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Occupy Monsanto: Part 4
By Jennifer SlatteryIn the final part of this series (read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3), guest blogger Jennifer Slattery combats the myth that Monsanto is not a monopoly, and provides some ways to fight back.
MYTH #4: MONSANTO IS NOT A MONOPOLY
In the Monsanto faqs section, under the link titled: Monsanto, the Government, Monopoly Claims, the company sidesteps the question entirely by briskly restating that consumers have a choice not to buy the product. The fact that they don't even attempt to provide an actual answer to the question is very telling.
The issue is taken seriously by anti-trust groups, however:
"In a White Paper published today, the American Antitrust Institute analyzes the dismal state of competition in the transgenic seed industry. The analysis concludes that agricultural biotechnology giant Monsanto possesses the market power to frustrate competition in soybeans, cotton, and corn, potentially slowing innovation and adversely affecting prices, quality, and choices for farmers and ultimate consumers of vitally important commodities. Download the White Paper above. "Transgenic Seed Platforms: Competition Between a Rock and a Hard Place," concludes that antitrust enforcement and/or federal legislative relief is needed” said American Antitrust Institute’s vice president and senior fellow, Diana Moss in their report American Antitrust Institute Says Competition in the Transgenic Seed Industry is Impaired by Monsanto.
“The lack of competition and innovation in the marketplace has reduced farmers’ choices and enabled Monsanto to raise prices unencumbered,” said Keith Mudd from the Organization for Competitive Markets, after Monsanto decided to raise some GM maize seed prices by a whopping 35 percent. I'm sure that was a big help to poor starving people Monsanto, good job.
And if there's so much choice for farmers, and if they are so happy to buy Monsanto's products (as the company proudly states in it's desperate Monopoly question dodge), then why is the lawsuit against them so heavily supported by farmers? Could it be that there really is no choice? Is cross contamination, anti-farmer litigation, and rampant seed patent pirating squeezing the life out of one of our nations most important industries? The answer is yes, which is why rather than deny it, Monsanto ducks the question as swiftly as they do responsibility for their actions.
"In order to achieve a monopoly over the market, and keep farmers from saving their own seed as they have done for centuries, Monsanto begin to purchase as many seeds as possible—spending $8 billion and acquiring over 20 seed companies over the past decade alone. Today, Monsanto controls 93 percent of soybean crops, 86 percent of corn crops, 93 percent of cotton crops, and 93 percent of canola seed crops in the United States alone. " Occupy vs. Monsanto: Activists, Farmers Fight the Corporation They Fear Will Take Over All America's Crops.
And here’s how we come back around to the effects deregulation, being enacted by a democratic president who has stacked his agriculture cabinet positions with Monsanto lackeys, are threatening the foundations of American prosperity and health. This is something the American people must not tolerate any longer.
FIGHTING BACK
If you're reading this article and thinking "I've had enough!", here's what you can do: The people of America can join with citizens all over the world to fight against Monsanto. It's up to you, Mr. President, to either join us, or continue to stand with a company that denies not only our rights and freedoms, but insults our intelligence, and endangers our health.
For real time updates subscribe right now to Occupy Monsanto on Facebook. There you can link up with other concerned citizens and get active in the movement to put human rights over the right of Monsanto to pursue profits at our expense.
Sign & Share these petitions:
Say no to Monsanto Mr. President!
There is also a Facebook page for that petition Here.
Tell Whole Foods Market NO to GMO!
Send a message to some of the other top supermarkets in the U.S. :
Publix Super Markets, #6 US Food Retailer
Kroger Ralphs, #2 US Food Retailer
Costco Wholesale Corp., #3 US Food Retailer
Supervalu Grocery, #4 US Food Retailer
Wal-Mart Stores, #1 US Food Retailer
Safeway Grocery, #5 US Food Retailer
Tag(s): GMOs & Food Safety
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Comments(3)
On March 21, 2012 at 08:35 PM Kartal wrote:So very, very true. It would be nice to see those of us who have the ability to pay for them miakng the choice of ethically, environmentally, socially responsible food over more "stuff".For instance, with a family of five, also eating around allergies that allow for no cheap fillers such as grains, we have had to make difficult choices of what we must give up in order to eat/buy within our values.
On March 23, 2012 at 02:50 AM Rosabel wrote:
Paki, aunque con retraso, te comunico que todos los que lo solicist teis a trav s de los coemntarios est is admitidos/as eastwood auto insurance car insurance
On March 23, 2012 at 06:37 PM Rasyid wrote:
Be GREAT to have a million oniragc person march on Manhatten on Jan. 31, 2012 in support of these 83 families. Organic Occupy Manhatten Organic Occupy D.C . The oniragc farmers have TRUTH & INTEGRITY to back them. Another thought, can Monsanto be sued for creating a monopoly on farming?
Jennifer Slattery is a dedicated human rights activist, former private investigator, and a member of the Occupy Movement. She lives in NY, and would be happy to answer any and all questions you might have: occupierjenvs@gmail.com
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