Video: Saving Seeds and Patents — Treating Farmers Fairly
February 5, 2010
By G. Kasper
Have you ever wondered about Monsanto’s business practices regarding saved seed?
Monsanto’s Garrett Kasper answers some of the most commonly asked questions regarding saving patented seed and how Monsanto investigates these cases. Kasper tackles many of the myths that have developed around this topic and gives a frank and clear explanation of why it’s not only illegal to save patented seed but how it’s detrimental to farmers who follow the law.
For more information regard seeds and patent protection please visit:
http://www.monsanto.com/seedpatentprotection
Editor's Note: It has never been, nor will it be Monsanto policy to exercise its patent rights where trace amounts of our patented traits are present in farmer's fields as a result of inadvertent means.
Adam from IL
Shamefull Video , one can only imagine the type of comments you are getting considering they are all filtered and none posted.
You blatently admit that 300.000 customers is not enough and no one but you are allowed a piece of the pie. You steal people's lives in the name of the $ and expect you will get away with it forever . How much is actually enough ? do you expect to go on untill you take every cent from the entire farming community?
the public is not as stupid as Monsanto seem's to think , we are aware that corrupt bills passed into law stem from personal investment interests(ie the law that actually allows you to stop people replanting their own paid for seed). You then use and abuse the law to actually sue people who's customers you stole in the first place and who are basically doing what they have done their whole lives to feed their familly(ie seed cleaner's).
I have had enough of company's like Monsanto and will never purchase anything from you or any company related to you untill you include true moral decency in your bussiness practice.
Farming is an honest occupation. We don't like thieves in our midst.
Editor's Note: It has never been, nor will it be Monsanto policy to exercise its patent rights where trace amounts of our patented traits are present in farmer's fields as a result of inadvertent means.
I've watched Food Inc., the Botany of Desire and read articles on this site and many others, and I just don't know what's going on with our food. It's seems bizarre that a bag of carrots costs more than a case of soda. I mean it doesn't once you know corn has been heavily subsidized, but why?
The "only problem" I have, is what "rodney richbourg" said about gmo pollen going into his heirloom crops. If I'm growing my own heirloom soy beans and it gets contaminated with Monsanto's pollen, does that make me a criminal? And if I want to save my own seed, I shouldn't get sued because of this.
From my own organic gardening experiences, it just makes sense not to use pesticides and other chemicals. Over the last few years with bees declining, it's hard to get anything to pollinate. Look at Asia, they have to pollinate their Pears by hand - something bees did for us naturally.
Editor's Note: It has never been, nor will it be Monsanto policy to exercise its patent rights where trace amounts of our patented traits are present in farmer's fields as a result of inadvertent means. If you’d like to read more please see our FAQ page on the film, Food, Inc.
That being said, Monsanto may be feeding the world with their technology. I mean, if everyone decided to go organic, there may not be enough food to meet the needs of everyone. And as a capatalist, if I invented something that is HELPING things, they I should have rights to that intelectual property.
One thing I DID thing was BS in the video though is that most people settle out of court, no because they admit they made a mistake, but because they realize they dont have enough money to take on such a big corporation. Only Oprah could do that.... haha
What about the small percentage of farmers who choose NOT to use your seed? Why try and force them to bend to your will and to use your seed? If they are happy to use another seed, then let them. They cannot control the way the wind blows your precious seeds around into their farms.
Above all, NOT saving seed is wasteful and sickening. I'd like to see you all develop some sort of program to save the seed, reuse it, resell it, or donate it to starving 3rd world countries. Then maybe people will see you in a different light...not as money hungry monopolizing giants.
Not all the lawsuits they've brought were because the farmer didn't follow the contract because there wasn't a signed contract. So Monsanto was able to enforce a non existent contract through intimidation, bullying, and money. Monsanto...get out of my food.
This is a lie. You have done this very thing in Canada.
Editor’s Note: The farmer that makes that very claim is Mr. Percy Schmeiser, however the court found that none of the suggested sources [proposed by Schmeiser] could reasonably explain the concentration or extent of Roundup Ready canola of a commercial quality. Read More
How can you allow GMO in baby formula?!!
Putting Infants and Children at Risk
Most infant formula sold in the US contains GE ingredients, either soy or milk from cows injected with GE hormones. Some also contain corn syrup. Cereals can contain ingredients like GE soy lecithin.
As globalization spreads, a number of issues arise which have the potential to affect infant nutrition. One such concerns is that of Genetically Engineered (GE) or Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and their use in infant formula and infant foods.
The process of genetic engineering is imprecise and random. Inserted genes can disrupt a plant's natural growth and development or function differently than expected. As a consequence, genetically engineered foods can have unintended effects, with potentially harmful consequences for human health. The end result could be the bio-synthesis of food molecules that are toxic, allergenic, or carcinogenic - hardly the perfect food for babies.
I am with Mom's against GMOs!