Friday, May 09, 2008

Monsanto = super uncool

Great article from a recent Vanity Fair on why Monsanto is evil.

Top 8 reasons why Monsanto sucks...

* Their hired goons are jerks to farmers

* Patenting life forms

* Makers of Roundup and Roundup Ready GMOs (active ingredient in Roundup: glyphosate, which causes kidney problems and reproductive difficulties)

* Monopoly in the seed biz; prevents farmers from saving seed

* Sues farmers whose fields get polluted with Monsanto's seeds/genes, and wins

* Legacy of toxic chemical pollutants: PCBs, dioxin, Agent Orange; these chemicals and their by-products have poisoned the air, soil, streams, rivers and people of WV (from the plant in Nitro, WV)

* Pushes the use of its artificial growth hormone for cows - rBGH, or rBST - even though it's very bad for the cows and potentially harmful to people who drink the milk. Among other disorders, rBST can cause mastitis in cows, an udder infection in which bacteria and pus may be pumped out with the milk. If dairies that do not treat their cows with rBST label their products "rBST free" or something like that, Monsanto sues them. Because of Monsanto, now labels that say "rBST" free have to also include a disclaimer that "no evidence has been shown of harm from this artificial hormone." But there are few scientific studies of this possible harm, and most of them have been performed by Monsanto.

* revolving door between Monsanto execs and US gov't, including FDA and EPA

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