Monsanto is at it again. Everytime I see their name in the headlines I cringe, waiting to see what they have done now. This time, they somehow got Senators on their side and passed a bill that allows them to keep on planting GMO seeds even if courts decide they are illegal or causing health risks and need to stop being planted. This will all be done under the name of the USDA, which really makes me question our government regulations. Monsanto to me is one of the worst companies out there, but they have great timing. This bill will help them since it seems the public is starting to question GMOs more. Not that they will stop eating them, they just aren’t blindly trusting food companies as they once did. To me this is a good thing, we need to question where our food comes from and what is going into our food, but this bill signifies that even if we question it or demand change, that change may not happen. Somehow instead of listening to consumers, money keeps winning.
Another issue with this bill is that there is no return with it. The courts will not save us this time, since the USDA can overrule a court’s decision. This is really scary, since often lawsuits can help stall these battles or overturn them. Now the USDA can issue temporary permits to let farmers keep on planting the GMO seeds in question. This GMO act was slipped into the act Obama signed to help stop the government from shutting down (this same act put the budget cuts into place on March 1st). One point that really concerns me about this, is that it was all done in secrecy. So much so that many farmers now learning about this are trying to fight back. I don’t see a happily ever after ending to this story. Since Monsanto is a multi billion dollar company, they keep winning these battles. Who can afford to fight them in court? The government itself might be able to fight, but Monsanto got them on their side somehow (my guess is an under the table deal).
Another guess of mine is that Monsanto is doing this now because they know studies will start to come out about the negatives of planting GMOs (loss of biodiversity, pest issues, etc) and eating GMOs (possible links to disease and other health issues). They want to be well ahead of any negative news because now the courts can’t stop GMOs. Even if we don’t want to consume them, they will still be planted. Thank you USDA. It is news like this that makes me want to be a hermit in a mountain cabin.
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