Jim Hightower attacks 'Monsanto's intimidation' of farmers and their crops

October 18, 2001 -- "I think that's what they want from us ... not to question the food supply ... just trust that our government is going to take care of us, protect us, and the hard working farmer is going to continue to do what he's always done," said Fred Walters, editor of Acres USA, in an introduction concerning genetically engineered seeds of controversy.

Walters was referring to the agricultural establishment that has the ability to control the quality of food produced for the consumer.

The meeting, held recently on the U.T. campus in Austin, was led by former Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, along with presentations from farmers Percy Schmeiser of Canada and a tape from Rodney Nelson from North Dakota.

Acres USA is a publication written for commercial scale farmers and addresses technical questions and the latest technology that will allow producers to grow food without chemicals or genetic engineering for a healthy, clean food supply, said Walters.

"We try to be ahead of the curve," he added, after stating that the general feeling from big companies who produce the genetically engineered seeds just want the general public to "shut up and eat."

All speakers spoke of Monsanto as a "biotech bully" who threatens farmers' and consumers' rights, and threatens consumers' health without reservation.

"Monsanto's response is: Monsanto should not have to vouch for the safety of biotech food.

"Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the FDA's job," said Walters.

Hightower had even more harsh words concerning Monsanto for the crowd which included students, producers, media and other concerned consumers.

"In Percy's (Schmeiser) case ... the arrogance goes by the name of Monsanto. Monsanto is a bully. Monsanto is a thug.

"For fun and profit, it has long been tampering with the world's food supply.

"It's been a leader over the last 40-50 years in dousing our earth, our sky, our water, ourselves ... the entire ecosystem with so many pesticides that every single one of you in this room, everyone in the world, every critter on earth is contaminated with these pesticides, in deed, with dozens of these pesticides," said Hightower.

He claims that producers use about eight billion pounds of pesticides on crops in the U.S. each year.

"They (Monsanto) are insisting that farmers put even more of these pesticides on their crops. Pesticides that are killing the farmers and -- literally killing farming.

"The run off of these pesticides from the fields are getting into the water. More than 100 pesticides are now in the ground water in 40 different states," said Hightower.

Economically, it is costing farmers eight billion dollars a year just to purchase the pesticides and "... more than 1,000 farmers, each week, are going out of business in this country, today," he said.

While Hightower claims that 80 percent of the general public in America, Europe and Japan don't want these pesticides, the agricultural establishment's response has been to "attack the consumer."

"If ignorance ever goes to $40 a barrel, I want drilling rights on their (ag establishment) heads, I'll tell you that!" said Hightower.

Regarding genetic engineering, he said that companies such as Monsanto are "tampering with the very DNA of our food," and after doing so, disallow labeling of the genetically altered organisms.

He claims this is because Monsanto and the FDA have personnel who seem to rotate back and forth between the two facilities.

"The issue here is not a couple of farmers. The issue here is not cotton and corn and canola or soybeans. The issue is not even tampering with the food supply.

"The issue is the most fundamental issue of democracy. It asks this question, the same question that democracy seeking people have always had to ask:

'Who the hell is going to be in charge?

"A handful of corporate greed-heads, or we, the people?' That's what it comes down to," said Hightower.

Schmeiser spoke of his continuing fight in the courts with Monsanto, after they claimed to have found their canola seed in his fields without permission.

"What has happened to me can happen to anyone," said Schmeiser.

He has been in farming for 53 years in Western Canada as a seed saver and seed developer, along with 25 years as a public servant for the Parliament and as mayor of his community.

The lawsuit filed in 1998 by Monsanto claimed that "I had illegally obtained Monsanto genetically altered canola without a license, and that I had infringed on their patent by doing so," said Schmeiser.

According to the speakers, it is common knowledge that seeds can be scattered by the wind, trucks and birds, among other ways, and used Mexico areas as an example.

Schmeiser said he never wanted nor purchased any of the genetically engineered seed and certainly didn't plant it in his fields.

He said that although he informed Monsanto that he had no interest in their products, they didn't believe him and continued to try to intimidate his family.

"My grandparents came from the old country, first to the U.S. in the 1890's, and from there into Canada. My father and mother were both born in the U.S.," said Schmeiser, relating that the reason they left Europe in the first place was to get away from control such as Monsanto seems to have in the U.S.

"So far, the courts have not allowed farmers to sue for genetic pollution, but they are allowing Monsanto to sue for genetic theft," said Walters.

According to Schmeiser and the others, there seems to be a large discrepancy concerning U.S. patent law and farmers' rights.

"Monsanto is not going to stop until we stop it, and that is the basic message here, tonight," said Hightower in his closing remarks.