Throughout Earth’s history, agriculture has been a vital component of every society, providing citizens with the food and nourishment necessary to survive. During this time, agriculture has undergone substantial developments to improve the efficiency, crop yield, and commercialization to sustain the increasing population. Inventions such as the McCormick reaper, liberating workers from the grueling task of harvesting grain, and the cotton gin, replacing hundreds of man-hours by increasing cotton productivity, have all helped America become what it is today.
However, in recent years, a new invention has been developed, genetically modified seeds. These seeds, developed by the company Monsanto, are altered to resist the herbicide Roundup to allow farmers the ability to spray the weed killer without damaging their crops. Qaim, an author for Resources for the Future, explains “So-called first-generation GM crops have improved traits. Herbicide-resistant soybeans and corn (maize), for example, can be “weeded” with herbicides that are more effective, less toxic, and cheaper than the alternatives.” As a result, these seeds have the potential to eliminate the time consuming task of tilling for weeds, thereby increasing productively and reducing soil erosion. Nevertheless, Monsanto owns the patent of the seeds, and therefore, requires farmers to sign agreements at the time of purchase assuring they will not re-use the seeds. This forces them to buy new seeds every year, resulting in high costs for the farmer. As a result, family farmers encouraged to use GMO seeds will cause economic hardship, which will lead to higher food prices, and ultimately result in the downfall of family owned farms. Re-planting seeds has been a common practice of farmers for centuries. “For centuries-millennia-farmers have saved seeds from season to season: they planted in the spring, harvested in the fall, then reclaimed and cleaned the seeds over the winter for re-planting the next spring” (Barlett and Steele). This practice has helped farmers keep crop costs at a minimum. However, Monsanto has almost eliminated this method with the restrictions on their GMO seeds, resulting in a financial hardship for farmers. Some farmers do not fully comprehend the restrictions on re-planting or choose to ignore them, resulting in further financial implications because Monsanto reserves the right to sue for patent infringements. Research shows “The Center for Food Safety, in 2006, estimated that Monsanto had instituted from 2,000 to 5,000 “seed piracy matters” against farmers. They then estimated that Monsanto was paid an estimated $85,653,601 to $160,594,230 in out-of-court settlements” (Martin 104). These substantial settlement costs place a financial burden on family owned farms with limited income. In addition to the immediate financial implications from GMO seeds, Monsanto, rapidly becoming the dominant seed producer in North America, has …show more content…
GMO seeds are rapidly becoming the only option available to farmers due to market domination. “By 2000, 83.9% of soybean acreage planted was from purchased seeds, meaning that only 16.1% of soybean acreage planted was from saved seeds. Finally, [t]oday nearly all the soybeans planted are patented varieties with seed saving restrictions” (Martin 116). Any company, without competition, has the ability to increase prices without consequence. With competition dwindling in the seed market, farmers have no other choice but to pay the price Monsanto sets for their product, regardless of cost. Therefore, this monopoly has the potential to cause farmers further economic …show more content…
Most family owned farms do not have the disposable income to absorb the increased expenses of GMO seeds. Farmers are constantly battling ever-increasing production expenses, particularly equipment, fertilizer, fuel, and more recently, seed costs, in order to survive. As a result, many farms often struggle to make a profit or may not even break even at the end of the year. In addition to production costs, the patent infringement lawsuits placed upon farmers by Monsanto can be especially challenging for farmers to overcome financially. The out-of-court settlement costs paid to Monsanto, as discussed previously, could also considerably decrease a farmer’s profits for the year. According to Martin, “if these GE seed price and income trends continue, the consequences for farmers will be of historic significance, as dollars once earned and retained by farmers are transferred to the seed industry” (145). While Monsanto is gaining substantial profits as a result of these factors, farmers are losing money, and the Nation paying higher food costs as a
However, in recent years, a new invention has been developed, genetically modified seeds. These seeds, developed by the company Monsanto, are altered to resist the herbicide Roundup to allow farmers the ability to spray the weed killer without damaging their crops. Qaim, an author for Resources for the Future, explains “So-called first-generation GM crops have improved traits. Herbicide-resistant soybeans and corn (maize), for example, can be “weeded” with herbicides that are more effective, less toxic, and cheaper than the alternatives.” As a result, these seeds have the potential to eliminate the time consuming task of tilling for weeds, thereby increasing productively and reducing soil erosion. Nevertheless, Monsanto owns the patent of the seeds, and therefore, requires farmers to sign agreements at the time of purchase assuring they will not re-use the seeds. This forces them to buy new seeds every year, resulting in high costs for the farmer. As a result, family farmers encouraged to use GMO seeds will cause economic hardship, which will lead to higher food prices, and ultimately result in the downfall of family owned farms. Re-planting seeds has been a common practice of farmers for centuries. “For centuries-millennia-farmers have saved seeds from season to season: they planted in the spring, harvested in the fall, then reclaimed and cleaned the seeds over the winter for re-planting the next spring” (Barlett and Steele). This practice has helped farmers keep crop costs at a minimum. However, Monsanto has almost eliminated this method with the restrictions on their GMO seeds, resulting in a financial hardship for farmers. Some farmers do not fully comprehend the restrictions on re-planting or choose to ignore them, resulting in further financial implications because Monsanto reserves the right to sue for patent infringements. Research shows “The Center for Food Safety, in 2006, estimated that Monsanto had instituted from 2,000 to 5,000 “seed piracy matters” against farmers. They then estimated that Monsanto was paid an estimated $85,653,601 to $160,594,230 in out-of-court settlements” (Martin 104). These substantial settlement costs place a financial burden on family owned farms with limited income. In addition to the immediate financial implications from GMO seeds, Monsanto, rapidly becoming the dominant seed producer in North America, has …show more content…
GMO seeds are rapidly becoming the only option available to farmers due to market domination. “By 2000, 83.9% of soybean acreage planted was from purchased seeds, meaning that only 16.1% of soybean acreage planted was from saved seeds. Finally, [t]oday nearly all the soybeans planted are patented varieties with seed saving restrictions” (Martin 116). Any company, without competition, has the ability to increase prices without consequence. With competition dwindling in the seed market, farmers have no other choice but to pay the price Monsanto sets for their product, regardless of cost. Therefore, this monopoly has the potential to cause farmers further economic …show more content…
Most family owned farms do not have the disposable income to absorb the increased expenses of GMO seeds. Farmers are constantly battling ever-increasing production expenses, particularly equipment, fertilizer, fuel, and more recently, seed costs, in order to survive. As a result, many farms often struggle to make a profit or may not even break even at the end of the year. In addition to production costs, the patent infringement lawsuits placed upon farmers by Monsanto can be especially challenging for farmers to overcome financially. The out-of-court settlement costs paid to Monsanto, as discussed previously, could also considerably decrease a farmer’s profits for the year. According to Martin, “if these GE seed price and income trends continue, the consequences for farmers will be of historic significance, as dollars once earned and retained by farmers are transferred to the seed industry” (145). While Monsanto is gaining substantial profits as a result of these factors, farmers are losing money, and the Nation paying higher food costs as a