs”, he said. Percy Schmeiser had become the first farmer in history to successfully counter-sue Monsanto for liability over damages done to his seeds and crops by Monsanto’s GM crops.

And this quote from the article shows us that Monsanto is not our savior:

Thirteen years ago when GM soya and rapeseed was introduced in Canada (and in the US) the Corporations and Government told farmers that GM would increase yields, be more nutritious, use less chemicals, and feed a hungry world. Now we will always have a sustainable agriculture, they claimed. The Canadian Department of Agriculture figures states canola yields have decreased at least ten percent and soya at least fifteen percent [4], but worst of all, farmers are using three to five times more chemicals because of the GM superweeds that have developed. The reality is that the nutritional content of all crops are down fifty percent of what they were before GMOs were introduced and now we have less yields and more chemicals used, exactly the opposite of what Monsanto promised.

In a world with so many people and so many droughts going on, food is of primary concern.  Monsanto promises greater yield “to feed a hungry world”, yet the results are exactly the opposite…