Monsanto is receiving mixed messages around the world this week as their genetically modified (GM) crops have been banned in Germany (corn), and welcomed in Brazil (cotton). I definitely side with Germany on this one, and wish that Brazil had followed their lead in taking a stand against the multinational chemical company, although I fear that Germany’s ban may not hold up to Monsanto’s powerful legal team, which has already started to circle.  GM crops pose so many potential risks to the environment and humans, known and unknown, that we cannot afford to let them plant wherever they please. As I’ve mentioned before, Monsanto’s claim that their seed technology is improving agriculture and helping to feed the world, does not hold up, with studies showing that traditional farming practices are what actually create higher yields. Instead, by using genetically modified crops farmers are forced into indentured servitude requiring them to continually purchase seeds and pesticides from the company, or else face crop failure or legal action. 

If you’re familiar with cross-pollination, you’ll know that those genetically engineered genes don’t stay put, but will end up in the fields of neighboring farms, contaminating their crops.  And when Monsanto catches wind that their intellectual property is in someone else’s field, you can bet that they’re going to demand payment from that farmer for use of their technology.  Now, let’s just imagine that the first farm is Brazil, and they’ve made a nice deal with Monsanto agreeing to plant their GM cotton.  But what happens when those seeds travel, by wind or trade, and end up in one of their neighbors fields?  Monsanto is going to come a knockin’ to collect for their product.  When one country agrees to plant GM crops, they are putting the rest of the world at risk, not only from Monsanto’s legal team, but also the potential environmental and health risks that their crops pose.

Photo: flydime’s flickr photostream (creative commons)