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Having grown up around farmers who prized their independence, I
thought that a company telling farmers what they could and could not
do with seeds was a bridge too far. Yet this was precisely what happened.
Receiving patents for marrying glyphosate with seeds had granted
Monsanto monopoly power to control access and price. The company
had found a way to value seeds based solely on profits that they would
earn.
But farmers went along. Convenience, lower fuel costs, and the
ability to grow pristine fields of soybeans and corn with nary a weed in
sight had convinced them to change how they farmed. No longer could
they drop by local farm-supply stores and buy seeds. In fact, genetically
modified seeds from Monsanto were not for sale. To “use” Monsanto’s
seeds, they had to sign a binding “technology use agreement” that obli-
gated them to adhere to Monsanto’s prescribed farming practices, which
included granting the company access to their farm and all farm records.
Should Monsanto determine that the farm was in violation of the agree-
ment, the farmer agreed to pay all costs demanded by the company,
including litigation expenses.
Restricted access did not end with farmers. Without Monsanto’s
prior authorization, any studies conducted by independent scientists
also violated federal law. Even university field trials that compared seeds
from multiple companies were now a punishable patent infringement.
The tradition of unimpeded public research and sharing the results was
over. Patent holders now determined what scientists could research and
how results could be disclosed. Not until 009 , under pressure from
EPA and a small group of scientists, did Monsanto acquiesce to partial
access for research.
Continuing consolidation has produced a seed industry now
dominated by three companies: Bayer-Monsanto, Dow-Dupont, and
Syngenta-ChemChina (a Chinese state-owned chemical company). All
follow the same strategy: bundle chemicals with patented seeds, pursue
new patents, offer rebates to distributors and retailers, vigorously enforce
use, and eliminate competition through acquisitions.
The value we place on seeds reveals how we value life. Seeds are
the bedrock of life, an insight that helped sustain the scientists in St.
Petersburg coping with severe food shortages and brutal cold that
eventually claimed their lives. Similar insight was also evident in