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Transcript of Monsanto Presentation
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
http://gmoinside.org/vietnam-plant-genetically-modified-corn-questions-linger-thanh-nien-news/
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
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/65-health-risks/1notes
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-29/pork-feast-in-vietnam-spurs-monsanto-gm-corn-push
http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/its-official-vietnam-licenses-genetically-modified-organisms-30220.html
https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/gefood/countrieswithbans.php
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