Monsanto has had a long and sordid history of actions unbecoming those of a civilized society. Remember Agent Orange? Remember the PCBs and the poor people of Anniston, Alabama?
In 2002, Monsanto was found guilty of negligence, wantonness, suppression of the truth, nuisance, trespass, and outrage in knowingly exposing Anniston to toxic waste. According to an article in The Washington Post:
"Under Alabama law the rare claim of outrage typically requires conduct 'so outrageous in character and extreme in degree as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency so as to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in civilized society."
So, who is in control of the genetic modification of our foods? Monsanto. If that doesn't give you pause, it should. There are several things going on here. First of all, profit is the priority for Monsanto and they don't mind stepping over a few cancer patients, deformed babies and dead bodies to get there as evidenced by their past actions. Power is a close second to profit. By genetically modifying seeds and crops, they can patent their "invention" and control this product. By genetically modifying crops that withstand Round-Up (their signature herbicide), they sell more Round-Up. They are slowly seizing control of the seed market and therefore, the world's food supply by these patents.
Genetically modified foods increase profits by creating crops that can withstand herbicides, insecticides and/or manufacture their own. They also dominate the seed market by slowly absorbing all other seed manufacturers and not allowing farmers to save their seed. The biotechnology industry (of which Monsanto is king) is not concerned with the effect on human health other than how a scandal such as the Anniston, Alabama situation might slow them down. Because they don't want anything interfering with the way they are allowed to market their genetically modified products, they squash testing, manipulate testing, alter test subjects to taint results in their favor and discredit any scientists who speak out against biotechnology. They have also intimidated media outlets who seek to expose some of these issues.
Back in the late 80s when Monsanto was entering the technology of genetic modification, they knew they needed some public relations assistance. Monsanto met with then Vice President Bush and asked for regulation just as President Reagan was embarking on his massive deregulation of corporate America. Oh, the irony. Monsanto had a black eye and they knew that if they tried to market genetically modified foods, people with Anniston fresh in their memories, would not trust a word they said. But, if the United States Government told people genetically modified foods were safe to eat, the product would be trusted. Of course, they were deeply entrenched with officials in the USDA, EPA, and FDA so Monsanto had a blank check to do as they pleased. They still do.
Justice Clarence Thomas worked as an attorney for Monsanto in the 70s. He wrote the majority opinion in a 2001 Supreme Court decision which found that "newly developed plant breeds are patentable under the general utility patent laws of the United States." This case benefited all companies who profit from genetically modified crops. Again, Monsanto is far and away the largest of these companies.
Michael Taylor was an assistant to the Food and Drug Administration commissioner before he left to work for a law firm to gain approval of the artificial growth hormone produced by Monsanto. Taylor later became deputy commissioner of the FDA from 1991 to 1994. He was later reappointed to the FDA by President Obama.
Dr. Michael Friedman was deputy commissioner of the FDA before he was hired as Senior Vice President of Monsanto.
Linda Fisher was an assistant administrator at the EPA before she was a vice president at Monsanto. In 2001, she became the Deputy Administrator of the EPA.
Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was chairman and CEO of Searle which Monsanto acquired in 1985. Rumsfeld made upwards of $12 million dollars from the transaction.
As you can see, federal oversight of Monsanto does not mean much when Monsanto executives hold high positions in the regulatory agencies that govern them and regulators are given sweet deals at Monsanto for 'playing ball'. Monsanto has dictated policy at the EPA, USDA and FDA since the late 1980s.
What does all this have to do with the safety of genetically modified foods. Only this, Monsanto profits from genetically modified foods. Their patents on these foods increase their market hold and eventually, at this rate, they will control the world food supply. Because they have so much at stake and due to their past actions, human and environmental health are clearly very low on their list of concerns. Also, because they control the procedures and releasing of studies on these products, many of the studies cannot be trusted. Our best research comes out of Europe which is not under Monsanto's thumb quite as far. From those studies, we have much to fear in GMO safety.
So, what foods are genetically modified and how can I tell if they are in my food?
I'm glad you asked. I'll cover that in my next installment of Frankenfood.
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Here is Part 1: An Introduction to Frankenfood
This also may be of interest:
Food, Inc.
The World According to Monsanto
The Future of Food
The Monsanto Story
1 comments:
Watched Food Inc. last night and while I am not surprised I am appalled. We need to get back to the basics as God intended them to be.
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