Monsanto's Crops Spawning Superweed Epidemic in U.S.

[eridani]

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17602.cfm

"Superweeds" are plaguing high-tech Monsanto crops in southern US states, driving farmers to use more herbicides, return to conventional crops or even abandon their farms.

The gospel of high-tech genetically modified (GM) crops is not sounding quite so sweet in the land of the converted. A new pest, the evil pigweed, is hitting headlines and chomping its way across Sun Belt states, threatening to transform cotton and soybean plots into weed battlefields.

In late 2004, "superweeds" that resisted Monsanto's iconic "Roundup" herbicide, popped up in GM crops in the county of Macon, Georgia. Monsanto, the US multinational biotech corporation, is the world's leading producer of Roundup, as well as genetically engineered seeds. Company figures show that nine out of 10 US farmers produce Roundup Ready seeds for their soybean crops.

Superweeds have since alarmingly appeared in other parts of Georgia, as well as South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri, according to media reports. Roundup contains the active ingredient glyphosate, which is the most used herbicide in the USA.

[Dead_Parrot]

1. Gosh.

No-one could have foreseen that, could they?
:banghead:

[hatrack]

5. Stunningly unpredictable!

Gosh, I had no idea that something like this could ever happen!

Who could possibly imagine intensive, selective accelerated evolutionary pressure against an adaptive, widespread and fast-growing group of plants producing resistance?

Who knew?!?!?

[Dead_Parrot]

6. It must be God's Will

It not like plants evolve or anything.

[zeemike]

2. But Monsanto is to big to fail.

So they will continue to plague us with this for years to come.

[Optical.Catalyst]

3. How much imagination does it take to see the 'maker of super seeds' also making 'superweeds'

If I adjust my aluminum foil hat just right I can see a group of evil business executives hatching a plan to genetically modify weeds to resist herbicides - except the special herbicides ONLY produced my Monsanto.

The Chief Executive says to the group, "We will have no competition because we own the patent for the special herbicide. We will rich, I tell you. RICH!"

[Dead_Parrot]

4. That's sort of what they've done - only backwards

Monsanto have produced weeds that resist herbicides produced by Monsanto. Which would be sort of funny, if it wasn't for their continual ass-raping of our biodiversity.

Generally, I'm against the death penalty - but when it comes to Monsanto execs I'm open to negotiation.

[stuntcat]

7. thank you, k, r

I've passed the article on, thank you.

[paparush]

8. Monsanto's Complete Vertical Integration Model

Its a non-stop profit cycle as they'll soon market the super herbicide to kill the super weed, which will then necessitate a whole new gen of GM crops. Repeat ad infinitum.

Don't get me started on diseases they cause and drugs they have a hand in selling.