...composition is altered in the process. Monsanto Company is one of the world’s largest seed producer and distributor of GMOs controlling the food system. They were a past leading chemical industry, and their modified seeds have been known to resist the herbicide Roundup. So how is this safe? The GMOs are not fully tested and toxic substances can be a hazard. By labeling the GMOs, the label would mark the content and what consumers are eating. Mandatory labeling would require the adequate listing of all GM substances. Incidents have occurred where the consumer’s health issues are a probable concern. Krystle B. Blanchard, researcher who wrote “ Hazards of GMOs,” reports studies that the FDA ignores about GMOs. The FDA and manufacturers say there is no difference between GMOs and non-GMOs, but their make-up DNA do not relate. Some crops are injected with soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis in the DNA and it helps the seed act as an insecticide, but can be harmful to humans if ingested. There were incidents where workers developed allergies to this herbicide and developed irritation or infections (Blanchard 139-40). The GMOs composition are a concern and the FDA is not fully evaluating the products. They are responsible for ensuring food safety but are failing in the process. Another incident illustrated by journalists Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele in the article “ Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear”,was in Anniston, Alabama where an old Monsanto plant used to produce PCBs. This toxic...
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...Monsanto a sustainable agriculture company. Monsanto Company is a publicly traded American multinational agricultural corporation headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Founded in 1901 by John Francis, by the 1940s it was a major producer of plastics, including polystyrene and synthetic fibers. Monsanto has become the world leader in genetically modified organisms. Present in 46 countries, leader in biotechnology produces 90% of GMOs grown worldwide (soybean, rapeseed, cotton, corn, etc..) and became one of redemption by the first seed of the planet that could ultimately control the entire food chain. Notable achievements by Monsanto and its scientists as a chemical company included breakthrough research on catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation and being the first company to mass-produce light emitting diodes (LEDs). The company also formerly manufactured controversial products such as the insecticide DDT, PCBs, Agent Orange, and recombinant bovine somatotropin. On their official website this company looks like a perfect and respectable agricultural society. Their principal slogan is “Monsanto a sustainable agriculture company”. The website also shows advertisement such as "Our innovations helps farmers produce more food using less natural ressources" , "Monsanto is playing a key role in helping farmers adress the challenge of water", "Monsanto company named one of CR' magazine's 100 best corporate citizens", or “learn how Monsanto is connecting the dots to a more sustainable...
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...say that all tumors are caused solely by GMOs, but rather that at least one of the causes for tumors have been identified. As a result of this study, many countries have banned the importing, development, and sales of GMOs, including (but not limited to) Italy, Switzerland, and New Zealand (for confirmation, search “GMO Ban” from the University of Phoenix Library). The scientific method has also been used to study the toxicity of chem trails in the air, fluoride in the water, and preservatives in food products. So why has President Obama signed into law the Monsanto Protection Act, which protects Monsanto (a large American GMO company) from federal courts? With so much evidence, one must wonder why the government is turning a blind eye (or even worse, “protecting”) these companies, at the expense of our health. Many speculate that the motive for this corruption is money, such as corporate bribery (otherwise known as “lobbying”) from big Food and Medical industries. Consider how all three organizations benefit: Food companies from the sale of their poisonous...
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...When Monsanto decided to introduce its genetically modified soybeans to Europe, they were faced with numerous uncontrollable forces in which they had to contend. Monsanto had little opposition to the product in the US. Consumers were indifferent to the technology and for the most part, embraced it. With this success, they assumed that the sentiment would be shared internationally. After all, Monsanto had good intentions. They had aspirations to reduce pesticide use and subside world hunger. Despite these intentions, they failed to realize that foreign environments have differing values and can be difficult to assess especially regarding political, legal and cross-cultural differences. Ultimately the product was not accepted in Europe mostly out of concern for food safety. It is important to analyze and understand the forces they were faced with to have a sense of why Monsanto failed. Monsanto failed in Europe for two main reasons. The first (outside of Monsanto’s control) was the recent outbreak of Mad Cow disease linked to British Beef, yet downplayed by the government. This event just so happened to coincide with the introduction of the genetically modified soybeans. There had been a loss of trust in government and food safety. We can refer to uncertainty avoidance in Hofstede’s four dimensions model to understand this further. Many European countries rank high in uncertainty avoidance and are risk averse. Members of this type of society have high anxiety...
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...The Safety of “Frankenfoods” Debora Petit ENG/102 June 24, 2014 Jason Greer The Safety of Frankenfoods In a world that will have an estimated population of approximately 9.6 billion people by the year 2050 (United Nations Department Of Economic And Social Affairs, 2013), growing enough food becomes a great concern. As the population grows, the amount of available farmland decreases. This phenomenon inspired companies, such as Monsanto and Novartis, to find a way to help farmers increase the yields from crops while also increasing their own profits. By genetically modifying food crops such as soy and corn, insect resistance and crop yield can be improved. However, studies conducted after government approval in the U.S. indicate that genetically modified (GM) foods can cause harmful side effects not only to humans but also to the environment. During the 1950’s, scientists found the basis for genetic modification when they discovered chemicals that “could cut and duplicate pieces of DNA” (Chapman, 2010, para. 2). Genetic modification occurs when the DNA from one species is inserted into the DNA of another species. For example, the gene that allows an Arctic fish not to freeze in sub-zero waters could be inserted into a tomato plant to make it frost resistant. Without the ability to cut pieces of DNA, these genes could not be transferred. The process evolved with the discovery of a germ that could transfer DNA into plants. Cells contain a natural defense mechanism that...
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...don't seem to coincide with those ideals. It is exactly what people hope to see when reading any company's code of ethics. Upon researching Monsanto and it's ethical issues, I have come to the conclusion that I do not believe them to be very ethical actors, or at the very least, they know how to operate in gray areas. While they do donate to charities, those donations seem to have motivation beyond altruism. To me, their donating seeds to third world nations is really only an attempt to get in to an untapped market that will eventually rely on them. The reason I believe this is because they have shown through past actions that their main goal is to control the majority of the world's GMO supply whether it is seeds or Prosilac, the hormone used to produce more milk in cows, or any other product they produce. They sued DuPont, a competitor, for trying to create their own seeds that could withstand Roundup (a Monsanto product that has all but completely saturated the marketplace). If DuPont didn't try to engineer seeds that could withstand Roundup, they literally wouldn't be able to compete as Roundup is so widely used. Their seeds would not produce crops and they wouldn't have customers. Also, the fact that their customers cannot reuse seeds from year to year shows profit motivation. Obviously, businesses rely on profit, but I feel like Monsanto has abused the power it has secured over the food supply. If their goals were simply to wipe out world...
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...of those crops. B. Genetically modified seeds are produced and distributed by biotech companies C. 68% of all genetically crops were grown by United States farmers in the year of 2000. D. Complexity – the environment, health, public concern and the expense of the poor II. Political and Legal Influences A. United States Federal Government 1. Lobbying 2. FDA and the revolving door 3. USDA 4. Political pressure 5. Silencing whistleblowers B. State and Local Governments 1. Local resistance 2. State government support for GMO C. Europe 1. EU resistance 2. GMO free zones 3. Greater rejection and shrinking market D. Canada 1. Bribe money 2. Pressure to approve GMO E. Rest of the world 1. Angola 2. Australia 3. Brazil 4. New Zealand 5. Sudan 6. Venezuela F. WTO 1. Collusion with GMO producers 2. Prohibits bans on GMO products G. Legal 1. Monsanto’s 90% market share of GMO seeds 2. Antitrust issues 3. Terminator seeds and patents 4. Monsanto as plaintiff a. United States b. International 5. Monsanto as defendant a. United States b. International III. Economic questions and considerations A. Commercial growth of genetically modified seeds 1. Current GM crops a. Soybeans b. Corn c. Cotton 2. Growth areas a. Brazil b. Argentina c. India d. China 3. Who Benefits a. Emerging nations’ governments b. GM Seed Producers c. Poor, unproductive farmers ...
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...Corruption and Politics When Jack Abramoff was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to prison in 2006, the act of lobbying was thrown into the national spotlight. Lobbying has a reputation for being one of the most controversial issues in American politics. It is undeniable to accept the fact that good and bad results when lobbying takes place. Some argue that the downfall of lobbying is a catastrophic problem to the American public while others argue that lobbying creates a healthy relationship between the American public, companies, and the government that complies with the US constitution. In order to determine what action should be taken regarding the act of lobbying, one should question if the act should be outlawed entirely, remain in its current legal state, or reformed. The primary role of a lobbyist is to meet with lawmakers and their staffers on a regular basis. During these meetings valuable information is shared regarding specific issues. Many lawmakers heavily rely on lobbyists to provide vital information when writing legislation. John Kenneth White, a political scientist at Catholic University in Washington expresses how essential the act of lobbying is for politicians while in the process of writing legislation when he says: “They are not only necessary but inevitable” and “The founding fathers fully expected interest groups to organize to defend their property interest.” Professional lobbyists are people whose business consists of influencing legislation...
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...An Introduction to the topic of GMOs Ruby Gutierrez Adventist University of Health Sciences Abstract GMOs are a promising and exciting revolution in agriculture. The technology, if safe, could allow humanity to make hunger a thing of the history. On the other hand a technology as powerful as GMOs also has the potential of changing our lives and ecosystems irreversibly. This paper is a basic introduction into the topic of genetically modified organisms and the concerns consumers and advocates around the world have about this technology, its approval, and future impact in the environment and societies around the world. Keywords: GMOs, FDA, agriculture, Monsanto, patents, corruption, environment. GMOs: An Introduction We live in an area where the acquisition of knowledge is only a few keystrokes away for any given subject. The pace at which new technologies are developed and become obsolete is unprecedented. Each new invention brings the hope and promise of a better tomorrow, an improved tomorrow. One of these revolutionary technologies are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Companies that produce GMOs offer the technology as the answer to at least two of our most pressing issues, sustainable agriculture and world hunger. Both issues speak to one of humanity’s most basic biological needs, food. In effect, anything that affects this need should be treated with importance and urgency, because of the essential nature of food for human existence. ...
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... |3 | |Question 2 |6 | |Question 3 |8 | |Islamic Perspective |12 | |References |16 | CASE ANALYSIS: MOSANTO BALANCES WORLDWIDE STAKEHOLDER CONCERN. Monsanto company is a multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation which is based in U.S as a headquarter. It is the leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate around the world. The corporation was founded in 1901 by John Francis Queeny, and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. It operates in agricultural biotechnology products such as Herbicides, pesticides; crop seeds. The company previously involved chemicals and later switched its business to biotechnological foods. The revenue of the company in 2008 was $11.365 billion where net income from this revenue was $2.024 billion and these earnings ware generated by 21,700...
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...Genetically Modified Organisms Capitalism: The Soil Where Food Grows Foods we consume can be looked upon as somewhat vastly different than the foods consumed by our predecessors. Technology and scientific innovation progresses at a staggering and nearly exponentially greater rate from each year to the next, and its reach leaves little industry untouched. Most mass-produced foods we eat today contain some level of preservatives, alterations or other biological modifications. In a sense, it is almost as if we should redefine the simple name of what we eat. Is a carrot still a carrot? What gives the food we eat a name? The debate on genetically modified foods is one that continues to carry stronger and stronger throughout the years. Some crops are modified to prevent insects from eating them, other foods are altered bio-mechanically to provide additional resources or to grow larger. Even so far as farm animals are given treatments that dramatically increase their body size, yielding more meat. To preface the argument food or against genetically modified foods: there is simply no easy solution. The overall scenario of genetically modified foods has many different parameters. These parameters include ethical, religious, legal and environmental ramifications. It would be equally as irrational to say that genetically modified foods were more or less dangerous than they were beneficial. The perspective to the scenario should be taken on both micro and macro levels, and to perceive...
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...Capitalism: The Soil Where Food Grows Foods we consume can be looked upon as somewhat vastly different than the foods consumed by our predecessors. Technology and scientific innovation progresses at a staggering and nearly exponentially greater rate from each year to the next, and its reach leaves little industry untouched. Most mass-produced foods we eat today contain some level of preservatives, alterations or other biological modifications. In a sense, it is almost as if we should redefine the simple name of what we eat. Is a carrot still a carrot? What gives the food we eat a name? The debate on genetically modified foods is one that continues to carry stronger and stronger throughout the years. Some crops are modified to prevent insects from eating them, other foods are altered bio-mechanically to provide additional resources or to grow larger. Even so far as farm animals are given treatments that dramatically increase their body size, yielding more meat. To preface the argument food or against genetically modified foods: there is simply no easy solution. The overall scenario of genetically modified foods has many different parameters. These parameters include ethical, religious, legal and environmental ramifications. It would be equally as irrational to say that genetically modified foods were more or less dangerous than they were beneficial. The perspective to the scenario should be taken on both micro and macro levels, and to perceive their effects in the...
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...Policy #2 The history of the American economy has been greatly impacted by the industrial revolution. Life as the people of this time knew it would have a big change ahead of them. The normal life of using your hands to produce products would become more of machines doing the manual work. There was a boom in population and income stemming from the economy becoming more efficient. The Industrial Revolution increased the supply of goods dramatically from the invention of a mass-production technique that was represented by Henry Ford. The majority of the increase of supply was largely seen in mining, steel, oil, transportation networks, communications networks, industrial cities, and financial centers, but also consumer goods. The concept of people not having to use their hands as much anymore was an important advancement. The time being saved was significant not to mention how efficient these steam powered machines were in production. Now the overall work time is being cut dramatically considering they could now have settings for machines to produce the work. At the same time, the workers needed to realize this meant there would be less jobs available for employees. There would be less work to manage, but this led to creating a bigger profit since there was not as much man power needed in the factory. This idea of having the machine do the dirty work sparked the importance of profits for the business leaders, which over time has arguably led to the greedy business leaders we...
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...Francisco, CA 94107 tel: (415) 293-9900 fax: (415) 293-8394 info-ca@fwwatch.org www.foodandwaterwatch.org Copyright © 2013 by Food & Water Watch. All rights reserved. This report can be viewed or downloaded at www.foodandwaterwatch.org. A CORPORATE PROFILE Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Company History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Modern-Day Monsanto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Monsanto’s Environmental Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Market Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Figure 1. TIMELINE: A Selected History of Monsanto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Influence on Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Figure 2. Monsanto’s Interlocking Board Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Figure 3. Monsanto’s Revolving...
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...10 REASONS WHY we don’t need GM foods With the cost of food skyrocketing – hitting not just shoppers but the poor and hungry in the developing world – genetically modified (GM) foods are once again being promoted as the way to feed the world. But this is little short of a confidence trick. Far from needing more GM foods, there are urgent reasons why we need to ban them altogether. 1. GM foods won’t solve the food crisis A 2008 World Bank report concluded that increased biofuel production is the major cause of the increase in food prices.1 GM giant Monsanto has been at the heart of the lobbying for biofuels (crops grown for fuel rather than food) — while profiting enormously from the resulting food crisis and using it as a PR opportunity to promote GM foods! “The climate crisis was used to boost biofuels, helping to create the food crisis; and now the food crisis is being used to revive the fortunes of the GM industry.” — Daniel Howden, Africa correspondent of The Independent2 “The cynic in me thinks that they’re just using the current food crisis and the fuel crisis as a springboard to push GM crops back on to the public agenda. I understand why they’re doing it, but the danger is that if they’re making these claims about GM crops solving the problem of drought or feeding the world, that’s bullshit.” – Prof Denis Murphy, head of biotechnology at the University of Glamorgan in Wales3 commercialization, genetic engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop yields...
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