Food Supply in danger!

Originally posted by phoenixhasrisin
Besides, there is only talk of the "terminator" strain pollinating, and affecting wild seed. Why does no one speak of wild strains pollinating, and affecting "terminator" seed? Because then it wouldn't sounds as alarmist
[edit on 8-3-2007 by phoenixhasrisin]

I dont think its really being an alarmist to be worried about the food chain of this planet.

Even if it doesnt pose such a risk, the blatent attempt at monopoly control of nature should offend us.

I guess this explains it:

Monsanto obliges any farmer buying Roundup Ready® soybean seeds (and presumably other Roundup Ready® crops as they come to market) to sign a Growers' Contract. The contract lays down astonishing constraints on farmers.

One season's planting only: Farmers who buy Roundup Ready® soybeans are only allowed to sow them for one cropping season. Soybeans can normally be saved from harvest and used for the next planting. Soybean seed saving is even promoted by farmers organisations in Europe as a means of cutting costs. Monsanto will not tolerate this and farmers have to promise not one seed will be resold or saved from their harvest for replanting, research, sale as seed, genetic analysis or reverse engineering. This is the end of the breeding and marketing line, as far as Monsanto is concerned.

Post harvest responsibility: The farmer is responsible for ensuring the above rules are not broken by anyone within three years of purchase of the seed. This means that anyone the farmers sells his/her harvest to has to follow the rules _ or else the farmer gets penalised! And the penalty is enormous. Monsanto will seek retribution of damages equal to 100 times the value of the Roundup Ready® gene multiplied by the number of seeds involved in the infringement plus "reasonable" attorney's fees and expenses (presumably at Monsanto rates). Thus, if the Roundup Ready® gene per se represents US$ 5 per 50 pound bag of seed, a farmer deemed liable for any of the prohibited acts would have to pay US$ 500 for every bag of soybeans plus the legal charges. That a farmer should be responsible for the use of his/her crop for three years after marketing is a shock alone. That it carries such a financial burden, likely to increase, is bordering on the unthinkable.

Roundup only: The Growers' Contract stipulates quite clearly that only the Roundup formulation of glyphosate may be used on the crop. Monsanto's seeds can only be treated with Monsanto's herbicide - by force of law now.

Monsanto police: Farmers who sign on to grow the soybean are obliged to allow Monsanto representatives inspect and test their fields to ensure the contract is being complied with. The contract does not say that the farmer must be present at inspection time. Monsanto's right to police farmers holds for three years after purchase of the seed.

Post farmer responsibility: The obligations of the agreement are fully binding on all heirs, representatives, successors and permitted assigns of the seed buyer. However, the farmer cannot transfer his/her rights under the contract to anyone without Monsanto's explicit agreement.

www.grain.org...

I have a theory (which I really cant prove) that representatives of the company do in fact go around checking random fields of say canola to see if they are following rules.

They possibly spray a small section and monitor it to see if it is in fact roundup ready canola. I do believe they are on the lookout for people that break their "rules".

It is known that they company would give a leather jacket to anyone who told the company about a farmer abusing seed law. Dead serious !

That is old news and I believe they don't do it anymore.

Its all in this interview:
www.satyamag.com...

Who knew farming was so interesting.

As I mentioned, they want to keep us busy on all the subjects like 911, iraq, iran, war, flu viruses, ufos elections, other irrelevant news, etc. and divert our attention from our basic staple needs such as this seed termination. I hope our leaders do something about this.

Please read the following Letters of Monsanto backed by US laws to Nelson Farm: (scary letter 3)

www.nelsonfarm.net...

Enjoy the ride guys!

Originally posted by Dulcimer
I guess this explains it:

Oh, ok. I was aware of the restrictions that come with purchasing their seed, but I didn't know that was a brand of theirs. What is stopping you from purchasing seed somewhere else?

Originally posted by InSpiteOf
I dont think its really being an alarmist to be worried about the food chain of this planet.

Of course not, and this type of technology does pose risks, but the same was said about seedless varieties not too long ago.

Even if it doesnt pose such a risk, the blatent attempt at monopoly control of nature should offend us.

It's not a "monopoly control of nature", there is nothing natural about these strains that they are trying to keep control of.

[edit on 8-3-2007 by phoenixhasrisin]

Originally posted by phoenixhasrisin

What is stopping you from purchasing seed somewhere else?

That is a good question. It all comes down to a yield of your crop. You want a good yield because prices are so low. There product delivers I guess.
www.monsanto.ca...

I wonder what companies like Monsanto are going to do with biofuel production.

Originally posted by shadow watcher
Do a search on monsanto and be appaulled with the rest of us.

It's a real shame that bombers target places like clubs and Oylmpic events instead of companies like this.

Uhh...

Has nobody realized yet? The plant is designed to kill itself off by not producing a replacement. How the hell is it going to replace your regular plants? Or cause any sort of "global catastrophe".

They are just introducing "copyright protection" so you cannot create any more seeds of that stock than what you are sold.

Originally posted by SteveR
Uhh...

Has nobody realized yet? The plant is designed to kill itself off by not producing a replacement. How the hell is it going to replace your regular plants? Or cause any sort of "global catastrophe".

The plant's flowers have to be pollinated to produce any kind of fruit. If pollen carrying the terminator genes cross with a natural strain, the reuslting seeds could carry the terminator self destruct gene thus making them unable to germinate...then again, it might not.


[edit on 8-3-2007 by phoenixhasrisin]

It's not a "monopoly control of nature", there is nothing natural about these strains that they are trying to keep control of.
[edit on 8-3-2007 by phoenixhasrisin]

I guess this is where you and I differ in opinion. I see this as an attemp to completely corner the market on seed sales. I mean, who else is the biggest competitor to seed sales other than mother nature?

HOwever, you do have a point. These seeds arent natural, and monstano isnt the only seed seller ( i guess tahts 2 points.)

Originally posted by InSpiteOf
I mean, who else is the biggest competitor to seed sales other than mother nature?

However, you do have a point. These seeds arent natural, and monstano isnt the only seed seller ( i guess tahts 2 points.)

So, you think that they created these seeds with the intent of spreading the genes throughout nature, intending to make it impossible for anyone to grow anything, anywhere, without having purchased the seeds through them or some other company? That's pretty lofty.

If you want the gist of it, listen to the grain producer...

Originally posted by Dulcimer
It all comes down to a yield of your crop. You want a good yield because prices are so low. There product delivers I guess.
www.monsanto.ca...

[edit on 8-3-2007 by phoenixhasrisin]

Originally posted by phoenixhasrisin
the reuslting seeds could carry the terminator self destruct gene thus making it unable to reproduce

That's right, but who's going to be the victim? A few regular crops in the next field? Sure. But spreading to the wild and causing some kind of ecological disaster? Impossible.

What Monsanto have done here is added a copy protection to the hard work and R&D that goes into making that perfect seed. Otherwise they are giving it away for FREE.

This is no different than anti DVD copying techniques, it's the same principle.

I am no corporate apologist but condemning what Monsanto have done is uneducated and inane.

Originally posted by phoenixhasrisin


So, you think that they created these seeds with the intent of spreading the genes throughout nature, intending to make it impossible for anyone to grow anything, anywhere, without having purchased the seeds through them or some other company? That's pretty lofty.

I wouldnt put it past them as a possible goal. Why else would they create such a seed ? Who benefits from it?

[edit on 8-3-2007 by InSpiteOf]

information on monsanto vs the us farmer
www.centerforfoodsafety.org...
www.mindfully.org...

Monsanto trying to get organic labeling suspended
www.organicconsumers.org...

the case of monsanto pressuring fox to change a documentary on bgh
www.foxbghsuit.com...

i could go on but lastly here is more info on what roundup is, this link contains a vast resource on other articles pertaining to monsanto and GM food and pesticides.
www.mindfully.org...


monsanto to me is one of those corporations of the future you read bout or see in scifi flicks stuff they are truly a scary company.

"its got what the plants crave!" - idiocracy

Well, looks like somebody woke up and smelled the carcass.

I think the most successful depopulation plan is constructed by great mother Earth herself; ain't gonna be enough food to feed us all anyway. Learn to live of the land. Most of us are gonna starve to death, no question about it, but hey, it's all a sacrifice for the greater good: a new world with less of us screwing it all up. I'm prepared to die for that sake, but it ain't gonna be easy. I'll eat sticks and stones if I have to.

Originally posted by mrwupy
A smart man would stock up on seeds right now that are all natural. In 20 years they will be worth a fortune.

They have been doing it for years they are called heirloom seeds. I have been buying mine for almost 30 years now. Most of the new seeds just plain suck from all the modifications they have made just so they can raise the crop output. BeefSteak Tomatoes and Bermuda onions are two good examples, if you buy what they are selling now you can see the diferance in an instant if you have planted heirlooms in your garden that is.

Originally posted by SteveR

Originally posted by phoenixhasrisin
the reuslting seeds could carry the terminator self destruct gene thus making it unable to reproduce

That's right, but who's going to be the victim? A few regular crops in the next field? Sure. But spreading to the wild and causing some kind of ecological disaster? Impossible.

Exactly. I am not that concerned about all this. I think farmers need to stop expecting super seeds without paying the price though.

On the flip side, what if some of the chemical resistant GMO's spread into nature, could that eventually help plants face their increasingly toxic environment? It's a possibility.

Originally posted by shots

Originally posted by mrwupy
A smart man would stock up on seeds right now that are all natural. In 20 years they will be worth a fortune.

They have been doing it for years they are called heirloom seeds. I have been buying mine for almost 30 years now. Most of the new seeds just plain suck from all the modifications they have made just so they can raise the crop output.

I'm actually intending on planting a veg-garden in my back yard. I really can't justify plain usless grass being there, and was looking for a good seed-seller. Do you recommend the people in that link?

If not, any survivalists here know of a reliable heirloom seed dealer?

And secondly, are there any downsides to harvesting the seeds from produce grown from heirloom seeds?

Originally posted by thelibra
If not, any survivalists here know of a reliable heirloom seed dealer?

And secondly, are there any downsides to harvesting the seeds from produce grown from heirloom seeds?

No, there is no downside, the only thing you need to realize is that if you grow different varieties on the same plot of land, the seeds from the tomatoes will not be true to what you originally purchased. So, I guess that can be a downside. Strict labeling, and careful hand pollination can cure that though.

Too bad you don't live in California, the Greenhouse I work at has over twenty varieties of heirlooms currently growinng.

www.treesofantiquity.com...


www.organic-foods-produce-healthy-diets.com...
www.seedsavers.org...
www.seedsofchange.com...
www.bountifulgardens.org...
www.southernexposure.com...
www.rareseeds.com...
: www.victoryseeds.com...
underwoodgardens.com...
www.landrethseeds.com...
www.nativeseeds.org...
From
www.peakoilstore.com...

[edit on 8-3-2007 by phoenixhasrisin]