How Monsanto May Destroy Itself by Jocelyn Broyles
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-monsanto-may-destroy-itself.html
I just read a fabulous article by Melanie Warner entitled, “Mystery Science: More Details on the Strange Organism That Could Destroy Monsanto,” detailing a possible problem for Monsanto’s genetically engineered, Roundup Ready, corn and soy crops. It seems that the herbicide glyphosate, which Monsanto uses in its Roundup product, may be damaging the immune systems of its own Roundup Ready corn and soy crops, so that they are in fact killing themselves off at a not-insignificant rate.
This information is being presented to Monsanto and the USDA by a white-haired, Midwestern scientist by the name of Don Huber. While his theory has not passed the formal test of scientific findings – it has not been upheld by other scientists nor has it been published in an industry peer review journal – it is nonetheless compelling.
In spite of having the USDA in its pocket – the new and unprecedented police-yourself USDA policy towards Monsanto’s Roundup was passed by Tom Vilsack just days after Huber sent his findings (by hand) to Vilsack – Monsanto may actually be the death of itself. An idea I find poetically appealing.
Headline image from bnet.com, provided along with Huber’s letter. It shows a green, non-GMO field in the upper left, next to a brown Roundup-ready field in the forefront.
Ok, ya'all know how we hated to hear how people were celebrating Bin Ladin's death?
I don't care - I feel the same way about Monsanto -Yay!!!!!
Wendy
What is happening to Roundup Ready crops is known as Sudden Death Syndrome, but it may not be the death knell of Monsanto as one might hope. Monsanto's own website offers a solution for the syndrome: http://www.monsanto.com/productperformance/Pages/sudden-death-syndrome-in-soybeans.aspx
Another thing to consider is that as GMOs fail and their manufacturered genes cross-pollinate with other non-GMO crops, which in turn fail, does that lead to mass crop failure and starvation?
Good points Noa,
I thought they were supposed to be designed not to cross-pollinate, weren't the terminator genes supposed to stop this? I know I've heard stories that they are though, I hope any solution Monsanto cooks up won't work.
Wendy
Maybe that's the point - to create a massive crop failure! Monsanto is the perfect vehicle and it could all be done under the guise of creating "more food for better living" etc. Oh - the ironies!
It would be nice to think that they are creating some unsustainable "crop" that no one would buy though. That's about the only way to "kill" monsanto - is to stop funding it. They're like the Walmart of the farm - run everyone else out of town and then everyone has to buy frankenseed from them. And they do.
I wonder how many organic vegetables are grown using Monsanto seed (not necessarily GMO - but non heirloom). I'm betting many of them are - particularly the larger businesses. So I googled it - and while this doesn't mention organic specifically - it obviously applies:
http://www.seedalliance.org/Seed_News/SeminisMonsanto/
Yes, I probably misspoke when I used the term, "cross-pollinate." What I meant to say is that Monsanto is winning lawsuits against Farmers for patent infringement on their GMO seeds. Incredibly, the courts have been ruling against farmers when the patent "infringement" is caused by GMO seed contamination through no fault of their own. GMO seeds are naturally spread by the wind, birds, and animals to neighboring farms. The farmers are then court-ordered to destroy their non-GMO seeds, causing bankruptcy and loss of farms that have been in families for generations.
There is a bright spot on the horizon. Some farmers are fighting back with lawsuits of their own: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-29/monsanto-sued-by-organic-farmers-over-modified-seed-patents-1-.html
Today's Democracy Now broadcast reports that every 30 minutes, a farmer commits suicide in India. The infiltration of GMO crops is one cause cited: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/11/every_30_minutes_crushed_by_debt
Isn't it incredible - what debt creates. Loss of life, of homes, of self esteem etc etc etc. It's endless what the cycle of debt creates - and once on it - it's almost impossible to get back on track (at least here in the US) I took in a "homeless" woman who lost her income (much like what happened to me) and was house-sitting just to keep a roof over her head, moving from state to state. Her car is up for repossession, insurance is expired, tags are expired. So I gave her a place to stay since I am here alone now, so she could start to rebuild. She almost immediately got a job in Portland. So she pulls her credit report to see what needs to be addressed - and there is a $16000 tax lien on there! It just never ends. If you don't have money - you're screwed and they seem to make sure that you will never recover.
If by some miracle she doesn't lose her transportation to work - she could end up with her wages being garnished for the tax issue etc etc. The only solution she can see is getting a false identity with a different SS # so she can start over. Crazy.
NO WONDER PEOPLE COMMIT SUICIDE OVER DEBT.
"The great specialty of industry and technology has been the mass production of human corpses"
Not to mention the complete and utter annihilation of so many other species of flora and fauna...
I trust we will get past this insanity, hopefully soon...