The Future of Food

[silverfacechamp]

Well. I have to say that if you consider how pollination works and the fact that the GMO plants are allegedly no different than the Natural plants you have to realize prospect of cross pollination would and will occur. That said who is taking who's rights? It has to be taken into consideration.

 

 

Except that no lawsuit has been upheld, to my knowledge, that permits penalization for cross-pollination. Suing is one thing. Winning is quite another.

[thenakedarab]

How about all the people that Monsanto sued who weren't using their seed, but had to settle because they couldn't afford the army of lawyers that Monsanto has? There is no proof that GM food increases yield. No proof that it is resistant to pestilence or blight. Since I have a minor in economics from the University of Florida, yes, I understand economics. Monsanto has won repeatedly in court on the cross-pollination suit. You call all these websites propaganda, and you call me ignorant. Yet, you haven't managed to cite a single instance to back up your argument.

 

 

This. There are countless stories of farmers who have been attacked by Monsanto's legal teams and investigators. They will literally stake out farmers homes and fields, and harass them constantly day in and day out with threatening calls and emails.

[silverfacechamp]

Bull{censored}, you do realize that Monsanto places terminator genes in their crops to ensure the farmers are dependent on Monsanto for generation after generation of generic stock that may or may not be suitable for their climates. Worse, when those plants with terminator genes pollinate neighboring fields the gene can be passed on to the neighbors field, who very well have a family stock seed that has been crafted by their family for generations, thus killing the work of those generations, and making them dependent on Monsanto in the future. I hate it when people that have no idea of what the {censored} is really going on get all holier than thou, all based on the dumbass corporatist trumpeting conservatives love to blat out across the media. Monsanto is taking steps to ensure that farmers across the world are at their mercy, and when they are will price accordingly.

 

 

Umm...my family has been farmers for generations. I grew up on a farm...growing, among other brands, Monsanto plants. But, continue to rely upon propaganda to inform your worldview.

[silverfacechamp]

This. There are countless stories of farmers who have been attacked by Monsanto's legal teams and investigators. They will literally stake out farmers homes and fields, and harass them constantly day in and day out with threatening calls and emails.

 

 

'Countless?' Links? Proof? There were two big cases in the US and one in Canada.

[.homewrecker.]

Bull{censored}, you do realize that Monsanto places terminator genes in their crops to ensure the farmers are dependent on Monsanto for generation after generation of generic stock that may or may not be suitable for their climates. Worse, when those plants with terminator genes pollinate neighboring fields the gene can be passed on to the neighbors field, who very well have a family stock seed that has been crafted by their family for generations, thus killing the work of those generations, and making them dependent on Monsanto in the future. I hate it when people that have no idea of what the {censored} is really going on get all holier than thou, all based on the dumbass corporatist trumpeting conservatives love to blat out across the media . Monsanto is taking steps to ensure that farmers across the world are at their mercy, and when they are will price accordingly.

 

 

Ironic statement is ironic.

[silverfacechamp]

Bull{censored}, you do realize that Monsanto places terminator genes in their crops to ensure the farmers are dependent on Monsanto for generation after generation of generic stock that may or may not be suitable for their climates. Worse, when those plants with terminator genes pollinate neighboring fields the gene can be passed on to the neighbors field, who very well have a family stock seed that has been crafted by their family for generations, thus killing the work of those generations, and making them dependent on Monsanto in the future.

 

 

You have absolutely NO idea how farming works in the US. People don't 'hand craft' soybean seeds like a damn vineyard. They buy new seed every year. Very, very, very, very few farmers keep and clean seeds from harvest for next years planting. So few, in fact, that if somebody IS doing that it looks very suspicious to the people that are monitoring Monsanto's seeds. That's how those guys got caught....nobody anywhere cleans seeds anymore and haven't for decades.

[NixerX]

Umm...my family has been farmers for generations. I grew up on a farm...growing, among other brands, Monsanto plants. But, continue to rely upon propaganda to inform your worldview.

 

 

You too are relying on propaganda. Just from the other side of the fence. Obviously your family wouldn't knowingly use something insidious.

[TheRymanChu]

There are numerous other seed companies out there that would happily sell you their products.

 

 

Monsanto is trying to buy up every last one of those "other seed companies."

 

http://www.opednews.com/articles/The-multiple-ways-Monsanto-by-Linn-Cohen-Cole-090203-854.html

 

http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/genegiants090805.cfm

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/28/AR2009112802471.html

 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/07/monsantos-many-attempts-to-destroy-all-seeds-but-their-own.aspx

 

http://iowaindependent.com/24537/monsanto-big-ag-has-troubling-control-over-seed-market-report-finds

[thenakedarab]

Except that no lawsuit has been upheld, to my knowledge, that permits penalization for cross-pollination. Suing is one thing. Winning is quite another.

 

 

Oh, so bankrupting farmers to intimidate others into not fighting Monsanto's unethical monopoly on life is a perfectly acceptable behavior?

 

Also, you need to check out more suits then if you think Monsanto has not won any of those suits. Monsanto has had them upheld, but judges have been hesitant to award financial penalties do to political back lash. The problem is in how patent law is written. Patent law doesn't include life, but it does not exclude it either. The only reason this is, is that when the laws were written no body envisioned the advances in GE that would make it an issue. We have 1800's laws that are being applied to a 2000's world, and it's time to amend the laws.

[HELSTRUME]

Lib doomsday crap.

[.homewrecker.]

Also, he doesn't realize how many of those government scientists are former employees of Monsanto, or may be treated favorably if they seek employment with Monsanto in the future. It's much like the revolving door of military officers/lobbyists/government contractors.

 

 

Are you {censored}ing kidding me?

 

I know this guy on a personal level, it's ONE scientist who has told me this, who is the TOP in his field, could make MILLIONS leaving his government job to go to one of these corporations but his ethics kicks in and he stays working for the government.

[NixerX]

Are you {censored}ing kidding me? I know this guy on a personal level, it's ONE scientist who has told me this, who is the TOP in his field, could make MILLIONS leaving his government job to go to one of these corporation but his ethics kicks in and he stays working for the government.

 

 

Actually he' not. take a look at how Aspartame got by the FDA.

[silverfacechamp]

Oh, so bankrupting farmers to intimidate others into not fighting Monsanto's unethical monopoly on life is a perfectly acceptable behavior? Also, you need to check out more suits then if you think Monsanto has not won any of those suits. Monsanto has had them upheld, but judges have been hesitant to award financial penalties do to political back lash. The problem is in how patent law is written. Patent law doesn't include life, but it does not exclude it either. The only reason this is, is that when the laws were written no body envisioned the advances in GE that would make it an issue. We have 1800's laws that are being applied to a 2000's world, and it's time to amend the laws.

 

 

The two cases referring to cross-pollination, one in Canada, one in the United States, were both ruled in favor of the farmers.

[.homewrecker.]

Actually he' not. take a look at how Aspartame got by the FDA.

 

 

It was more along the lines that he thinks that the ONE contact I've talked to in the USDA is some corrupt individual.

[.homewrecker.]

You have absolutely NO idea how farming works in the US. People don't 'hand craft' soybean seeds like a damn vineyard. They buy new seed every year. Very, very, very, very few farmers keep and clean seeds from harvest for next years planting. So few, in fact, that if somebody IS doing that it looks very suspicious to the people that are monitoring Monsanto's seeds. That's how those guys got caught....nobody anywhere cleans seeds anymore and haven't for decades.

You mean people from agricultural powerhouses such as Maine and Florida don't know how farming works?

[silverfacechamp]

Oh, so bankrupting farmers to intimidate others into not fighting Monsanto's unethical monopoly on life is a perfectly acceptable behavior?

 

 

I am not aware of a single instance where a farmer was bankrupted by a frivolous lawsuit. The ones that WERE placed in financial straits were those who knowingly violated their contracts with the company and, in those cases, it's difficult to feel sorry for them.

[NixerX]

It was more along the lines that he thinks that the ONE contact I've talked to in the USDA is some corrupt individual.

 

 

I see. Well im sure he's not saying that EVERYONE that works for the gov is a crook. I would say that you should look into both sides of the argument and derive an opinion based on more than one source...even though reliable.

 

Im just sayin.

[silverfacechamp]

You mean people from agricultural powerhouses such as Maine and Florida don't know how farming works?

Well, the thing is, if you're going to argue against big business in agriculture, fine. I get it. But nobody in this thread yet has presented anything beyond rhetoric and very poorly informed opinions on American agriculture. I don't really care one way or another about Monsanto, but I AM tired of people who have never set foot on a farm trying to influence policy on something they don't understand.

[.homewrecker.]

I see. Well im sure he's not saying that EVERYONE that works for the gov is a crook. I would say that you should look into both sides of the argument and derive an opinion based on more than one source...even though reliable. Im just sayin.

 

 

And I'm saying you're assuming I haven't.

[thenakedarab]

'Countless?' Links? Proof? There were two big cases in the US and one in Canada.

First, you stated above that to your knowledge none of the suits have been upheld, yet site the Canadian case in which the claim was upheld.

Second, those are the big cases. There have been many cases that have not reached that level of publicity because the people were strong armed by Monsanto into signing non-disclosure agreements to silence them.

http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/pubs/CFSMOnsantovsFarmerReport1.13.05.pdf

[TheRymanChu]

Monsanto-Government links:

 

http://www.organicconsumers.org/Monsanto/revolvedoor.cfm

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bytes/ob121.cfm#7

http://www.psrast.org/ecologmons.htm

http://www.redicecreations.com/specialreports/monsanto.html

[JimAnsell]

You'll live to be about 77, on average.

 

 

well, for me its about consuming a yummier product, but my health speaks for itself.

[silverfacechamp]

First, you stated above that to your knowledge none of the suits have been upheld, yet site the Canadian case in which the claim was upheld.

No damages were awarded in that case.

[NixerX]

And I'm saying you're assuming I haven't.

 

 

Apologies. Its just that the statements you made were so emphatic.

You only mentioned your bro and a couple scientists. You didn't mention anything from the other side of the argument.

[silverfacechamp]

http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/pubs/CFSMOnsantovsFarmerReport1.13.05.pdf

 

 

Do you know how to critically evaluate literature? You've cited a propaganda publication as proof of your propaganda.