When will it die? Monsanto myths

so what besides wind could be a Canola pollinator?

Schmeiser's total farm acreage was only 1,400 acres of which 1,030 was planted to RR canola. Obviously he did not believe in rotation or his soil wasn't suitable for other crops.

The thing about this case is that is happened just about entirely within my time in the Internet. Initially, the prime source of information available was what he was putting on his own site. The stories changed so often that it was difficult to figure out what really happened. The story about him applying roundup to his own seed field was the final one that he came up with. Since that was tantamount to destroying the bulk of his seed for the next year, nobody believed it. As the final ruling stated, "none of the suggested sources could reasonably explain the concentration or extent of Roundup Ready canola of a commercial quality."

Martin

Canola pollen is heavy and sticky. That applies to all brassica. Wind isn't much of a factor other than vibrating the blossoms. The blossoms do have nectar and thus are attractive to bees. That's why you'll often see lots of bees and butterflies around broccoli flowers.

Martin

Do all of you who are addamently supporting monsanto/gmo's actually use their products? If not, I dont see why you are aggressivly supporting a corporation that is in the process of monopolizing agriculture.

Actually, I believe that you will find that DuPont Pioneer is a bigger supplier of agricultural seeds than Monsanto.

At the moment, I have bowl of my own salsa on my desk and a bag of Clancy's All Natural Tortilla Chips beside me. The ingredients listing on the chips says: "White corn, vegetable oil (consisting of one or more of the following: corn, cottonseed, canola, sunflower or soybean oil.) Oat fibre, salt." If enjoying those chips means that I am supporting the agriculture system and the farmers who make it possible, so be it.

Martin

No, but does everyone else know exactly what it is they are supporting? Or is it like people who go to McDonalds are kill themselves on cheap burgers day after day?

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I'm an environmentalist, left wing, Ron Paul loving Prius driver with a farm. If you have a problem with that, kindly go take a leap.

Wouldn't that question be better asked on the thread about what's wrong with GMOs? I haven't been to McDonalds in almost 30 years so I don't know if they are using canola oil in their burgers or not and really don't care.

Martin

I farm. Yes I use some monsanto products, and a lot of other companies products. I am not defending a company though, I am defending facts, and defending common sense and reality, from my experiences on a REAL farm. I see the differences in my environment since technologies have come along to make my farm more efficient. I would sincerely hope, that as a person using some of these technologies, and seeing the results thereof, and sharing my experiences here, would alleviate some of the hysteria that is out there. Unfortunately, I often feel like I make a passionate post, let others know why I think my soil is healthier, my water purer than ever before, yet these posts are often if not always completely overlooked, and not taken seriously. As a guy who farms, it is akin to brushing off legal advice from a good lawyer, medical advice from a trusted doctor. It is belittling to be a farmer who is trying his best to do the best I can for my land, my future, and my livelihood, yet be brushed off as killing people, the soil, the environment.

One small example. Since gm canola came along, I use about a third as much fossil fuel as I previously used. Now why are these facts brushed aside? Why no commendable comments from the hysterical ones? I have no idea, maybe they think I should burn much more fuel, spray more chemicals, wreck my soil.

I just get frustrated, because I feel I have a certain amount of experience with the issue at hand. I am in the thick of it, yet it is like talking to a brick wall.

I have no skin in the game with any gm companies, I simply farm. I wish some here would put just a bit of stock in this simple fact. I do not mean to suddenly agree with me, but just to say," so Dale, as a farmer in the thick of this issue, what are the pros and cons as you see it?"

Rather than be called a monsanto schill, a fake, or as PP would put it as a person faking their passion for agriculture. It would be nice, to just once have that little iota of respect from some of the postage stamp acreage owners, or the urban set, who would do well to expnd their horizons of knowledge at times, just as I could use more in areas at which I have little clue, such as raising bees.

Not aggresively supporting, just trying to clear up some lies, myths and misconceptions.
And just so you know, Monsanto is not in the process of monopolizing anything. There are plenty of other companies out there. Just so happens that Monsanto has become the lightning rod for the scared and uninformed.

I haven't planted GMO seeds since I tried to get into organic dairying. But I have used them in the past and may do so in the future now that the organic deal fell through.
I signed a deal with Monsanto years ago when I bought my seed and they haven't sent any thugs around to force me into buying it anytime since.
I still have plenty of choices for any sort of seed that I would care to plant.
My animals are healthy, they breed back when they should, even though I have fed them GMO feed in the past.

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Deja Moo; The feeling I've heard this bull before.

I don't think anyone can form a reasonable opinion if they believe lies.
I'd like to clear out the lies/myths that taint open discussions.
It has taken 90 posts on this single thread. For me, the proof is there, but I doubt anyone has changed their mind.
How can we have a fact based discussion on GMO, when people cling to the myths?
There are many falsehoods about GMO. We have discussed just one.
I think the three "hot button" topics on HT are GMO/Monsanto, Raw Milk and NAID.
I do not grow GMO crops. I do not sell raw milk. I do microchip my dog, horses and cows. I don't earn my living with any of these three hot topics.

I want the Homesteading movement to grow, be sucessful. I think we need to be informed and knowledgable. We set ourselves back as a group when we cling to a lie just because it makes us feel better.

Rosa DeLauro

'nuff said

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Roger

Haypoint, I know I have seen you chide other posters for trying to control what others might respond to them...I know you are not doing the same thing here!

GMO ... Giving My Opinion

Farmer Dale. I believe you when you say your fields are better, your soil and water are better. You sound like an intelligent person who wouldn't stick up for something that wasn't working just because some company told you it would work. In my area there are a lot of farmers just like you doing quite well. I'm the odd duck out by doing things all natural. I'm not certified organic, and I don't want to be, but that's a story for another day. :-)

My problems with gmo's have never been with the farmers but with the way the gmos are created and the lack of independent testing on the product. But more then any of those things, my biggest problem is with the fact that companies can use gmo's in their products and sell it here in the US and make a gmo free or labeled version to sell in countries that have a ban on gmo's. Why, if they are already making a product, are we not given a choice in buying that product? Why don't we have any say in the matter? I like to have a Coke. It's a vice I know but I like it. But I buy it from the bodega in town cause they import it from Mexico where its sold made with cane sugar and not HFCS. The funny thing is, sometimes those bottles are labeled as coming from the US. So somewhere here Coke is making, bottling and exporting a product made with real sugar and in order for me to buy it, I got to get it as an import from Mexico. WTH! By the way it's still the same price as a 20oz that never left the US. Crazy.

The big seed companies have a hand in this. They are against labeling because they feel it will create a stigma for their product and no one will buy it. They are afraid of giving us a real choice, they are afraid of our buying power as a people. They are creating their own myths. I want to hear from someone not from the government and not from the seed companies what this stuff really is. Then I will happily admit that I was wrong, if I am. It's not gonna hurt my ego at all and I will take my "Say no to GMOs" bumper sticker off my car.

I would just appreciate a label on the food I buy stating when GMO ingredients are used to make it.

I grow Non-GMO food for myself, and limit the GMO food I purchase, as best I can.

What does that have with Percy Schmeiser being a crook? Or are there so many GMO threads that you're replying in the wrong one? The myth about a crooked politician farmer in Canada has nothing to do with what you eat or how it's labeled.

Martin

You've still shown no evidence that he purchased RR seeds at any point. We've already done the math and shown that he could have supplied seeds for his entire canola crop from just 5 acres of saved seed. His OWN saved seed. How did Monsanto come to own seed that was grown on HIS OWN land from HIS OWN seedstock?.... I am sure a small army of Monsanto lawyers could tell me.

Nobody has yet come forward to tell the world where he got his seeds. Someone owed him a big favor and as long as Percy Schmeiser is alive, that person will never say. It's called political blackmail. He missed his one big chance to present a perfectly acceptable excuse but apparently wasn't quick enough to think of it.

Martin

He has already testified as to where he 'got' the seeds... he got them from HIS OWN LAND, by harvesting the cross-contaminated plants and growing them out. His nearest neighbor, with fields adjacent to his, grew Roundup resistant canola. The gene used to confer glyphosphate resistance is dominant, so ALL of the progeny from that pollination will carry that gene. Thats a pretty efficient way to spread a 'patented' gene around.
And yes, canola pollen is relatively heavy, and most falls near the plant, but NOT ALL of it does. Most stays within 75ft... His neighbors fields were CLOSER than that.

No, that was never a factor and was never once presented as the original potential source of contamination. When you ever find out what it was, you'll realize that he started out in a hole and only dug deeper as he went along.

Martin

I'm not trying to make him out as any sort of hero, Percy definitely lost that particular court case, he had Monsantos 'patented gene' in his crop. No one disputes that. The problem I have with Monsantos behavior is they 'patent' this life form, which then they have NO control over. And it spreads into the non-GMO plants, and soon, it is everywhere.

As to where he got the seeds, like I said, no one has been able to prove he ever purchased Roundup Ready canola seeds.

http://www.percyschmeiser.com/crime.htm