Monsanto and GMO Seeds – Thoughts From The Middle of Nowhere

I found this story interesting. n n<a href="http://www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net/print/Monsanto%20buys%20Terminator%20seed%20company.htm" >Monsanto buys ‘Terminator’ seeds company</a> n n<blockquote>The United States Government has been financing research on a genetic engineering technology which, when commercialized, will give its owners the power to control the food seed of entire nations or regions. The Government has been working quietly on this technology since 1983. Now, the little-known company that has been working in this genetic research with the Government’s US Department of Agriculture– Delta & Pine Land– is about to become part of the world’s largest supplier of patented genetically-modified seeds (GMO), Monsanto Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri. n nRelations between Monsanto, Delta & Pine Land and the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym>, on closer scrutiny, show the deep and dark side of the much-heralded genetic revolution in agriculture. It proves deep-held suspicions that the Gene Revolution is not about ‘solving the world hunger problem’ as its advocates claim. It’s about handing over control of the seeds for mankind’s basic food supply—rice, corn, soybeans, wheat, even fruit, vegetables and cotton—to privately owned corporations. Once the seeds and their use are patented and controlled by one or several private agribusiness multinationals, it will be they who can decide whether or not a particular customer—let’s say for argument, China or Brazil or India or Japan—whether they will or won’t get the patented seeds from Monsanto, or from one of its licensee GMO partners like Bayer Crop Sciences, Syngenta or DuPont’s Pioneer Hi-Bred International.</blockquote> n nThis is a real interesting story about the rise of Delta & Pine Land and their work with the US Government on Terminator technology for GMO crops. In short, Terminator technology makes sure the seed a farmer would save from his crop is sterile and will not germinate, ensuring that the farmer has to buy seed from the big agri business instead of saving some back to plant. I would really be curious to know why, when the US Government had a hand in Terminator development, a private company was allowed to patent the technology and control it. Before you blame the Bush Administration check the article and the time line and names involved. Arkansas companies and the Clinton's figure highly in this and the patent, to a private company for government technology, was handed down during the Clinton Administration. n nMonsanto is buying this technology since they all ready control a large portion of the GMO markets and controlling the seeds fertility will only increase their profits. That's real obvious. The control a company can exert with this technology is tremendous. Yes, I understand a farmer doesn't need to use the GMO seed, but to be competitive sometimes the farmer has no choice. The idea of one company controlling the bases of food supply is scary. n nOver <a href="http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?id=17">130 developing nations</a> agree that this technology is bad for the human race and are working to stop it's spread. n nI vaguely remember when the Terminator technology was patented and the hoop-da-la that was associated with it. I haven't heard about it much though since then but Monsanto buying the technology has brought it to the forefront again, at least to me. A little research on the Internet indicates the rest of the world is very aware of this technology and are doing what they can to stop it. They are worried that it will be used as a weapon against the poor people of the world by the rich American and European countries. They worry that the rich countries will get the majority of their farmers using seeds with Terminator technology with cheap prices then have them over a barrel and withhold seed or sell it for an exorbitant price down the road. I don't blame them for there concern. It's real. n nStumbling across this information just gives me something else to worry about with the food production of the world. Bigger and bigger companies are taking over more and more of the food production of the world which is real scary. Knowledge is power. Knowledge of what is going on helps us all. n nThe will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. James Allen