Monsanto's Seed Purchase

[Sprocket]

Hi all, I had a nice article on this past years purchase of a major seed company by Monsanto. It was one which I believe dealt with small companies like Johnny's and Seeds of Change. Well as luck would have it I lost the article and I had wanted to pass the information on to our local organic market that sells those seeds every year but I cannot remember the name of that large seed company that monsanto bought out.....HELP please if you can because I do not want to pass on bad info to anyone. Thanks, Kim.

[Gardenurse]

This is from a December 20, 2005 article in the St. Louis Business Journal. Sprocket, I'm not sure the article below is exactly what you are looking for, but doesn't it seem ironic to send hybrid seeds to a starving nation? Another quote from an article I read had this to say about Monsanto, "The big picture is chilling to anyone who mistrusts Monsanto's record disinterest for environmental safety.

And if you're not worried, you should be: central control of food supply has been a standard ingredient for social and political control throughout history. By creating a monopoly position, Monsanto can force dangerous experiments like the release of GMOs into the environment on an unwilling public. They can ensure that GMOs will be sold and consumed wherever they say they will."


http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2005/12/19/daily22.html?t=printable
Monsanto donates seeds to fight Malawian food shortages

Monsanto will donate hybrid corn seeds worth about $840,000 to combat food shortages in Malawi, in Southern Africa, the company said Tuesday.

The donation of 700 metric tons of white, quality hybrid corn seeds will be distributed to as many as 140,000 Malawi farm families through the Malawian government and local nongovernment organizations there.

The seeds, when properly planted and managed, will be able to feed more than 1 million people for a year, Monsanto said in a release.

Since 2002, Malawi has experienced chronic food shortages due to drought, poverty and low crop yields, and an estimated 5 million people are in need of food aid this year alone, the company said. The Malawian government and local organizations are working to increase self-sufficiency at a local, family farm level.

"This access to quality hybrid maize seed complements very well our fertilizer subsidy program," the minister of agriculture, Uladi Mussa, said in a statement.

Monsanto said it previously donated $1 million dollars, through the Monsanto Fund, to the World Food Program for emergency relief food aid.

St. Louis-based Monsanto Co. (NYSE: MON) develops insect- and herbicide-resistant crops and other agricultural products.

[Sprocket]

Thanks this is a great article. What I was looking for is the name of the seed compny that supplied seeds to johhny's and seeds for change. Monsanto bought that company and I am thinking that many followers of those two have no clue about this evil action but I can't think of the name of the company.....arggggghhhh. ; )

[tashak]

Semiris.
See their website.

[JereGettle]

that is "Seminis",

Glad to Fedco Seeds has dropped them,

We have never, ever used them.(Seminis)

[Sprocket]

thanks Jere and Tasak

[mommagoose]

As soon as I became aware of Seminis being bought out by Monsanto, I contacted Johnny's. The response was that they are looking for a new supplier. They gave me a list of the products they purchase from Seminis so I can avoid them. There were several items that I usually purchase on that list. It is getting very scary out there. We need to be vigilant even in our seed purchases. I worry about my grandchildren and their children's food supply.

[TastyofHasty]

Another reason to learn to save seeds.

[Lavandula Girl]

" If you want the ultimate vegetable gardening experience, plant hybrid seeds when available. They can play a major role in providing the food, fun, satisfaction, exercise, piece of mind, and nutrition you need for you and your family."

This is what Jim Waltrip of Seminis Seeds said in an article, which Ed Hume has posted on his site. The entire article is there, at [URL=www.humeseeds.com]. Unfortunately, the Hume site doesn't date the article, but Waltrip goes from touting the benefits of hybrids as a world hunger salve to finally saying that as backyard gardeners, we should also "enjoy" them. I thought it was interesting, since it shows that the company's line was not out of step with Monsanto, even before the buyout.

[Farmgirl303]

I stopped buying seeds from Johnny's after I kept seeing more and more PVP and hybrid varieties. Fedco (Fedcoseeds.com) stopped buying seeds from Seminis after the buyout.

[mrtomatoexpres]

fedco hsa a great peice in there catalog about monsanto when i go to homedepot i tell people not to buy any monsanto product like miracle crack grow ortho scotts and roundup the mng told me to be quiet i said no way call the cops a lot of people told the mng to shut up :D some of them brought organic fertilizer they said thanks then the mng walked over to me he gave me a 25.00 giftcard said there is no problem you are right what you said :) :D i showed him my name on my cellphone its mrtomato :)

[wyrdsyster]

Way to go mrtomato!Most people just don't know any better.

[Liberty_Man]

EveryoneFirst of all i'd like to point out that this is an old thread.. it's quite possible that these other people aren't around any longer.

that is "Seminis",

Glad to Fedco Seeds has dropped them,

We have never, ever used them.(Seminis)
Jere I'm still learning (http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/archive/index.php/f-3.html)about monsanto.. but what's this about Seminis? I take it you don't like that company?

Again thanks for giving us baker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMfSu8WBOv0) creek.:)

[Ohiorganic]

Monsanto bought Semenis several years ago. Semenis sells (and has developed) a lot of produce seed. if you boycott Monsanto than you boycott Semenis as it is a subsidiary of Monsanto