Monsanto Loses Another Round

http://truefoodnow.org/2010/08/13/fe...d-sugar-beets/

"...This is the second time a Court has rescinded USDA’s approval of a biotech crop. The first such crop, Roundup Ready alfalfa, is also illegal to plant, based on the vacating of its deregulation in 2007 pending preparation of an EIS. Although Monsanto took that case all the way to the Supreme Court and the High Court set aside part of the relief granted, the full prohibition on its planting – based on the same remedy granted here, the vacatur – remains in place. In the past several years federal courts have also held illegal USDA’s approval of biotech crop field trials, including the testing of biotech grasses in Oregon and the testing of engineered, pharmaceutical-producing crops in Hawai’i."

And when it comes to fighting Monsanto, it's a real David v. Goliath battle.

This is an excellent post. And, obviously one that doesn't garner enough attention. Corporations want to own the world, including our crops and water. If they have their way, they'll own the soil our crops are grown in too.

On a somewhat related note, I just read about Monsanto and the use of bovine growth hormone in ice cream:

"...Monsanto's clammy paws can be found in some of the most widely selling ice cream brands in the country. These brands could break free from Monsanto's clutches. So far they haven't, but maybe this is about to change.

Ben & Jerry's gets all their milk from dairies that have pledged not to inject their cows with genetically engineered bovine growth hormone [[rBGH). Why, then, can't Haagen Dazs, Breyers and Baskin-Robbins do the same?

Starbucks now guarantees that all their milk, cream and other dairy products are rBGH-free. So do Yoplait and Dannon yogurts, Tillamook cheese, Chipotle restaurants, and many others. But ice cream giants Haagen Dazs, Breyers and Baskin-Robbins continue to use milk from cows injected with rBGH, a hormone that's been banned in Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia and all 27 nations of the European Union. As if to add insult to injury, Haagen Dazs and Breyers have the audacity to tell us, right on the label, that their ice cream is " All Natural."

We have Monsanto to thank for rBGH."

[emphasis is mine]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-r..._b_686629.html

Kielson, what's your concept of a corporation? Big evil boogyman I'm sure. You sound like the typical seemingly disenfranchised curmudgeon who tilts at windmills.

The fact is that in most cases, large corporations have millions of shares outstanding owned by millions of people; individuals around the world, pension plans, union welfare plans, religious organizations ad infinitum. In many if not most cases their businesses are highly regulated. With what would you replace them?

Frequently Asked Questions About rBGH

Krogers, Land O'Lakes, and Organic Valley are three distributors of rBGH free milk. Land O'Lakes and Organic Valley are farmer owned . A list of rBGH dairy products available by state: rBGH-free Dairy Guide

Beef cattle, as opposed to dairy cattle, often have growth hormone implants put into a vein in their ear. The nature of growth hormones is that some cattle are not affected while others produce or grow much more than they otherwise would have resulting in an net average gain. I've wondered if some of this is passed on in the food chain because there are a lot more tall kids than there were 40 years ago within similar population bases. The FDA says not to worry, that the growth hormones aren't being passed into the food chain so my anecdotal observations might be of statistical insignificance.

As corporations go, Monsanto is particularly evil. It sues farmers for Monsanto plants that sprout because birds have spread seeds, Monsanto's products make cattle ill, and it uses political machinery to squeeze healthier food products off the market. Our food safety czar and our US Agriculture trade representative are former Monsanto employees. Our Secretary of Agriculture had close ties to Monsanto and was nominated "biotech governor of the year". As Solicitor General, Alena Kagen sided with Monsanto and its genetically modified alfalfa. Monsanto is to small farms what Goldman Sachs is to small banks.

http://www.truthistreason.net/vanity...-6-page-report

"...Scenes like this are playing out in many parts of rural America these days as Monsanto goes after farmers, farmers’ co-ops, seed dealers—anyone it suspects may have infringed its patents of genetically modified seeds. As interviews and reams of court documents reveal, Monsanto relies on a shadowy army of private investigators and agents in the American heartland to strike fear into farm country..."

They pump cows chickens and every other food source full of modifications steroids and hormones, which our families eat, and then we wonder why our 12 year old daughters have the bodies of full grown women...?

I, personally, would like to see things become more natural.
We, as humans, can't expect to mutate everything and not see consequences.

3WC, while in general your rebuttal may have some merit, you really have to dig deeper when it comes to Monsanto instead of your glib reply. Any corporation that wants to own seeds, that which gives us life, is exactly what you described. Then, on top of owning it, they want to genetically alter with proven unsafe additives?

What would you call a corporation that does that?

http://www.truth-out.org/wikileaks-u...anto-corn66131
I consider this wiikleak a public service. Why is the U.S. gov. acting like a subsidiary of Monsanto?
Don' tell me. It's all about campaign contributions and who can suck up the most to Monsanto. We've got to get big money out of our elections.

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Originally Posted by 3WC

Kielson, what's your concept of a corporation? Big evil boogyman I'm sure. You sound like the typical seemingly disenfranchised curmudgeon who tilts at windmills.

The fact is that in most cases, large corporations have millions of shares outstanding owned by millions of people; individuals around the world, pension plans, union welfare plans, religious organizations ad infinitum. In many if not most cases their businesses are highly regulated. With what would you replace them?

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under dubya, and continuing under obama, deregulation [[both real and defacto) has undermind product safety to a huge extent. Monsanto is a vile company. They set up farms using their alterred, proprietary crops, which then pollinate unsuspecting neighboring farms. Those farmers then try to use their own seeds to plant the next year, Monsanto goes in and blocks them from doing so, thus driving the poor guys into bankruptcy, and making their farms available for Monsanto to continue the cycle

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Originally Posted by rb336

under dubya, and continuing under obama, deregulation [[both real and defacto) has undermind product safety to a huge extent. Monsanto is a vile company. They set up farms using their alterred, proprietary crops, which then pollinate unsuspecting neighboring farms. Those farmers then try to use their own seeds to plant the next year, Monsanto goes in and blocks them from doing so, thus driving the poor guys into bankruptcy, and making their farms available for Monsanto to continue the cycle

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Agreed, Monsanto is a vile company. Michael Taylor, a former Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto Corp.was appointed by the Obama administration to the Food and Drug Administration. Monsanto is still in the game. Mr. Taylor was then appointed by Obama to be our new food czar, actually 'deputy commissioner for food'.

Obama also appointed Islam A. Siddiqui to the position of Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Siddiqui was a pesticide lobbyist and Vice President for Science and Regulatory Affairs at CropLife America, an agribusiness lobbying group that represents Monsanto.
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=18499

Obama's Sureme Court pick Elena Kagan has defended Monsanto but then even Justice Thomas was a Monsanto lawyer.

Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is Obama's USDA Secretary. As Governor , Vilsack was a supporter of Monsanto and genetic engineering.

So how has the Obama Administration changed regarding Monsanto?

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Originally Posted by oladub

So how has the Obama Administration changed regarding Monsanto?

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Like I said, they haven't. Obama is a corporatist, just like every president since Eisenhower except Clinton

They do a lot of good with some products but also do a lot of harm with some products.

ex: The genetically modified corn crop disaster in Africa. Didn;t they lobby African governments to hand out free seeds, then these plants would not produce seeds and you could also not legally sell the seeds or modify the plants. So you are stuck buying their crap [[shoot)
The same thing with modified cotton in India.
They are like drug dealers handing a a free first hit if heroin, then your' f'd
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/m..._ge_africa.cfm

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 3WC

Kielson, what's your concept of a corporation? Big evil boogyman I'm sure. You sound like the typical seemingly disenfranchised curmudgeon who tilts at windmills.

The fact is that in most cases, large corporations have millions of shares outstanding owned by millions of people; individuals around the world, pension plans, union welfare plans, religious organizations ad infinitum. In many if not most cases their businesses are highly regulated. With what would you replace them?

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No truer description of me was ever spoken. Thank you. As a little guy, curmudgeon, I'm proud of what I say and do - including tilting at windmills. How else would you describe speaking out about a gigantic, multi-national corporation? A huge corporate political party? Would you describe yourself as a franchised, nice guy who has a clear, honest, open relationship with politicians and corporations? You might, but it's not likely true or accurate. At my age, what choice do I have other than to speak my honest feelings, tilting or not? I've never said all corporations are all bad. My case is usually attacking the bad side of corporations. I'm not in the business that NPR and demicans are in, of presenting and making the case for the other side and allowing the other side to speak unchallenged. Corporations have the money and political power to make their own case.

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Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

No truer description of me was ever spoken. Thank you. As a little guy, curmudgeon, I'm proud of what I say and do - including tilting at windmills. Would you describe yourself as a franchised, nice guy who has a clear, honest, open relationship with politicians and corporations? You might, but it's not likely true or accurate. At my age, what choice do I have other than to speak my honest feelings, tilting or not? I've never said all corporations are all bad. My case is usually attacking the bad side of corporations. I'm not in the business that NPR and demicans are in, of presenting and making the case for the other side and allowing the other side to speak unchallenged. Corporations have the money and political power to make their own case.

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Beautiful response.

I stopped reading the ad hominem once encountering the word "typical" but wow you really nailed it in your response.

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Originally Posted by rb336

Like I said, they haven't. Obama is a corporatist, just like every president since Eisenhower except Clinton

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So show me all the members of Congress who have not taken corporate money. You don't get elected without corporate money right now. That needs to be changed.

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Originally Posted by rb336

Like I said, they haven't. Obama is a corporatist, just like every president since Eisenhower except Clinton

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whoops - i meant Carter