Foreign Takeovers of National Industries:Monsanto Company

By: Tyler James & Tony Mingrone

Monsanto’s History

1901

1920s

1930s

1940s

2002

Previous Controversial Products

● DDT● PCBs● Agent Orange● rGBH

Monsanto Today

● 20,000+ employees● Facilities in 67 countries● Agricultural products● 15 seed brand varieties● 16 weed control brands

Monsanto Today

Monsanto’s Mission

“Sustainable agriculture is at the core of Monsanto. We are committed

to developing the technologies that enable farmers to produce more

crops while conserving more of the natural resources that are essential

to their success. Producing more. Conserving more. Improving lives.

That’s sustainable agriculture. And that’s what Monsanto is all about.”

Does Monsanto achieve their mission of creating sustainable agricultural

solutions?

Genetically Modified Organisms

● DNA is artificially manipulated● Corn - 88%● Canola - 90%● Cotton - 90%● Soy - 94%

GMO Health Risks

● Potential allergenic food transfers● Creation of new allergen● Antibiotic resistance● Possible links to cancer and disease ● No long term studies to prove or disapprove

What if all the “what ifs” are true?

How would we stop the products that have flooded global markets?

GMO Market

● ⅔ of global market for seeds● ¾ of agro-chemical market● 100% of GMO seed market

Golden Rice

● Produces beta-carotene (vitamin A)

● Licensed royalty-free to Southeast Asia

Golden Rice- Economics

● Regional reliance on Golden Rice + Monsanto

● Macro implications: disruption of existing rice markets

● Competes with local agriculture

Golden Rice- Environment

● Increased incidence of weeds

● Transgene intrusion on surrounding plants

● Insufficient testing of impact on nature

Golden Rice- Health + Government

● Beta-carotene levels too low

● Alternative nutrients are cheaper and do not have the same impacts

● Little to no government regulation

Roundup Spray

● Powerful herbicide invented by Monsanto in 1970; patent until 2000

● Largest producer of glyphosate in US

Roundup- Economics

● Roundup + Roundup-Ready seeds

● Increased crop yields and decreased labor

● Takes business away from local herbicide providers

Roundup- Environment

● Binds to soil; breaks down slowly

● Shown to damage environment: Paraguay

● More studies needed in the future

Roundup- Health + Government

● Found not to be carcinogenic by EPA

● Kills insects, worms and bacteria; could be dangerous for humans as well

● Legal in most countries

● Little regulation; but warning labels required

Corn Seeds (Bt Corn)

● Banned in Europe and China● Vietnam has embraced the crop● Built-in insect pest control

Bt Corn Environmental Risks

● Pests will build up resistance to toxin● Gene flow into other species● Negative impact on Monarch Butterfly● Affects aquatic plant wildlife through runoff● No long term studies

Bt Corn Seed Benefits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uboDidh0Qwg#t=464

Bt Corn in Vietnam

● High demand for hog feed● Corn imports quadrupled in 3 years● Gov’t has approved 4 varieties● Mostly GMO production by 2016● Controversial due to the past

Bt Cotton Seeds in India

● In 2002 began selling Bt cotton seeds● Built-in insecticide → Higher yields● 10x more expensive than regular seeds● Decreased pesticide usage by 40%● Debt is a possible contributor to suicides

Bt Cotton Seeds in India

● Banned by 2 states● Rs 10 crore vs Rs 230● Misleading literature● Farmers against crops

Indian Bt Cotton Video Clip

Documentary: “The World According to Monsanto” 10-minute clip beginning here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6_DbVdVo-k&feature=player_detailpage#t=4446

Bt Cotton Seeds in Pakistan

● Increase in yield and higher net revenuesPKR 53,249 (US$ 626)

vs PKR 41,833 (US$ 492)

● 85% of land grows Bt cotton● High demand → Low supply

● Resistance of bollworm increased ● Increase of secondary pests● Unstable insect ecology● Increase irrigation water use● Genetic pollution● Possible land fertility effects

Bt Cotton Seeds Environmental Impacts

Long Term Impacts vs. Short Term

● Many unknown● Dependency on supplier● Higher resistance● Unlimited gene flow

● Higher yields● Higher revenue● Less pesticide costs● Higher seed prices

Why is it so hard to research environmental and health risks?

President George H.W Bush’s proclamation in 1992

Does Monsanto have too much power?

Monsanto Protection Act of 2013● Bars federal courts from halting sale or

planting of GMOs● Sets a precedent● Signed by President Obama

What do you think?

● Does Monsanto achieve their goal of providing sustainable agricultural solutions?

● Do you think the benefits outweigh the unknown?

● Is it better to feed millions today and worry about the impacts later?

Bibliographyhttp://discover.monsanto.com/discover-us/#about-offices

http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-complete-history-of-monsanto-the-worlds-most-evil-corporation/5387964

http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/pages/monsanto-history.aspx

http://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MON

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/320/5875/468

http://whqlibdoc.who.int/bulletin/2000/Number%2010/78%2810%29news.pdf

http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/17918/PDF

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm

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http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef130.asp

Bibliographyhttp://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.0000008

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=120016

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/disadvantages-gmo-sweet-corn-9024.html

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http://ecowatch.com/2014/05/15/chinese-army-gmo/

http://www.newindianexpress.com/columns/Failure-of-Monsanto-Bt-Cotton/2013/12/06/article1930013.ece

Bibliographyhttp://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-agriculture-minister-for-saying-bye-bye-to-bt-cotton-1852117

http://www.sandeeonline.org/uploads/documents/publication/1009_PUB_Working_Paper_79_Khuda_Bakhsh.pdf

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/karnataka-bans-mahyco-s-bt-cotton-seeds-following-large-scale-crop-failures

http://www.globalresearch.ca/gmo-scandal-the-long-term-effects-of-genetically-modified-food-on-humans/14570