Monsanto's Suicide Gene

A while back I wrote a brief introduction to GE Foods and Monsanto (although far from being the only bio-tech corporation who specializes in Agriculture, it is likely the most notorious), when Canada was deciding whether to label GE Foods or not. Sadly, the bill was rejected.

When it comes to GE Foods, the primary concern for Canadian consumers is usually health. Because foods with tampered genes haven't been around for very long, we don't know the long term effects.

For many others, the consequences of GE Foods can mean life or death. Something that many feared when Monsanto introduced the 'suicide gene' in 1988. This 'terminator gene' or 'Gene Use Restriction Technology', is a seed that has been altered so that the its seeds are sterile for the next season. Farmers have been growing crops and saving the seeds for the next year for generations and a terminator seeds makes this impossible.

As mentioned in my previous blog, it's practically impossible to keep GE seeds separate from untampered ones so even if a farmer doesn't use the seeds there's no guarantee it won't end up in their harvest.

Canada may have come dangerously close to having these seeds in their harvests but less wealthy nations with farmers with little education haven't been so lucky.

Many have blamed Monsanto for playing a part in the high suicide rate of farmers in India. SourceWatch estimates that 125,000 farmers have committed suicide since 1997 after promises of rich harvest from Monsanto have meant they've had to purchase new seeds every year. And since you can't promise the conditions will be optimal, many farmers don't have the funds to purchase new seeds after each year and therefore have no way to make a living.

India has become a testing ground for GE seeds and now Monsanto is even seeing business opportunities in the wake of disaster.

I hate to be the environmentalist that dumps on the big corporation because it's never that simple or black and white. Technology has the power to do good or damage, but Monsanto makes themselves such an easy target. Do they ever get any good press?