Monday, December 29, 2008

December 29, 2008

Carolynp, my garden buddy from GW asked my take on Monsanto.  I figured I’d go one further and explain what I’ve learned about the company and why I have the opinions of them that I do.  I don’t proclaim to be unbiased, so excuse my asides, but here is a lengthy post on everything from soup to nuts about the company and what they’ve done and are doing to food production in the United States and World.


Brief History:

Technically founded in 1901, Monsanto’s (named for the maiden name of John F. Queeny’s wife) first product was ironically Saccharine (what a positive story that product has been) and their next big product was Agent Orange (joy oh joy).  It wasn’t until 1960 that their Agricultural division was formed, and not until 1976 that the product that launched the company was introduced… Round-Up.  A miracle product that kills all organic life, it did wonders on weeds, but also killed wanted flowers and vegetables.  That was a problem.


So in 1981, the company started it’s molecular biology group (at an agricultural company?).  No wonder Monsanto’s own history claims that it was a newly formed company in 2000, and that the original Monsanto no longer existed.  Odd, the bank I work for is proud that Abraham Lincoln signed it’s charter back in the 1860s, even though it’s gone through near countless mergers since then.


Anyway, by 1994 the company had engineered BST, a cow hormone that not only greatly increased milk production, but allegedly caused cancer and other maladies in cows and people who consumed the milk or beef.  But it wasn’t until 1996 that the life sciences division finally solved their Round-Up problem.  Round-Up Ready seed.  Now you could grow Monsanto soy beans and cotton and spray your field with Round-Up from the air, killing only the weeds because they genetically modified the vegetable seed.  Miracle of modern technology.  Soon they expanded it to corn , the most versatile and most planted crop in the nation and canola.


Then, in 2000, the original Monsanto “completed a merger and changed it’s name to Pharmacia Corp” (boy that just sounds like an agricultural company).  That company was bought by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.  I guess they decided making drugs and seeds wasn’t kosher for PR purposes.  They are anything but stupid, definitely not stupid.


Political Clout:

This is where I blend politics with gardening, but to my credit, they did it first… Some names that may be familiar to you:

- Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice for life, was an attorney working for Monsanto.

- Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense, was on the board of directors for a Monsanto subsidiary.

- John Ashcroft, former Attorney General, ultimately responsible for prosecuting companies like Monsanto, was one of the two congressmen with the highest political contributions from the company in 2000.  The other was the chairman of the House Agricultural committee (shrewd).\

The list goes on but mostly it’s folks you’ve never heard of but were influential in various specific aspects of Monsanto’s growth in the bioagricultural field.


Further, there appears to be a revolving door between the FDA and Monsanto.  It seems whenever the FDA digs into something they’re doing, someone leaves Monsanto and joins the FDA to help investigate (boggles the mind).


Finally, it was a seminal moment when under sympathetic leadership this country made it legal to patent, and therefore own, life.  That has led to numerous lawsuits that Monsanto and their money have won whereby farmers not using GMO corn had their crops contaminated by wind pollination and now have their crops and all their seed, owned by Monsanto (just sickening).


Buying Spree:

I guess if you can’t beat them, buy them.  Monsanto has built their company on acquiring seed companies.  Starting back in 1982 when they bought a major soybean seed company, Jacob Hartz Seed Co., they have chipped away at seed companies big and small to expand their domination of food. Here is a partial list of other instrumental acquisitions:

- Seminis, a leader in crop field vegetables.  They have steadily been decreasing the 3,500 varieties that Seminis used to sell (like Early Girl tomatoes and Red Sails lettuce in my garden, grrr).

- De Ruiter Seeds of the Netherlands, a leader in greenhouse vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers and melons.

- Agroeste Semetes of Brazil, a major corn and vegetable seed company internationally.

- Several regional commercial seed companies.  Apparently growers that buy from these companies sign an agreement not to save their seed because they are owned by Monsanto.

- Finally, I tried again to find the thread on GW, but I recall one a year ago about a major seed saving and swaping company who’s head was ousted because he refused to be bought out by Monsanto, only to have the company then bought.


Regional seed retailers have signed a Safe Pledge agreement not to sell GMO seed.  Unfortunately that agreement doesn’t apply to all Monsanto-owned seeds.  I was disheartened to find out that Territorial Seed Company from Oregon, that sells seeds for my climate, still sells Seminis seeds.  However, I understand they are looking for alternatives and phasing them out.  I know it’s hard when Monsanto now owns the most popular seed varieties on the planet.

What I don’t understand is that Monsanto also was a major contributor to the Doomsday Vault.  This is where researchers have stored every seed variety on the planet in an artic underground vault for future generations.  To preserve our food supply.  Why would they do that when they are also working on the Terminator Seed, that will die after one year so you can’t save seed.  Nobody can figure that one out, but yes, the Terminator Seed is truly frightening.  


What’s more, I understand they now have the patent on the genetics behind over 11,000 species of plants, meaning nobody can grow them without Monsanto’s permission.  And I’m sure they’re trying to grow that number to include all the varieties we grow in our gardens.


Why seed saving alone won’t stop them:

Seed saving, and multi-million dollar fines won’t stop a huge multi-national conglomerate like Monsanto.  Unfortunately, a billion dollars is not enough to stop them. Last year the company made $2 billion profit.


Frankly the only way to stop them is to reverse the GMO rules, making their use illegal, then rip out the contaminated crops and replant with non-modified varieties. THEN bring anti-trust legislation to bear. They have clearly violated the law by buying the competition.

So while I will not knowingly buy from them, one farmer in Iowa buying seed and roundup for 400 acres trumps me, you, everyone on this site and the Dervaes put together. Oh, and that's not counting the hundreds of thousands of large-scale farmers out there. Every backyard gardener and organic farmer in the world can't dent their pocket book (shame).


You see, their focus is on what is grown nationally and world wide, corn, soybeans, cotton, and canola, not necessarily what the backyard gardener is growing.  Sure they bought all those big, strategic seed companies, but vegetable seed sales only accounted for $400 million of their $2 billion profit.  

 If you would like to know more about Monsanto and what they’re doing to food production world wide (albeit very biased), watch the multi-part Future of Food videos on YouTube.  Very enlightening. 

 Of course, I am a businessman, with a business degree and understand business.  What Monsanto has done is shrewed business.  But I also took an introductory ethics class, and what they've done is highly unethical, to a point that it should be illegal.  No one should own life.  Life should go on.  All those things are contrary to Monsanto.

 I have only touched on the surface of all the issues.  I could go further into the damage they’ve caused local farmers here and elsewhere.  Or maybe how I’m scared that companies like Kellogs is using GMO corn in their products that I’m unknowingly feeding my kids because they believe consumers don’t care if GMO vegetables were used to make their food.  What else am I feeding my kids without my knowledge.  Scary stuff.

 So, with a track record like Saccharine, Agent Orange, and rBST, a poltical clout to get anything they want rammed through the FDA, congress or the Supreme Court, and business practices that sue farmers that don't buy their products for having tainted seed from natural polination, you see a bit why I am so passionate about this issue.






Well Carolyn, I hope that is what you were looking for.  Depressing I know.  Sorry.


Enjoy your garden and convince others to do the same!






  1. Great synopsis of Monsanto! It's also worth noting that they were behind agent orange that was supposed to be safe, DDT that was supposed to be safe and PCBs again reportedly at the time "safe".
    You can read details of that here:

    The company has a history of selective research and screwing people over. Do some research on the suicides of 1000's of Indian Farmers who see no way out after these GMO crops fail!

    The fact is that people should have the CHOICE what they put in their bodies. GMO foods needs to be labelled. Everywhere labels GMO foods except america! Why? Because Monsanto has the USDA and FDA in its back pocket as most of the board has Monsanto links. It's a conflict of interests that no-one high in the government seems to care about.

    The public needs more education about it, but unfortunately Monsanto also has a hold on much of the media too. Two reporters from Fox were doing a story on Monsanto, not surprisingly it never aired and the reporters were "let go" watch the video here:

    This company will own ALL FOOD globally if something isn't done soon! They are trying to patent the DNA of a pig that is already in nature? How long before they patent humans? It's ridiculous, but they probably already have plans to do just that.

    Buy organic, buy heirloom, buy health, buy the future, cos the government is doing diddly for any of us!

  2. TY SO much for the research Sinf! It really helps me.

  3. Wow! Thank you for doing this research. It is certainly scary and I will be more aware of what I purchase!

  4. You know, I've found many varieties that are OP and are listed as "Monsanto". Here's the ones that I found:

    Tomatoes: Caspian Pink, Polish Linguisa
    Cucumbers: Homemade Pickles, Marketmore 76, Poinsett 76
    Eggplant: Cloud 9
    Beans: Eureka, Goldmine, Goldrush, Romano Gold

    How can Monsanto "own" these open-pollinated varieties?

  5. Uh huh....yeah.....a banker who tries to explain the principles of agriculture.....

    That would be like me trying to explain credit default swaps

    I won't bother pointing out all the idiotic, factually untrue comments you made in your diatribe against Monsanto.

    Suffice it to say that if patenting of genetic material and processes were not allowed.....and we depended upon natural plant evolution----we'd be back in the equivalent of the dark ages.

    You oviously have no idea of the modern genetic advances that allow plant breeders to incorporate resistance to weeds and diseases and insects. Without these modifications, we would have applied billions of pounds of additional chemicals to control these pests over the last 12 years....

    There is a larger task at hand...trying to evolve agriculture to the point that we can feed our ever burgeoning population. Guess what banker boy......we can't do it without biotechnology.

    Go back to your life of counting the profits from the exorbitant interest rates that your industry charges the American consumer.

    Given the calamity that your industry has brought upon our great nation by the creation of exotic financial "products" in the last few years...I would think you would be too ashamed to stick your head out.

    Tell you worry about fixing the probems within your own industry...and the agriculturists of this country will worry about creating enough actual food products to feed you and your family.

    An American Farmer

  6. I'm pretty sure you won't have the courage to post my comments.

    Next time, try opening your mind and realize that 99.9% of this worlds population has neither the space, wherewithal, or tools to grow their own food.

    For those of you that believe it can be done have absolutely no clue what you're talking about...

  7. Well Joe, if you've read and investigated the situation a little more, you would know that it's actually requiring more and more of the Monsanto chemicals because the weeds and bugs are building up a resistance. Also, you would know without me telling you, that it actually takes more pounds of chemicals per acre to grow these genetically modified plants than it does to grow the traditional varieties. Check it out.

  8. Joe, I am guessing you are a working farmer and that you are making use of every bit of technology and science to help you produce the biggest possible harvest from each acre of land.

    I have done a lot of reading about this and I continue to do so. Quite frankly, I believe today's farmers have been sold a bill of goods by the chemical companies and by the good old U S of A, specifically, the USDA. Your costs keep rising, but the prices you get for your crops does not rise to meet the increasing costs. How many farming families that you have known since you were a boy have given up or been driven out of farming by the never ending vicious cycle of ever increasing costs? You have been told by big business and big government that monoculture crops are the best possible way to maximize food production. There is a growing body of evidence that the truth is something quite different.

    I understand that it takes about a half acre of grain (corn, soy) to finish one steer on a feedlot. I have read that you can finish the same steer on the same amount of land using permanent pasture instead of grain. The meat has a far superior nutrient profile, plus the farmer does not have to spend so much money on chemicals and equipment to plant, grow, harvest and transport the grain, which then has to be stored and transported again. You wind up spending less to raise the same amount of beef, there is less impact environmentally (no manure lagoons, less fossil fuel to run tractors or other farm equipment), and the farmer gets to make more of a profit. You may find this webpage informative:

    I have stopped eating supermarket beef. I don't trust it. I buy beef from a local grower who finishes his stock on pasture and hay. I buy eggs from someone who keeps the hens on pasture. I am buying an increasing amount of my food from organic sources. I don't trust the conventional food distribution system. I am growing an increasing amount of my own food.

    I know that you do not have it easy and that it seems to make sense to use the technology that should help increase efficiency and you should benefit from economies of scale, but I think if you were to examine alternatives with a questioning mind, you might find that you can do what you don't think you can.

  9. I suggest the American Farmer take a good look at his figures, and honestly gets his head out of Monstanto's behind and LOOK at the world around him, and the research (or lack thereof). Organic farming does work, sustainable farming does work, the reason your lands are barren and need fertilizers is because of monoculture farming, monstanto and the reliance on chemicals. Instead of feeding crops try feeding the soil!
    If being in the 'dark ages' as he puts it, means I know what goes into my food then I welcome it!

    Oh and guess what farmer boy, we can already feed our bulging population. The problem is that farmers like you are killing the soil, using unnecessary chemicals, and essentially raping the land so you can earn a couple of extra bucks. I won't deny the farming industry is screwed, I know farmers don't earn enough (you can blame the government for that with their schemes). Food has never been cheaper than it is right now, that tells you something is wrong somewhere! But your head in the sand approach to the FACTS in the article (yes thats right they aren't unresearched, or untrue as you started they are facts) I suggest you do some research into Monstanto instead of just accepting what they tell you! Monstanto needs to realize that the consumers won't roll over and accept that what they are doing to our food is ok. Biotechnology has it's place sure, cos there is no going back afterall, but putting it in our mainstream food without our permission or giving us the option NOT to buy it, that's where I draw the line. Freedoms in America are being taken away and I for one say to hell with that!

  10. I spent the weekend working at the local CSA. Anyone who says that agriculture requires genetic engineering, pesticides, and herbicides should come out and work with me next weekend. They are feeding 200 families locally grown organic fruits and vegetables for a little over half of what the produce would cost to buy at Wal Mart. All of the extras go to a soup kitchen down town. I didn't see a single unhealthy plant all weekend. I didn't see a single fruit or vegetable with insect damage. When I asked how many varieties they grow over the season they had to go inside and pull up a spreadsheet to tell me. It was well over 300 varieties. I was amazed. The farm across the road from my sister's house grows one crop, corn. The field is bare when there is no corn on it. Not even weeds will grow there.

  11. I will never KNOWINGLY give one red cent to Monsanto. KNOWINGLY is the key word. Nobody knows what is in the food anymore...

    Just the facts known about where Monsanto has its tentacles spread, whom they have their hooks into, the tactics used to get their way, and the money they spend to buy influence is enough evidence for me to believe beyond a reasonable doubt that any food product tainted by Monsanto technology is not good for my body.

    The American farmer is a washed up carcass in the tide of globalization. Monsanto is everywhere in the world working with farmers who make third world wages, growing commodities and placing them on the world market, and bottoming out prices. The only farmers making money are the large scale Agricorps. The FAMILY farmer could reinvent itself by thinking in terms of RESPONSIBLE agriculture. Organizations whom consist of family farmers could confront Monsanto for what it is, inform the public about how Monsanto goes about business, the dangers of Monsanto products, and change things.

    Instead, all I hear is a bunch of bitching, moaning, and complaining from farmers about a number of ailments.

    I personally believe that the new farmers are people like us who have decided to treat the soil with respect, be responsible for the food we provide to our family, work with and buy from likewise minded people. I don't consider myself a farmer, but I am a provider to my family of food that I have control over. It's not cheap and it's hard work. I refuse to let the word CHEAP into food production or purchasing.

    I use methods that have worked for millenia before Monsanto came along to "improve" our food and its production.