Is the agenda of Genetically Modified food companies more about increasing profit and social control than feeding the world?

Has any positive contribution of Genetically Modified GMO products been hijacked by the agrochemical companies?

The Center for Food and Safety has released an investigative review of Monsanto’s use of U.S. patent law to crack down on farmers. Monsanto, the world leader in genetically modified grain, is pursuing fines and jail sentences for farmers who use their seed in non-contractual ways—such as saving and sowing the seeds the next season.

Monsanto recently filed 90 lawsuits against U.S. farmers in 25 states that involve 147 farmers and 39 small businesses or farm companies.

Five hundred U.S. farmers are under investigation by Monsanto annually. They have a $10 million annual budget and 75 staff devoted to investigating and prosecuting U.S. farmers. They have had $3,052,800 judgments granted in their favor in connection with farmer lawsuits. One Tennessee farmer was given an eight-month prison sentence for violating an agreement with Monsanto.

Peter Henriot, a Jesuit priest and political scientist from Lusaka, Zambia, said in the April 2005 Sojourners Magazine that the U.S. Government is driving the global GMO push. Thanks to huge seed companies such as Monsanto the United States has become an immense producer and promoter of GMO crops. Since the U.S. needs ever-expanding markets we have placed economic pressures on farmers around the world.

Henriot says while the U.S. is pushing hard to spread GMO technology some of the larger GMO seed companies are pulling back on scientific research and production as the growing global skepticism of GMO products is cutting into profits.

Monsanto was also publicly embarrassed by charges that it bribed a high-level official to push the GMO approach in Indonesia. Monsanto agreed to pay $1.5 million dollars in penalties to settle the case.

The U.S. is in a multimillion-dollar dispute with the European Union over its restrictions on importing GMO products. Some of it is about labeling. Since American GMO foods are not labeled there is no way of tracking if they cause illnesses or allergies.

Henriot says the U.S. Government has accused the Zambian government of starving their people because they refuse to accept GMO products. He said in an increasingly globalized economy Zambia’s refusal of GMOs is seen as a threat to U.S. dominance.

Harriet said Zambia was smart to reject GMO products for a number of reasons.

The patents of GMO corporations give them complete control of the products, the genes, the technology and the tools needed for moving genes.

There is danger that desperate local farmers would violate contracts and plant the GMO seeds. (Like the U.S. farmers)

Mexico and other countries demonstrated that the introduction of GMO food rapidly leads to a wipeout of indigenous non-GMO strains.

When GMO seeds are patented farmers and third world villages are forever forced to buy the patented seeds from Monsanto and other GMO companies.

Since there is no labeling of GMO products safety continues to be a problem.

Harriet says GMO foods may be less harmful to the average American as our daily intake of corn is small compared to the huge amount of corn the average Zambian eats.

Father Roland Lesseps, who has a biology doctorate, takes issue with the GMO advocates who argue that their products are inexpensive health remedies. Lesser says cheaper and more readily available alternatives are in many countries. For example Zambian farmers can plant a Morange Tree whose leaves are rich in vitamin A as well as protein, vitamin C, iron and calcium. Very large amounts of modified rice would be necessary every day and it would have to be accompanied by adequate amounts of zinc, protein and fats to get the equivalent nutrients of a Morange Tree.

Finally, Zambian small-scale farmers would face immense problems with the introduction of GMO products as large plots of land, huge investments and sophisticated mechanization are needed.

U.S. citizens should care what happens to our farmers and what happens in other countries. Instead of just listening to pro-GMO Corporate and scientific voices we would be wise to listen to our farmers and the concerns of the poor in developing countries.

Agriculture is the world’s leading environmental problem as it pollutes and claims 40% of all the planet’s biomass each year.

The root cause of terrorism is poverty and powerlessness. When people can be fed and their health promoted and the environment protected it is good for everybody on this planet.