Tina Nguyen
BIO 100 - 07
30 November 2015
Transmission and Survival of Foreign Genetic Material The biological findings of Charles Darwin contributed to revolutionizing modern understanding of evolution and genetics through the comparison of biodiversity and the trending similarities and differences among members of shared lineage. Darwin's observation of how the environment impacted the evolution of species as they adapted to their surroundings led to the understanding of how new environments may influence new divergent characteristics between members of shared ancestry. This scientific study on heredity contributed to a universal understanding of genes, alleles, chromosomes, and the recombination they incur during reproduction. But what
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Monsanto is notoriously known for partaking in the industrial production of herbicides and chemical warfare for militant use. Specifically, Monsanto is infamously known for the production of Agent Orange, a defoliant/herbicide used during the Vietnam War. Since its use, one of the many chemically adverse effects Agent Orange has been responsible for to this day are birth defects specifically among children related to veterans who have serviced in the Vietnamese and Korean military. Although Monsanto has moved away from the production of chemical warfare to the production of GMOs for human consumption, it is ethically debatable for Monsanto to be the leading industry to specialize in GMO production. The ethicality of Monsanto's contribution and influence in GMO production is also questionable due to Monsanto's economic position in domineering the seed market and GMO market, raising the possible risk of Monsanto's monopoly in both markets. Due to the intersectionality of GMO technology in socio-political private and public spheres, it is important to further research the credibility and ethicality of GM produces before its consumption and technology begin to raise problematic economic, environmental, and medical
Monsanto produces a good that isn’t exactly the best for the environment. Genetically Modified Organisms, more commonly known as GMO’s, are the latest scientific breakthrough. Many studies have shown how GMO’s are bad for genetic diversity and even worse for the health of those that consume them. So why do we buy GMO’s? One reason is that GMO’s allow farmers to grow more crops at a faster rate with greater
The public believes that Monsanto’s genetically modified organism (GMO) products is harmful not solitary to the environment and our food system but also to the consumers itself. Joe Mohr’s visual argument of Monsanto’s Reasons for Fighting GMO Labeling? It Loves You is a poor argument in an attempt to change the public’s view. Mohr claims that GMO labeling will cause the earth and its citizens to more stress, global warming, and cellular radiation. Mohr’s hope in transforming the unknowing public’s opinion by using Logos in defending Monsanto through a sound and logical visual explanation that was unfounded is nothing but a disappointment. Monsanto is all about corporate control and profit. Images and graphics that was used could potentially give depth and change public understanding to Mohr’s one-sided argument in procuring
You may not have heard about Monsanto but you’ve probably eaten genetically modified foods. What do the two have in common and how are they killing us? Here are some hard facts. Monsanto is an international agriculture company whose history dates back to the early 20th century. They began by creating the artificial sweetener saccharin. Later they moved on to carcinogenic chemicals like Agent Orange, used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. After receiving numerous environmental violations and lawsuits, today Monsanto is involved in biotechnology and the agriculture business. Monsanto suggests that they help farmers grow bigger crops, faster, while using fewer resources. But what they leave out is how they
The film discusses Monsanto, a large multinational agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation, at length. The film mentions Roundup, a product produced by Monsanto, but doesn’t go into detail about the effect Roundup has on human health. “We started to hear rumblings about genetically engineered soybeans that could resist the application of Roundup, and when Roundup is sprayed over the top of it, it killed every weed out there except for this ‘Roundup ready’ soybean.” says a farmer that was interviewed for the film. The film continues to go in depth regarding how Roundup contaminates other farmer’s seeds and how Monsanto then sues the farmers for “stealing”, but the film never discusses the truly terrifying health problem GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms) can produce. Alexis Baden-Mayer, a woman who is a part of the Organic Consumers Association, said in an article for ecowatch.com that Roundup can create dozens of serious health problems. The health problems include ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, Anencephaly, Autism, birth defects, brain cancer, breast cancer, celiac disease, chronic kidney disease, Colitis, depression, diabetes, heart disease, and many more. Focused too much on the politics of Monsanto, the film failed to explain the true concern involved with Monsanto’s
Monsanto is involved in a variety of ways,“The company produces the herbicide RoundUp, and also seeds whose genes have been engineered to survive RoundUp's active plant-killing ingredient. Now the vast majority of this country's soybeans, corn, sugar beets and canola possess those engineered genes,”(Boyle). Initially, this seems quite innocent, however, there’s no telling what kind of chemicals are being introduced into the food supply in order to allow these plants to survive. Also, sugar and corn are contained within almost every non organic product Americans consume, which means virtually everyone is ingesting these potentially harmful chemicals. Monsanto’s RoundUp resistant seeds should seem to be a farmer’s best friend, but it’s not always so simple, “As Rinehart would recall, the man began verbally attacking him, saying he had proof that Rinehart had planted Monsanto’s genetically modified (G.M.) soybeans in violation of the company’s patent. Better come clean and settle with Monsanto, Rinehart says the man told him—or face the consequences,”(Barlett). Simply dogmatic in his manner, the mysterious Monsanto man would not take no for an answer, even though later in the article Mr. Rinehart states that he isn’t a farmer and they have the wrong guy. Commonly referred to as seed police, even gestapo or mafia, this elite force of Monsanto maniacs are lifeless and drone-like in the sense that they will stop at nothing in order to obtain a profit, and if it’s the wrong person they’ll still use scare tactics to weasel cash out of innocent civilians. Saying that Monsanto is heavily involved in the production and distribution of genetically modified crops and seeds is a massive understatement, to demonstrate this,“In 1996 when Monsanto introduced RoundUp Ready Soybeans, the company controlled only 2% of the U.S. soybean market. Now, over 90% of
According to Natural Society, people like Hugh Grant, and Bill Gates who own millions of shares in Monsanto stock are not the real owners of Monsanto. The main owners of Monsanto are institutions. The leading institution for Monsanto is a company is called the Vanguard group. Vanguard owns 3 trillion dollars in investments in different companies like Monsanto. Additionally, they own such companies as Bank of America, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and others. Employees of Monsanto seem to be interested in agriculture. Most of the employees are scientist, and agricultural experts. Employees enjoy working with farmers, and enjoy generating new ideas. Every project that is worked on inspires innovation allowing Monsanto, to stay on the cutting edge,
Yesterday I finally finish watching the food Inc. I started watching this film before Thanksgiving break but was not able to get back to viewing the film until yesterday. This film was available on Netflix. When the film started I like what is this a documentary? But as I watched the film, it became of interest to me due this is the type of film you must actively listen to the dialoged, while watching.
Monsanto’s was founded by John F. Queeny in 1901in St. Louis, MO. The first product for the company was artificial sweetener. This open the door for many years of success for the company. The most controversial product that the company produced was called Agent Orange. This product was used doing the Vietnam War. The purpose of the product was to clear some of the foliage in the jungles of Vietnam. The product contained dioxin which was harmful to the U.S. Military Personnel fighting the Vietnam War. Monsanto made a large class action settlement for harm done to the soldiers. That has been the ethical dilemma for Monsanto’s for a long time.
Monsanto is known for its dishonesty and transparency, on the safety and benefits of the ingredients used in genetically modified organisms. The USDA does not require long term studies about the safety of consuming genetically modified organisms. Thus causing independent studies to raise questions about health risks from consuming products that contain GMO products. Monsanto pioneered the biotechnology industry by applying its business model to agriculture. Early in 2013 the movement of “March against Monsanto” began to demonstrate in protest against GMOs. Monsanto claims, “that they are no dangers to consumption of GM-foods by people”(Micahael Wald “GMO-genetically modified organisms dangerous or necessary?" Health reference center
Today’s world is all about how we can be seen as helping others, or how one county is offering support to those in need of it. When Jeremy Seifert starting his work on his film GMO-OMG (Seifert, 2013), the film started by asking people the simple question do they eat GMO. The film goes through the first 2 min of just people responses to that question and it is amazing how people were so unware of what they were eating. GMO are genetically modified organism which as the movie explains there are two primary categories of GMOs, the pesticide producer, and Herbicide resisters (Seifert, 2013) which help farmers to grow crops by making them resistant to bugs or weeds that would have destroyed crops in the past. Monsanto is one of the largest GMO producers of a corn seed that would allow for crops to grow with natural resistant to herbicide and insects. When Jeremy went to Africa to research why some of the locals were rejecting the Monsanto seeds because they said that you could only plant them once and then you would be forever in need of the replace seeds rather than just reusing seeds from the fully grown plants. The Haitian people believed that the seeds of life are a common inheritance of all humanity (Seifert, 2013).
“Monsanto Company started off its chemical business in 1997, Monsanto traces its roots to John Francisco Queeny, a purchaser for a wholesale drug house, who formed the Monsanto Chemical Works in St. Louis, Missouri”(Barboza). In the mid-1990s, it became the first to widely market genetically engineered
MON87705, commercially “Vistive Gold”, also known as Improved Fatty Acid Profile Soybean MON 87705, is one of Monsanto’s “Round-up ready” type GMOs. In the soybean, three genes were modified in three different areas. Glyphosate, a competitive inhibitor for phosphoenolpyruvate, is a commonly used herbicide that increases a farmer’s yield. However, this herbicide is fatal to plants if too much is used. Glyphosate interferes with the biosynthesis of the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, which are only synthesized in plants and microorganisms. In Monsanto’s genetically modified soybean, the CP4 EPSPS Agrobacterium gene (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3- phosphate synthase) is incorporated. The CP4 ESPS gene is used as a selectable marker to identify transgenic plants during the transformation process. The insertion of this gene
Monsanto Case Study: Service to Humanity or Corporate Greed Kaitlynn Poston Slippery Rock University Abstract This case study examines the ethical dilemma of the agricultural company Monsanto and whether or not it is a service to humanity by supporting sustainable agriculture or if it is an unbridled ploy for corporate greed. Monsanto Case Study: Service to Humanity or Corporate Greed Monsanto: A Sustainable Agriculture Company When researching Monsanto’s website, they define themselves as a sustainable agriculture company that delivers agricultural products that support farmers across the globe. They believe that, as a company, they are focused on empowering farmers to produce more from their land
In her online video, "Talking about food safety," Monsanto 's lead toxicologist, Shawna Lemke says that, "In recent years people have become increasingly interested in where their food comes from, and how it is produced....there is still conflicting and confusing information about Genetically Modified Foods, but because of the intense work the scientists that work here do, we all feel confident in feeding them to our kids." Monsanto is a Fortune 500 "sustainable agricultural" company that started in 1901, introducing their first product, saccharin. They move on to produce agricultural chemicals in 1945, and by 1982 they were genetically modifying plant cells (DNA). They now have 404 facilities in sixty-six countries, and supply 76% of the world 's seeds. It seems Monsanto has a stronghold on the world 's genetically modified seeds. Although Monsanto claims that genetically modified food is safe, there are conflicting studies claiming they are unsafe and cause harm to humans, plants and animals. However, there have not been any scientific research done concerning this in the United States. How would these studies affect our supply of genetically modified food here in The United States? What about the farmers? How does this stronghold affect the farmers here in the United States? The United States Government needs to perform their own scientific research studies to assess the health risks of Genetically Modified Food, and
Monsanto is a company that some people may not be explicitly familiar with on a first name basis. However, the work that the company has done over the last century, with a larger emphasis on its most recent ventures, have been deeply engrained in our lives, our food, and our economy. Monsanto has those who advocate on their behalf in addition to their naysayers. While Monsanto has made huge strides in terms of biotechnology over the last couple of decades, their accomplishments, and the relevant methods, have not been free of criticism and controversy. In order to analyze Monsanto’s corporate environment, it is important to first explore their Strengths, Weaknesses,