Seeds of a Police State

(Page 2 of 2)

February/March 2000
By Richard A. Goldberg 
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"This is a callous disregard for the environment," says Schmeiser. "I'm going to keep fighting this because I believe this is an issue that affects every farmer."

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Farmers have also criticized Monsanto for its aggressive efforts to identify unauthorized Roundup growers. In an attempt to crackdown on seed piracy, Monsanto employs private investigators who conduct random farm audits and collect crop samples from the fields of alleged violators. To solidify its case against Schmeiser, Monsanto investigators entered the farmer's fields without his consent and collected crop samples without his permission.

And that may not be the worst of the company's tactics: Edward Kram, a Raymore, Saskatchewan, farmer, claims a spray plane dropped an unidentified chemical on his couple field to determine if genetically modified plants were being grown. Kram has pictures of dead patches in the middle of his canola field but has no way of proving who applied the chemical or who contracted the aircraft.

"I've heard of that, [but] to my knowledge, we have not done that and nor would I condone it," says Monsanto spokesman Craig Evans. "Spraying Roundup by air is an illegal application... so it's certainly not something that Monsanto has authorized."

Evans also suggests that the vast majority of farmers support the company's efforts to minimize patent infringements and to ensure a level playing field for all candle producers.

Mediation talks between Schmeiser and Monsanto broke down last August. The two sides are scheduled to appear in the Federal Court of Canada this June.

-Brian Cross

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  • Carrie L. Sommers 9/4/2009 3:05:40 PM

    Corporations like Monsanto are where our honeybees are disapearing to. Corporations like Dow and the rest that sell over the counter pesticides to the average joe, who has no knowledge at all on the dangers are the problem. Look at the back of everyone of them and they state clearly,
    "Deadley to Honeybees". People do not read what they are buying in their big rush to kill every single dandelion or spider. A man made plant will surely find it's way into the enviroment in more ways than we can name. In the rush of "Let us feed everyone, and get rich." Is the thought, "We were so worried about if we could, we did not stop to think if we should."

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