Comments on: Update Monsanto (MON) http://jubakpicks.com/2009/08/14/update-monsanto-mon/ Sat, 19 May 2012 20:47:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: surfsnowtrail http://jubakpicks.com/2009/08/14/update-monsanto-mon/comment-page-1/#comment-555 surfsnowtrail Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:58:57 +0000 http://jubakpicks.com/?p=998#comment-555 turniptruck, amen. turniptruck,

amen.

]]> By: turniptruck http://jubakpicks.com/2009/08/14/update-monsanto-mon/comment-page-1/#comment-539 turniptruck Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:36:39 +0000 http://jubakpicks.com/?p=998#comment-539 Sliman, you are right that no one forces farmers to buy Monsonto seeds. As a farmer, I would never ever put myself in a position where I have to pay more for seed, risk more environmental and human damage, and potentially hurt my fellow farmers in the process. I see mostly older farmers using their seed because it means less work. A younger generation of organic farmers is developing right now, and we all are gaining a better understanding of soil health, and by the way it doesn't include Round-Up. It is more work to do it the organic way, for sure, but when did that kill anyone? I believe we may just be heading back to a time when 1/3 of us work on farms, and I see nothing wrong with that. Obesity would drop, communities and more personal relationships would redevelop. Food would cost a little more but it would be well worth it. In my opinion, there is no more fulfilling career than growing healthy food to sustain your fellow human beings while actually leaving the planet in better shape than it was handed to us. That hasn't happened in many generations. Sliman, you are right that no one forces farmers to buy Monsonto seeds. As a farmer, I would never ever put myself in a position where I have to pay more for seed, risk more environmental and human damage, and potentially hurt my fellow farmers in the process. I see mostly older farmers using their seed because it means less work. A younger generation of organic farmers is developing right now, and we all are gaining a better understanding of soil health, and by the way it doesn’t include Round-Up. It is more work to do it the organic way, for sure, but when did that kill anyone? I believe we may just be heading back to a time when 1/3 of us work on farms, and I see nothing wrong with that. Obesity would drop, communities and more personal relationships would redevelop. Food would cost a little more but it would be well worth it. In my opinion, there is no more fulfilling career than growing healthy food to sustain your fellow human beings while actually leaving the planet in better shape than it was handed to us. That hasn’t happened in many generations.

]]> By: kelvinator http://jubakpicks.com/2009/08/14/update-monsanto-mon/comment-page-1/#comment-538 kelvinator Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:21:58 +0000 http://jubakpicks.com/?p=998#comment-538 Sliman, if what you said were true, and the whole the story, I'd agree with you. But it's not. Monsanto and similar companies have worked to actively prohibit research on the effectiveness as well as the human and environmental impacts of their products: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/business/20crop.html I've heard reports that the GMO seeds are having a significant negative ecological impact also, but don't have that reference handy. The bottom line for me, though, is that I followed the controversy over Monsanto's rBST hormone in detail. It's a growth type hormone given to cows so they'll produce more milk. rBST is outlawed in Canada, Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand because there's evidence it greatly increases disease in cows, and indications that the growth hormone may survive digestion in humans and increase risk of cancer in humans (in spite of the industry-dominated US FDA finding to the contrary). The whole story of rBST is a full color illustration of how capitalism at its worst can corrupt democracy to not work on behalf of citizens and consumers. Here's a tiny slice of the sleazy story - see Lawsuit against Fox television: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombinant_bovine_somatotropin I like that final finding - a news agency has no legal obligation to report the truth in a news story. I've heard so many stories about the monopolistic and borderline criminal behavior of Monsanto, there's no question for me on this company. These people are basically evil pirates. As I say, it's too easy as an investor to just want to take at face value the simple PR that a company presents and take the capital gains and dividends. While I don't think that any of these things are black and white, if investors don't try to dig deeper and at least try to make some judgment calls, we're helping the world going to hell-inna-handbasket. At this point, the gov't isn't much good at properly representing and protecting the public, as we have so clearly seen in the recent financial debacle. Sliman, if what you said were true, and the whole the story, I’d agree with you. But it’s not. Monsanto and similar companies have worked to actively prohibit research on the effectiveness as well as the human and environmental impacts of their products:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/business/20crop.html

I’ve heard reports that the GMO seeds are having a significant negative ecological impact also, but don’t have that reference handy.
The bottom line for me, though, is that I followed the controversy over Monsanto’s rBST hormone in detail. It’s a growth type hormone given to cows so they’ll produce more milk. rBST is outlawed in Canada, Japan, Europe, Australia, New Zealand because there’s evidence it greatly increases disease in cows, and indications that the growth hormone may survive digestion in humans and increase risk of cancer in humans (in spite of the industry-dominated US FDA finding to the contrary). The whole story of rBST is a full color illustration of how capitalism at its worst can corrupt democracy to not work on behalf of citizens and consumers. Here’s a tiny slice of the sleazy story – see Lawsuit against Fox television:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombinant_bovine_somatotropin

I like that final finding – a news agency has no legal obligation to report the truth in a news story.

I’ve heard so many stories about the monopolistic and borderline criminal behavior of Monsanto, there’s no question for me on this company. These people are basically evil pirates.

As I say, it’s too easy as an investor to just want to take at face value the simple PR that a company presents and take the capital gains and dividends. While I don’t think that any of these things are black and white, if investors don’t try to dig deeper and at least try to make some judgment calls, we’re helping the world going to hell-inna-handbasket. At this point, the gov’t isn’t much good at properly representing and protecting the public, as we have so clearly seen in the recent financial debacle.

]]> By: sliman http://jubakpicks.com/2009/08/14/update-monsanto-mon/comment-page-1/#comment-534 sliman Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:03:19 +0000 http://jubakpicks.com/?p=998#comment-534 Let me get this straight kelvinator seeds that produce more crop with less water and herbicide is BAD for the world. Maybe we should go back to a time when 1/3 of workers were on farms and people had to use 40% of their income to just feed themselves. Let me get this straight kelvinator seeds that produce more crop with less water and herbicide is BAD for the world. Maybe we should go back to a time when 1/3 of workers were on farms and people had to use 40% of their income to just feed themselves.

]]> By: sliman http://jubakpicks.com/2009/08/14/update-monsanto-mon/comment-page-1/#comment-533 sliman Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:59:49 +0000 http://jubakpicks.com/?p=998#comment-533 Nobody is forcing farmers to buy MON seeds. MON has put out the money to develop a better seed that yields more crop. Any farmer can crunch the numbers and figure out what is the best buy. Capitalism is still alive, isn't it? Nobody is forcing farmers to buy MON seeds. MON has put out the money to develop a better seed that yields more crop. Any farmer can crunch the numbers and figure out what is the best buy. Capitalism is still alive, isn’t it?

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