F**king Monsanto
from Salon.com:
Last November, the U.S. Department of Justice quietly closed a three-year antitrust investigation into Monsanto, the biotech giant whose genetic traits are embedded in over 90 percent of America’s soybean crop and more than 80 percent of corn. Despite a splash of press coverage when the investigation was initially announced, its termination went mostly unreported. The DOJ released no written public statement. Only a brief press release from Monsanto conveyed the news.
The lack of attention belies the significance of the decision, both for food consumers around the world and for U.S. businesses. Experts who have examined Monsanto’s conduct say the Justice Department’s decision not to act all but officially establishes the firm’s sovereignty over the U.S. seed industry. Many of them also say the decision ratifies aggressive practices Monsanto used to entrench its dominance and deter competition. This includes highly restrictive contractual agreements that excluded rivals, alongside a multibillion-dollar spree to buy up seed companies.
When the administration first launched its investigation, many antitrust and agriculture experts believed it was still possible to imagine an industry characterized by greater competition in the marketplace and greater diversity in seeds. That future may now be foreclosed.
The investigation into Monsanto’s business practices began at the state level in 2007, when attorneys general in Iowa, Texas and a handful of other states initiated an inquiry into the company’s confidential licensing agreements. These are the contracts that must be signed by any seed company wishing to insert Monsanto’s genes into its own strains of soybean and corn plants. ............(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/how_did_monsanto_outfox_the_obama_administration/
= new reply since forum marked as read
So hybrids aren't inherently bad - unless one of the crossing parents is genetically engineered. All of the wonderful heirloom tomatoes we know and crave these days - the rainbow of colors, hundreds - no, thousands - of varieties - are due to either natural crossing (thanks, bees), the occasional mutation that is identified, or intended crossing followed by selections. Where it gets nasty with companies like Monsanto, even aside from the GMO aspect, is the aspect of "ownership" of non-hybrid varieties for commercial gain.
I have an issue with hybrids for other reasons - the cost, the inability to save seeds, etc. I've been growing mostly heirloom/non-hybrid for years now, and the flavors are wonderful, the diversity incredible, and yields just fine....even hybrids that have so-called "resistance" will get diseased (since it is most appropriately called "tolerance" - you get a few extra weeks, typically, but diseases, if present, will get them in the end).
I have a collection of about 3000 types of tomato seeds - none of them hybrids - and Monsanto will never get their hands on them!
