Monsanto: A Great American Company

[felix rex]

Dicamba and 2,4-D resistant soybeans are already here, just not readily available.  Along with the RR 2 Yield trait technology it will give farmers a great way to fight resistant weeds in soybeans.

Unfortunately, in 10 years (or less) there may be "super weeds" that can't be taken care of chemically.  But by that time the next silver bullet will be horizon.  A vicious circle unfortunately.

yeah, this crap is scary. like freaks that abuse antibiotics and the rest of us die from drug resistant stuff that we could normally fight off or just take a couple amoxicillan for the second times in our lives to get over. nope, you have the drug resistant freakshow staff infection you got when you got your wisdom tooth out.

Disagree, I think the future is going to be pretty baller.

I know, right? What is going on with all these agricultural Luddites?

[jtksu]

Can you selectively breed cats and patent your boss cat gene?

I don't see why you can't. You can even go trespass on people's property that you sell them to and then sue the crap out of them if they don't give you any kittens those cats have free of charge.

Not a good analogy. Farmers are just not permitted to save the seed and replant it. They can sell it, and it is expected that they will. Having to give away million dollar gpc kitties for free would suck balls.

The analogy is fine because Monsanto sells seed to farmers to put on the field. Farmers cannot replant their harvest or sell their seeds to other farmers for planting. Steve dave wants to sell Wildcat kittens to families as pets. Those families cannot use those kittens to make additional pets. They probably aren't even allowed to resell their kitten if they don't like it unless steve dave gives them a license to.

In this case, the owners aren't allowed to sell those kittens or even make them. How is steve dave supposed to cash in on his patent if everyone he sells his cats to starts breeding them?

Dog Breeders already have spay/neuter contracts in place, which is basically the same as the agreement farmers that purchase Roundup ready seed sign. If you don't want to sign you can buy somewhere else.

Usually the spay/neuter contracts are for "pet quality" animals only, those that don't exhibit desired qualities for the breeders pedigree. If you pay full price for a registered dog, you can generally breed them if you choose. Also, some breeders want them spayed/neutered for overpopulation purposes.

[Saulbadguy]

I like the word bushel. And acre.

[slobber]

Ranchers sell bulls and retain some/all semen rights.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Can you selectively breed cats and patent your boss cat gene?

I don't see why you can't. You can even go trespass on people's property that you sell them to and then sue the crap out of them if they don't give you any kittens those cats have free of charge.

Not a good analogy. Farmers are just not permitted to save the seed and replant it. They can sell it, and it is expected that they will. Having to give away million dollar gpc kitties for free would suck balls.

The analogy is fine because Monsanto sells seed to farmers to put on the field. Farmers cannot replant their harvest or sell their seeds to other farmers for planting. Steve dave wants to sell Wildcat kittens to families as pets. Those families cannot use those kittens to make additional pets. They probably aren't even allowed to resell their kitten if they don't like it unless steve dave gives them a license to.

In this case, the owners aren't allowed to sell those kittens or even make them. How is steve dave supposed to cash in on his patent if everyone he sells his cats to starts breeding them?

Dog Breeders already have spay/neuter contracts in place, which is basically the same as the agreement farmers that purchase Roundup ready seed sign. If you don't want to sign you can buy somewhere else.

Monsanto has sued farmers who have signed no such agreement. Those farmers claim that there were a few of Monsanto's plants on their field because the seed blew over from their neighbors' fields. Should Monsanto own the rights to cross-pollinated plants? Because right now they do. If we can genetically engineer plants to not die when sprayed with pesticide why can't we genetically alter those plants so that that gene is recessive and its offspring may or may not carry the gene? That would make the saved seeds worthless from a "roundup ready" perspective, unless farmers think it's a good idea to kill half of their field when they spray it with Roundup. It would save a whole lot of ethical conversation and hassle on Monsanto's end.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Ranchers sell bulls and retain some/all semen rights.

That is only the same if they own the rights to every cow in that bull's family tree from this day forward.

[michigancat]

Monsanto has sued farmers who have signed no such agreement. Those farmers claim that there were a few of Monsanto's plants on their field because the seed blew over from their neighbors' fields. Should Monsanto own the rights to cross-pollinated plants? Because right now they do. If we can genetically engineer plants to not die when sprayed with pesticide why can't we genetically alter those plants so that that gene is recessive and its offspring may or may not carry the gene? That would make the saved seeds worthless from a "roundup ready" perspective, unless farmers think it's a good idea to kill half of their field when they spray it with Roundup. It would save a whole lot of ethical conversation and hassle on Monsanto's end.

Yeah, those farmers are liars and therefore all lost. The crops they were growing weren't really "cross pollinated".

[Rage Against the McKee]

Monsanto has sued farmers who have signed no such agreement. Those farmers claim that there were a few of Monsanto's plants on their field because the seed blew over from their neighbors' fields. Should Monsanto own the rights to cross-pollinated plants? Because right now they do. If we can genetically engineer plants to not die when sprayed with pesticide why can't we genetically alter those plants so that that gene is recessive and its offspring may or may not carry the gene? That would make the saved seeds worthless from a "roundup ready" perspective, unless farmers think it's a good idea to kill half of their field when they spray it with Roundup. It would save a whole lot of ethical conversation and hassle on Monsanto's end.

Yeah, those farmers are liars and therefore all lost. The crops they were growing weren't really "cross pollinated".

Most of them settle because they claim they do not have the financial resources to battle Monsanto, but yeah, I'm sure most of them are also liars. I just believe that Monsanto should find a way to genetically engineer a crop that basically produces commodity seed. I don't like the idea of owning patents on genetics, mainly because the enforcement is just ridiculous and is only going to get worse with genetically engineered meats.

[slobber]

Terminator gene. They almost certainly have it. I think the farming community at large was opposed to such a gene in the field.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Terminator gene. They almost certainly have it. I think the farming community at large was opposed to such a gene in the field.

Why would they be opposed to that? It seems like it would protect everybody.

[sys]

Why shouldn't they be able to patent a genetic trait they created?

they didn't create it, they moved it from one place to another.

[felix rex]

I like the word bushel. And acre.

And peck

[bunter]

DNR

So otherwise no.

Sorry if disagree. 'Ers.

[felix rex]

What's better about Monsanto? Feeding poors who hate them or making horrible antediluvian potatoes palatable?

Obviously that's a trick question but WTF incas it took you forever to selectively cultivate non-toxic potatoes!

[Stupid Fitz]

What about the bees?  I am all of bees and will die if stung, but I guess we need them and stuff. Isn't Monsanto killing the bees!!!!

[EllRobersonisInnocent]

What about the bees?  I am all of bees and will die if stung, but I guess we need them and stuff. Isn't Monsanto killing the bees!!!!

Bees are more important than people realize

[p1k3]

You tards realize that selective breeding and genetically modifying are two completely different things, right? Breeding cats and rough ridin' with corn DNA are not quite the same.

Why shouldn't they be able to patent a genetic trait they created?

they didn't create it, they moved it from one place to another.

More like they moved it from one species to another, as is the case with BT Corn. And when the patent expires Monsanto just moves that gene to another part of the genome and gets a new patent. They're unstoppable.

 Monsanto is a necessary evil, imo. We can't feed the world with organically grown food only, and that's where Monsanto comes in with Round up Ready everything (corn, soybeans, cotton, etc). Of course other companies use GMO like Pioneer. Basically everything you eat nowadays has been altered in a lab in some way.

Make no mistake though...Monsanto has an awful reputation over the decades. Polluting entire communities and suing farmers that replant their seeds because they get to benefit from another crop year of their "patented" genetics. On the other hand though farmers have made a lot of money with Monsanto's help due to increased yields...so it is what it is I guess.

Should also mention that super weeds, insects, and bacteria are now an issue...decreasing yields in some places, but Monsanto will find a way since their so damn huge and stuff. Shouldn't hurt them at all.

Just 2 cents from an elite KSU College of Ag grad.

[p1k3]

is it selective breeding that makes this stuff or do they chop up the DNA and make it different or whatever?

I think it is a little bit of both. Dobber might know.

I've worked in selective breeding before. They are not even remotely the same. Selective breeding is basically where people get to play Hitler, and only "select" the plants that they want to move on to the next generation. This is done by selecting physical attributes including height, color, disease resistance, seed yield, etc. It's sort of like human controlled nature I guess. Same way we breed dogs and cats.

GMO is sort of like "chopping up" DNA or whatever in the sense that they are able to transplant genes from other species to fight off invasive insects, molds, bacteria, chemicals (round up) etc.

[Emo EMAW]

The whole bee thing is a stupid conspiracy theory, anyway.

[EllRobersonisInnocent]

The whole bee thing is a stupid conspiracy theory, anyway.

You're a conspiracy theory

[Emo EMAW]

The whole bee thing is a stupid conspiracy theory, anyway.

You're a conspiracy theory

Unsubstantiated post.

[Rage Against the McKee]

The whole bee thing is a stupid conspiracy theory, anyway.

It's not a conspiracy at all, actually. There really are a whole lot less bees than there used to be. They are making a slow comeback, though. Maybe Monsanto's Roundup Ready seeds are creating Roundup Ready bees, just like they are weeds.

[Emo EMAW]

The whole bee thing is a stupid conspiracy theory, anyway.

It's not a conspiracy at all, actually. There really are a whole lot less bees than there used to be. They are making a slow comeback, though. Maybe Monsanto's Roundup Ready seeds are creating Roundup Ready bees, just like they are weeds.

Wild population swings in bees is not uncommon. 

[Rage Against the McKee]

The whole bee thing is a stupid conspiracy theory, anyway.

It's not a conspiracy at all, actually. There really are a whole lot less bees than there used to be. They are making a slow comeback, though. Maybe Monsanto's Roundup Ready seeds are creating Roundup Ready bees, just like they are weeds.

Wild population swings in bees is not uncommon.

Do you have some type of study to back that claim up? The current decline seems pretty dramatic.

[Emo EMAW]

The whole bee thing is a stupid conspiracy theory, anyway.

It's not a conspiracy at all, actually. There really are a whole lot less bees than there used to be. They are making a slow comeback, though. Maybe Monsanto's Roundup Ready seeds are creating Roundup Ready bees, just like they are weeds.

Wild population swings in bees is not uncommon.

Do you have some type of study to back that claim up? The current decline seems pretty dramatic.

Just anecdotal conversations with the proprietor of the largest apiary in California.

It does stand to reason.  Other insects (like grasshoppers for example) have dramatic boom and bust years.  I know there are state agencies that track that sort of thing and data should be available.  They track them by like grasshoppers/square yard.