Yes it is sad. Monsanto is MON-SATAN They will stop at nothing to get what they want. Check out the story on bergere's link of Percy Schmeiser who spent 40 years developing his own variaties of canola and when genetically modified pollen from a nearby field contaminated his canola, Monsanto sued and won. This case is just a drop in the bucket as to the lengths Monsanto goes to get a monopoly on seeds.
I'm doing my best to get heirloom seeds and asked my library to order the book Seed to Seed, and want to learn how to save seed so I'll never have to depend on Monsanto for their FrakenFood. I refuse to be a guinea pig for them and try to stick to whole, non-gmo, foods and do without processed food unless they're organic or known to not contain GMO's.
They won a couple suits in Canada, and have several pending here, too...
I do heirlooms to, almost exclusively, though I do like hybrids - just won' be able to verify quality for long, so will have to produce my own F1s I guess.
Seed to Seed is one of the best books I've got on the subject, though the author makes some very easy savers into rather lengthy projects, lol! (Tomatoes are great - you can soak off the pulp till they actually sprout, and they will still save well - got 100% germination this year on all three that I tried!!!!)
One caveat.... Its going to be hard to NOT have the GMOs if you are within any distance of someone growing those crops... Things like corn can cross-pollinate over huge distances, so if you wind up surrounded, you won't have a choice...
This site is in no way like Peta, which I really really dislike,, and do not like a lot of things Greenpeace pulls.
I only put this site up, because two people in my family have been on the recieving end of Monsanto, and the lies they spout.
One of them was because they said Monsanto's Agent Orange was safe an had no health risks. I know what my Uncle has gone through, being exposed to this nasty stuff in the Vietnam war. What health problems he has gone through. Finally the military after 20 Plus years admitted Agent Orange, could indeed cause all the horrible health problems that he had been having. He is a good honest man, and to be treated they way he was all those years, because Monsanto can't be bothered to be honest.
Am sorry but that is just not right.
They make these chemicals and GMO stuff just to make money off people, they do not care who they hurt in the process. They think they are the only ones with rights.
Will not go into what yet another family member had to go through with them, when they never wanted any thing to do with that monster company.
Remember when the Governement said DDT was safe.. and look what happened.
I farm. I think GMO is the future of agriculture. The technology is fine. That is my opinion, I respect others have differening views.
But, I likewise don't like the licencing areement of big M. It is just like Microsoft's agreement. Seems 90% of us would be using Microsoft's agreement here. Have you ever read all of it? You agree to pay in full for a CD that is not physically defective, and you agree that Microsoft can sue you for any whim it wants.
The agreement with Monsanto is the same thing.
The USA has lots of consumer protections on sales. we live in a somewhat fair world there. Both sides of a sale have legal protections & avenues to fight back.
Licence agreements are new, and we don't have that consumer protection in the lawbooks. You sign that dotted line (or click a mouse??????) and you signed up with the devil.
Credit cards are another one. I get these booklets in the mail of my updated cc agreements. Have you ever read one? By using the card, you agree they can change the rate to anything they want at any time, blah blah blah. Basically we are responsible for all sorts of things, and they are responsible for _nothing_. Some agreement!
And, millions of people do so without thinking. If we don't agree to it, let's not use it. Things will come around.
Paul Microsoft and Monsanto are not quite the same. Idon't think there is much chance of Microsoft software drifting in the wind to contaminate your computer,and them send you a bill!!! Read the story on the Canadian canola farmer and come back and tell me that you agree with monsanto :no: You have very little chance of avoiding there genetic material if you have any users in the nieghborhood. We have people trying to raise nongmo beans for premium export markets and they are having a very hard time doing it. Monsanto can deprive you of profit and send you the bill, what is fair about this!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Wanda
Mike
I found the story on Oakhurst dairy being sued by Monsanto for producing products without rBGH interesting. I didn't know rBGH is made by Monsanto. We have a Wisconsin dairy that labels their products as rBGH-free, and those are the products I buy, along with organic dairy products. It's infuriating what Monsanto did to that dairy. It's a direct attack on consumer's freedom of choice.
I am sorry that we are renting our land again this year to a farmer who will be planting roundup ready corn. Our choices are to pay high taxes, give control of our land up to the government through programs, sell and move, or try and find a farmer willing to go organic.
Wanda, I must have not written my message quite right.
I have actually talked with one of the guys that was in a Big M lawsuit (he now grows nothing but GMO soybeans to protect from another lawsuit - NK beans which don't pay royalties directly to BigM). I've read about the Canadian grower many times. RR alfalfa is right around the corner. Growers don't want it, bees will carry the pollen 2 miles, won't be able to grow alfalfa without the trait. BigM is looking for $200 an acre for the tech fee on alfalfa. Wheat is also coming, but very few farmers of the West want it - will limit their export sales.
I have an organic processor 23 miles from me, I'm looking into growing regular & food grade beans for them. All of my neighbors grow RR beans, one is considering RR-corn for this year.
I'm aware of the problem, Wanda. The problem is the business practices of BigM - and the fact that everyone lines up to sign on the dotted line.
SAME as with Microsoft.
My problem is not with GMO products. I'd be happy to grow them. Preform just like any other crop.
The problem is the business practices of BigM. To some degree, that is our own fault, for lining up to go ahead & not questioning it at all.
Actually, the grower's contract with the organic place is even more restrictive, not sure what to make of that.
I see the problem being with the paperwork - not with the technology. Again, I realize some of you have some issues with the technology itself. To each their own.
Paul
Iguess what I am saying is,if you want a pitbuul to raise that is fine with me. Be responsable keep the dog fenced on your property fine. Buy a better breed of pit bull and turn it loose to breed on my propert without my permision and then send me a bill for a pup I do not want :no: The gmo technology is fine if they can CONTROL the genetics. I am in favor of nuclear power but I want the reactor to be covered to prevent escape!! If the law says I can't let my cows run in your bean field I think you and your seed supplier should have to keep the beans confined to your property.
Mr. Wanda
Mike
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