...Juan Colon GE217 Composition II Mr. Cardew Final Paper August 30, 2012 Monsanto and Genetically Modified Foods Monsanto is an agricultural biotech corporate giant that genetically modifies animals and crop seeds. On their website, they come across a deeply committed humanitarian organization that provides an ecologically sustainable answer to global hunger and malnutrition. The sad reality is that Monsanto is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and perhaps one of the most unethical corporate giants in the world today. I will argue that Monsanto is on a power trip, and that they have a hidden agenda that has nothing to do with compassion, ecology or human hunger, and everything to do with greed. In the following paragraphs, I will provide a brief history of Monsanto. Then I will examine some of the promises made in their marketing propaganda, and provide evidence that these promises are little more than blatant lies. Monsanto started out in 1901 developing a highly controversial artificial sweetener called saccharine. Monsanto eventually shifted their focus to genetically modified plants and animals. They are still a major chemical production corporation, developing and marketing Roundup and several other herbicides, Bovine Growth Hormone, and genetically modified seeds. Among the most widely recognized of their genetically modified products include corn, soy and canola. These seeds have a gene inserted that makes them resistant to Monsanto's own herbicide called Roundup. These...
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...What is Monsanto International? Monsanto International Corporation is a multinational agricultural biotechnology company. Established in 1901 in St. Louis, Missouri by John Francis Queeny, Monsanto was originally founded in order to develop products for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The first product introduced by the company was none other than Saccharin, developed for and distributed to the Coca-Cola Company. Shortly after, Monsanto developed caffeine and vanillin, and introduced them to the then growing beverage company. The Monsanto Company became international in 1919 when it established a presence in Europe by partnering with a company based there to produce salicylic acid, aspirin, and eventually rubber with them. Starting in the 1920’s, Monsanto International began to produce and distribute basic industrial chemicals such as sulfuric acid, and by the time the 1940’s arrived, the company was the leading manufacturer of some chemical plastics and synthetic fibers. Since, Monsanto has maintained a position as one of the top 10 chemical companies in the United States. Other noteworthy products that have yielded from the Monsanto Corporation are the artificial sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet), the insecticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) which was later banned, the toxic chemical “Agent Orange” used in the Vietnam War, the controversial Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), many Nuclear Weapons, and the pesticide “Roundup” also found to have toxic effects...
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...3/14/2016 SWOT Analysis: Monsanto Background Monsanto is an agricultural based company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The company is a world leader in agricultural seeds and crop protection chemicals. They produce seed brands like Asgrow and DeKalb and also manufacture Roundup brand herbicide and other lawn and garden herbicides to for residential use. Scientific advancements have allowed Monsanto to reduce challenges faced by farmers and enable them to increase their yields and protect their harvests from weeds and insects. These protections are now seed-based, meaning the each seed has been genetically modified and are resistant to herbicides and pesticides. Monsanto faces industry competition from companies like DuPont, Bayer Crop Science AG, and Syngenta. The company needs to continue to advance seed technology, maintain open dialogue with the concerned public regarding the safety of its products, and branch into new markets to maintain revenues. Strengths 1. Advanced Technology: To help farmers get the most of each acre Monsanto utilizes advanced breeding techniques, biotechnology, and improved agronomic practices. Monsanto invests large amounts of money in research and development to deliver superior seed products to farmers. 2. Diversified operations: Geographically Monsanto is established throughout North America and has a strong presence in South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe. Internally, Monsanto has two main divisions....
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...Monsanto Paper By Raikirat Sohi MBA 505 Foundation of Management A. Hetro Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Management November 18, 2014 COMPANY HISTORY AND PROFILE Monsanto is one of the Fortune 500 Company with its headquarters located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It employs 21183 employee globally providing 146 facilities in In USA alone, it employees 10277 employees distributing 404 facilities over 66 countries (Monsanto, 2014). It is an American multinational agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation. It serves its customers with products ranging from agricultural and vegetable seeds, plant biotechnology traits to crop protection chemicals. In present times it is the leading manufacturer of genetically engineered seeds and herbicide glyphosate marketed under brand name round up (Monsanto, 2014). It was founded in 1901by John F. Queeny with his wife Olga Monsanto Queeny. The first produce that was manufactured by this company was saccharin (the artificial sweetener) that was sold to Coca-Cola Company. By 1905, Monsanto benefitted ad progressed through the sale of vanillin and caffeine. During the time of World war 2 Monsanto was unable to import chemicals that were needed by them from Europe so in order to compensate that it started producing chemicals on its own. Monsanto went public in Stock exchange in 1929. During this era of 1920’s Monsanto expanded in chemical industries producing sulphuric acid and PCB’s. Monsanto’s first PCB manufacturing...
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...pledge on business ethics: Oxymoron? “Producing more, conserving more, improving lives – that’s sustainable agriculture. And that’s what Monsanto is all about. Billions of people depend upon what farmers do. And so will billions more. In the next few decades, farmers will have to grow as much food as they have in the past 10,000 years – combined. We work alongside farmers to do exactly that by selling seeds, traits developed through biotechnology, and crop protection chemicals. We are working to double yields in our core crops by 2030 with one-third fewer resources such as land, water and energy per unit produced and helping farmers to raise themselves from poverty to prosperity, along with many more people.” (Compiled from www.monsanto.com) On its website, Monsanto positions itself as a relatively new agricultural company that aims to help farmers produce healthier food by increasing productivity, repressing weeds and combating insects while ensuring that environmental standards are not only met but exceeded, and while protecting the safety of people and communities. Its leading product is ‘Roundup’, world’s best selling agriculture herbicide for the last thirty years. Monsanto is also the world leader in biotechnology. 90 percent of GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) crops grown on the planet belonged to Monsanto (1). But then Monsanto is also arguably the world's most controversial company, praised by those who see a future of environmentally friendly farming and healthier...
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...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. Food plays a major role in our day to day survival and it was at the heart of the development of civilization. From an evolutionary...
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...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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...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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...UNIT 2 COMPLETION QUESTIONS: Monsanto Balances Environmental & Ethical Factors CASE SUMMARY: Summarize the key facts of the case in a paragraph. Monsanto Company is the world’s largest seed company specializing in biotechnology or genetic manipulations or organisms (Ferrell, Gatewood, Gatewood, & Taylor, 2010). Scientist of Monsanto spend numerous hours modifying crops, inserting new genes or adapting existing genes within plant seeds, to meet certain aims; for example, higher crop yields or insect resistance. Their seeds have increased quantity and availability of crops, and help all farmers worldwide increase food production and revenues. Monsanto was started in 1901 by John F. Queeny, selling food additives, food extracts, and artificial sweeteners to different companies. Times changed and in the seventies, Monsanto marketed its first roundup herbicide that would propel the company even more into the public’s consciousness. However, it did do that, but within a few years after the introduction of Agent Orange which contained carcinogenic chemical dioxin, Monsanto had legal problems and a lawsuit was filed in 1979 by veterans who claimed they had been harmed by the chemical. Monsanto and other manufacturers agreed to settle for $180 million. The leaders of Monsanto decided a new focus was needed and in 1981 the company made a change focusing on biotechnology. With this new quest, the company began selling soybeans, cotton, and canola seeds if they...
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...Monsanto and the Moral Challenge Surrounding Genetically Modified Products Ethics and Humanity: Company Case Briefing Monsanto and the Moral Challenge Surrounding Genetically Modified Products The “good company” operates with four pillars in mind, each a different level for the firm to exhibit its corporate social responsibility. First, the company must ensure its commitment to the health, safety, productivity and profitability of its own employees. Second, the company must be actively customer-focused, establishing clear and open lines of communications and trust, while also demonstrating a duty of care in their operations. Third, the company must be globally-oriented towards the industry as a whole. And fourth, the company must display an investment in their own community. At each of those levels—the individual employee, the customer, the industry and the community, the “good company” should endeavor to uphold its own corporate pledge to deliver results while also taking responsibility for its activities. Applying this framework to Monsanto is a precarious task, but below we will examine the moral challenge that the company faces currently, identifying key stakeholders, and discerning the possible moral outcomes to its many challenges. Monsanto Company provides agricultural products for farmers in the US and abroad. With nearly 23,000 employees, the company has a history of producing and marketing...
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...Monsanto occupies many locations all around the world. As of now Monsanto is in 68 different countries with its’ world headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. The locations all around the world include various manufacturing plants, seed production facilities, research centers, learning centers, and administrative sales offices. “By having locations close to our customers, we are better able to experience the needs of those customers, to understand the pressures confronting them and to develop innovations tailored to their needs ("Monsanto Facilities Round the World") Monsanto has been on the trend of expansion for the past few months. In August, Monsanto opened a 90,000 square-foot building in Woodland, California. This building was a $30 million investment and will consolidate the company’s seed health group, trait genetics group, molecular marker group, and visitor reception area. By consolidating these groups together they are cementing there position in the community and creating a better workplace for employees. Expansion has been one of our primary focuses within the past few years. We are very exciting to start our Chesterfield Village expansion project which will create 675 new jobs in St. Louis across all levels over the next three years. According to Hugh Grant, chairman and CEO of Monsanto, “Our Chesterfield expansion is focused on strengthening our world-class capabilities in the discovery and development of innovations for farmers around the world”. Grant believes...
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...pledge on business ethics: Oxymoron? “Producing more, conserving more, improving lives – that’s sustainable agriculture. And that’s what Monsanto is all about. Billions of people depend upon what farmers do. And so will billions more. In the next few decades, farmers will have to grow as much food as they have in the past 10,000 years – combined. We work alongside farmers to do exactly that by selling seeds, traits developed through biotechnology, and crop protection chemicals. We are working to double yields in our core crops by 2030 with one-third fewer resources such as land, water and energy per unit produced and helping farmers to raise themselves from poverty to prosperity, along with many more people.” (Compiled from www.monsanto.com) On its website, Monsanto positions itself as a relatively new agricultural company that aims to help farmers produce healthier food by increasing productivity, repressing weeds and combating insects while ensuring that environmental standards are not only met but exceeded, and while protecting the safety of people and communities. Its leading product is ‘Roundup’, world’s best selling agriculture herbicide for the last thirty years. Monsanto is also the world leader in biotechnology. 90 percent of GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) crops grown on the planet belonged to Monsanto (1). But then Monsanto is also arguably the world's most controversial company, praised by those who see a future of environmentally friendly farming and healthier...
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...Ethics Paper Alicia Lanfair MGT 498 January 6, 2016 Thomas Rauter Ethics Paper The function of ethics and social responsibility is the creating of a strategic plan while reflecting on the stakeholder’s desires and plans. Ethics is the study and values of human behavior with an importance of knowing right from wrong. Business ethics is the principles, values, and standards that primarily direct the actions of a company. Principle values are distinct boundaries of behavior, those of which are both universal and absolute. Values help in developing shared socially enforced things such as integrity, trust, and credibility. Social Responsibility Social responsibility comprises the acting with concern and sensitivity, aware of the impact of a person’s actions on others, particularly the disadvantaged. Social responsibility is the social contract between the business and society. Role of Ethics in Strategic Planning Strategic planning is important in an environment that has become so unstable. (Wheelen, Hunger, & Bamford, 2015) No business can function properly unless it has a well-defined structure in which divided tasks are among groups, each group headed by a person in authority. Whereas it is impossible to lay down a structure universally applicable, it is reasonable to summarize some of the qualities that a real working business structure will have. The organization and the groups into which the structure is broken down must clearly have...
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...genetically engineered growth hormone "Posilac", or bovine somatotropin (BST). Monsanto couldn't tell me. It might be 7 per cent, it might be 15, it might be 30. Anywhere from 700,000 to three million cows receive it, and their milk is not labelled, nor is the cheese or yoghurt that's made from it. An estimated 45-50 million acres of GM crops (ofthe 69.5 million planted globally) now grow in the US. These, too, go unnoticed by the average citizen. They are grown on huge, isolated farms and then sold in bulk to distributors and processors from where they slip undeclared into all manner of products - as soy beans into sauces, as potatoes into chips at McDonald's, as corn into tins of minestrone, as cotton into garments. According to Monsanto, this is because GM crops are safe and desirable. According to their detractors, they do so because of decades of political cosiness between government and agri-business. Both sides agree, though, that Monsanto won the first round of the battle in 1993, when BST became, in Monsanto's words, "the first product of biotechnology approved for commercial sale". Ronnie Cummins, director of the Campaign for Food Safety, a pressure group based in Minnesota and Washington, DC, is still fighting its use. "It's crack for cows," he says. "You can make some money if you're going to discard your cows after two or three years. The only reason Monsanto keeps it on the market is that it would be a disaster to admit that it was wrong...
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...verification is “an assurance that a product has been produced according to consensus-based best practices for GMO avoidance” (GMO Facts). The Non-GMO Project argues there is a growing body of evidence connecting GMOs to health problems, environmental damage, and violation of farmers’...
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