Burning of Monsanto Seeds

[smallblueplanet]

I also think that Monsanto's objectives are probably suspect ...

But why can't they grow Hybrid varieties now to feed their population? ..

Oh I don't know but maybe they think that there's a principle involved and they don't want to sell their souls.

[oldie]

I have to agree that the Terminator Technology is the most worrying part of GM. GM could become a powerful political weapon in the wrong hands. I also know from being there that the five fold increase in harvest in Malawi was nothing to do with the seeds, but because they have done a lot of regeneration work and have good irrigation available in many areas that had previously been barren because of deforestation, overgrazing etc.

[Kristen]

But why can't they grow Hybrid varieties now to feed their population?

Because of the Terminator Gene...

That's GM, not hybrid.

[Kristen]

I have to agree that the Terminator Technology is the most worrying part of GM

I agree

I also know from being there that the five fold increase in harvest in Malawi was nothing to do with the seeds, but because they have done a lot of regeneration work and have good irrigation available in many areas that had previously been barren because of deforestation, overgrazing etc.

Pity Monsanto don't actually say that the 5-fold-increase occurred within one growing season (as I doubt that restructuring would be that fast for a whole country ), which would be pretty convincing to me, but they just kinda imply it instead:

Monsanto ~ Hybrid Maize Seed Transforming Lives in Malawi

[Davyburns]

Someone who invents something (A special rice plant, or a mobile phone, or a photocopier) gets a Patent giving them, say, a 20 year monopoly in return for publishing details of the "invention

Off topic a bit, but you obviously havent tried to get a patent.
I did 30 years ago, and had no trouble fulfilling the critera, but as I was pondering wether or not to pay £2000 for the search, a chap at the patent office asked if I would like some advice, which I, of course, accepted.
He then advised me not to waste my money, as the big guys, Ford, Vauxhall, General motors, and the after market automotive dealers would slightly alter the design, manufacture it, and openly invite me to take them to court.
I took his advice.
Its not that easy

[King Carrot]

I agree



Pity Monsanto don't actually say that the 5-fold-increase occurred within one growing season (as I doubt that restructuring would be that fast for a whole country ), which would be pretty convincing to me, but they just kinda imply it instead:

Monsanto ~ Hybrid Maize Seed Transforming Lives in Malawi

Sums them up for me - very good PR department - and when you do cross them they threaten and use very expensive legal proceedings with the full support of governments departments and agencies. Where lawsuits don't scare you or you've nothing to be sued for, I gather from someone I know first hand, that you can expect a visit from some very untalkative and unpleasant people, if you get my drift.

At the rate they going they could surely own pretty much every large seed and plant related company on the planet by sometime in the near future.

In 20 years time just think about tucking into your home grown Roundup Ready TM Monsanto super GM veggie plug plants TM with extra fish and bovine extract, yummy nums , coming to you with the exception of absolutely anything else in all your seed & plant catalogues, that is if we have anything to do with it, don't forget girls and boys, don't be growing any of that outlawed, illegally held or obtained veggie seed or we'll send the boys round

[Kristen]

you obviously havent tried to get a patent.

"obviously"? What leads you to make an assumption like that?

I did 30 years ago, and had no trouble fulfilling the critera, but as I was pondering wether or not to pay £2000 for the search, a chap at the patent office asked if I would like some advice, which I, of course, accepted.
He then advised me not to waste my money, as the big guys, Ford, Vauxhall, General motors, and the after market automotive dealers would slightly alter the design, manufacture it, and openly invite me to take them to court.

Its a key question asked on Dragon's Den. Potential investors are unlikely to have any interest in your invention if you don't have a patent, as they will have no means of protecting their cost of tooling up to build and market it.

Whilst I expect that A. N. Big Company does try to see small inventors off, threatening them with the astronomic cost of litigation, there are investors out there that will take on the cost of such infringement cases - in return for some equity no doubt. If you have a good invention it can be protected.

For most small inventors a Patent is just one step in the process of selling the idea to a company, or getting an investor.

[Kristen]

Roundup Ready TM Monsanto super GM veggie plug plants TM with extra fish and bovine extract, yummy ...

Its a scary prospect, for sure.

On the one hand we have to feed the mouths in the future (current population growth is about 1% I think, which means it will double in the next 70 years, so we need twice as much food, housing, transportation ...)

On the other hand tinkering with the planet could kill us all (although that would solve the first point!)

(I read something the other day from the Institute of Engineers (I think) proposing that a doubling of the population could be achieved with no new technology - just provide refrigeration of food to Africa, and help mechanise their agriculture, as well as cutting down on the horrendous waste of food, and insulating buildings thoroughly so as to use less fuel, and so on. So maybe we don't need to breed plants that can give higher yields at all ...)

[Davyburns]

"obviously"? What leads you to make an assumption like that?

Because of your simplistic statement "anyone who invents something "gets" a patent"
Its a lot more complex than that, and I think if you had been through it, you wouldnt have phrased it that way.

One of the few ones to win against the big boys was an american who invented the intermittant wipe, he won after several years, and was awarded millions, but lost his family and his health in the meantime. A court case against Ford or the like is likely to cost tens of millions, and they wouldnt even feel it. I dont think anyone with money to invest would be even likely to look at that sort of risk

[Kristen]

Sorry, yes "gets" can be taken to imply that, like Copyright, its just happens. "Obtains" was what I meant.

The process is expensive to pursue to completion, in multiple countries, but it is not expensive in the initial stages - a period that an inventor can use to find an investor / buyer, or to decide if the patent is worth pursuing.

"I dont think anyone with money to invest would be even likely to look at that sort of risk"

If a court finds that A. Big Company is infringing a patent then they will wind up paying damages, and having to pay a licence fee to use it. If the invention is any good, and the patent has been drafted properly, then an investor can weight up the potential royalties against the risk of losing the court case.

(I am not an expert, but I have applied for a patent and I have some familiarity with Intellectual Properly law [as I mentioned above])

[oldie]

Slightly off topic but interesting to hear the head of the U.N food agency being interviewed last week and (I wrote it down) he said -"There is enough food in the world to feed the population twice over. The problem is not food shortage it is distribution, storage and wastage."