You should know the name Monsanto. It’s one of the few corporations in the world that I feel comfortable saying is evil. Personally I don’t hate corporations, but what Monsanto has done in the past and continues to do now is not only morally questionable but it puts our lives at risk. Monsanto is nearly single handedly ensuring the world eats nutrient poor food and farmers can only make money from government subsidies on soy and corn crops. Crops that are inedible by humans, but fuel our entire food system.
The Associated Press has done an in-depth expose on Monsanto, a task that many specialized groups and persons have taken up in the past. Activists like Michael Pollen have for years warned the world about Monsanto’s practices, and the public just goes about its daily business.
With the development of Round-Up (yes, the weed killer your dad likely had in the garage) and genetically altered seeds that were “Round-Up Ready” the seed giant stuck it’s head in the door of the food industry. Then they were able to get patents on genetically altered seeds. A feat that is still mind boggling as they have essentially patented life, a practice that the founders of this country never intended.
And from there it spread like wildfire as seeds naturally will travel around, or get blown off of trucks and trains as they speed by. Monsanto will often come in to a farmer’s land and check to see if they are “illegally” growing Monsanto seeds without permission. All the while forgetting that once a seed is out in the fields it will naturally spread.
The AP’s investigation is important because we have a major news organization looking objectively at the issue. Detractors of Food, Inc and similar documentaries can point to these works being created by men with an agenda. The general public needs to understand exactly what is going on here, and demand that Monsanto is reigned in. For the safety of everyone, and for the future of our food.
