Corporate Control Of Farmers

"In their weekly column Schaffer and Ray (2016) reported about a meeting with an employee of the US State Department and discussing the benefits of GM crops for farmers and consumers in the Global South and whether or not farmers would have to pay a technology fee and purchase, for example, the golden rice seed each year. The State Department representative stated that the companies that own the patents would be willing to make the golden rice (or virus-resistant cassava) available at no cost provided that the countries adopted US patent regimes to protect other GM crops. From a policy perspective, such a ‘humanitarian’ license agreement would thereby present a highly profitable transaction, a means to ‘encourage’ developing countries that often do not even have patent laws of their own to accept the US patent regime and so ensure the profits of US companies and patent holders in perpetuity. In corporate agriculture it seems, nothing is really for free."
Millions Spent, No One Served: Who Is to Blame for the Failure of GMO Golden Rice?
Independent Science News, 10 August 2016

Corporate Agribusiness Research Project - Web Site Resource - Click Here

* Farmers' uptake of GM crops in the United States has been influenced by powerful marketing, but the spread of the technology is leading to weed resistance (now including giant ragweed), greater costs, and lower yields (Iowa Independent, 11 March 2010)
* Seed prices for farmers in Central Illinois have nearly tripled since 2000 (Medill Reports, 10 March 2010)
* Monsanto's rising monopolistic position in seed markets is being reflected in the prices it charges for seed (Associated Press, 14 December 2009)
* Monsanto is continuing to build up monopolistic positions in the seed market (Associated Press, 14 December 2009)
* The patents that attach to GM crops lie at the centre of how Monsanto has been accused of building up monopoly positions in seed markets (Associated Press, 8 October 2009):
* The patents that attach to GM crops lie at the centre of how Monsanto has been accused of building up monopoly positions in seed markets (Associated Press, 8 October 2009)
* Consolidation in the seed market associated with the development of GM technology is becoming an increasing problem for farmers in the United States (Olney Daily Mail, 30 September 2009)
* One of the reasons for the rapid uptake of GM crops is the lack of independent science to give farmers impartial information on their actual performance, and some people are finally beginning to notice (Financial Times, Blog, 11 August 2009 - see also Scientific American, Editorial, August 2009 edition, published 21 July 2009)

Monsanto is suing rival seed producer DuPont over what it sees as infringements of its patent right over the use of Roundup Ready technology in an effort to maintain its dominant position in the US soya market (Wall St Journal, 7 May 2009)
Poor GM performance leads farmers in Brazil's top soy state to start returning to non-GM soya varieties, but concerns are growing that high performance non-GM lines may not be made available by seed companies in the future (Reuters, 13 March 2009)
GM canola in Canada has not increased yields and costs more, and contamination of non-gm crops means that growing the latter is no longer possible (Weekly Times, Australia, 26 February 2009)
Even seed cleaning contractors in the US are now being punished by Monsanto for the presence of GM seed in non-GM crops as GM contamination spreads (Weekly Times, Australia, 26 February 2009)
Ag-biotech companies are obstructing independent university researchers from trialing GM crop varieties in order to prevent the publication of data which shows their poor agronomic or environmental performance (New York Times, 20 February 2009)
More US farmers are wanting to stop growing Roundup Ready soy bean because of the cost of GM seed, the cost of glyphosate, and the arrival of glyphosate resistant weeds, but the conventional seed isn't available (Delta Farm Press, 10 February 2009)
Monsanto has expensive seed monopoly (Des Moines Register, 17 October 2008)
GM specialist increases technology fees in USA
The antidote - 'Enlightened Agriculture'
Monsanto gears up for special chemical mixtures against GM 'superweeds'
Canadian Court backs farming totalitarianism
Database of scientists ties to industry
The Implications of the Percy Schmeiser Decision by E. Ann Clark
UK farmers being led to US-style GM slavery
Mississippi farmer fights for the right to save seed - Cropchoice report
Canadian farmer forced to pay for biotech company pollution
Monsanto fears GM liabilities
GM firm faked test figures - herbicide resistant maize
Corrupt Science-Business interface - 'Lancet' Scientists 'asked to fix results for backer' - Daily Telegraph
US farmers take out record law suit against biotech companies
US farmers' resentment against biotechnology industry
French farmers protest against introduction of gm crops
Canadian farming rebellion against GM oilseed rape - Financial Times
Australian Farmers concerned about biotechnology 'pariahs'
US corporate seed link up with UK co-op rings GM alarm bells
FBI find illegal GMOs in US animal feed allegations
GM could 'impoverish poor farmers'
Monsanto and Novartis threaten Irish Farmers with non-gm seed withdrawal
US farmers start to struggle to find non-gm seed varieties
Big money and small genes are changing the structure of agriculture—and your place in it - US Farm Journal article
Non-gm seed availability problems begin to surface in the US
The corporate takeover of corn in SE Asia
ConAgra announce GM corn marketing tie up with Monsanto June 99
ConAgra's Food Safety campaign follows GM alliance with Monsanto
More on farm property rights violation issues associated with this technology
BST GM hormone food scandal breaks in US
Canadian Government report on toxic effects of BST
Monsanto withhold data on effects of BST on cattle health
Canadian Government report on toxic effects of BST
Covered up US study shows damage to rats from BST
Canadian government scientists claim BST approval coercion
BST background
Canadian seed authorities manipulate oilseed rape trials criteria to secure approval for inferior GM varieties
Monsanto also trying to establish its control over water

Corporate Agribusiness Research Project - Web Site Resource

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