Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 15:37, 4 July 2013

The March Against Monsanto is an international grassroots movement against Monsanto corporation's business practices. Monsanto is a producer of genetically engineered (GE) seed and of a glyphosate based herbicide called Roundup. The movement was founded by Tami Canal in February 2013 in response to the failure of California Proposition 37, a budget initiative which would have required labeling food products made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Movement advocates support mandatory labeling laws for food made from GMOs and oppose the Farmer Assurance Provision (labeled the "Monsanto Protection Act" by critics). On May 25, 2013, an estimated 200,000 to 2 million supporters participated in marches and rallies; organizers claimed that marches took place in 436 cities around the world. Canal said that the movement would continue its "anti-GMO cause" beyond the initial event.

Background

California Proposition 37

March Against Monsanto was formed by first-time activist Tami Monroe Canal, who was frustrated over the failure of California proposition 37, which would have required companies to label genetically engineered food. Canal, a full-time mother from Farmington, Utah, stated that she became involved because she was concerned for the health of her children.

Social media campaign

Canal first promoted the concept via Facebook on Feb 28th, 2013, arguing that Monsanto had been the benefactor of corporate subsidies and political favoritism and that its patent rights over the genetic makeup of seeds was causing losses to small and organic farmers. By May 21st, the Facebook page had attracted 85,000 members. Canal worked with activists Emilie Rensink and Nick Bernabe utilizing various social media sites to promote the march online. Two days before the group held their protest, the U.S. Senate rejected an amendment that would allow states to require labelling of genetically modified foods.

Issues

The primary goals of March Against Monsanto were to expose what protestors believe are the dangers associated with genetically engineered foods, and to criticize the influence of Monsanto.

Protesters supported mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food, and some carried signs that read "Label GMOs, It’s Our Right to Know" and "Real Food 4 Real People". The Los Angeles march organizer explained, that it was not an anti-Monsanto march but that they were marching to raise awareness so that people could make their own decisions.

Protesters are also critical of Monsanto's alleged influence on the United States Government, claiming that recent legislation allows Monsanto to ignore court rulings and permits planting of genetically engineered crops even if they are possibly unsafe until Monsanto conducts further testing.

In a Huffington Post opinion column, Dave Murphy (founder of Food Democracy Now!) laid out a number of complaints against Monsanto, including their political influence and problems with chemicals they have previously produced, including DDT and Agent Orange, as a means of motivating the march.

External images
Images from The Washington Post
Timeline and images from RT

March

On May 25, 2013 protests took place around the world; according to organizers they took place in 436 cities in 52 countries. One independent source estimated the number of participants to be 200,000. March organizers estimated 2 million people participated, a number quoted by most media including CNN and RT.

Responses

From Monsanto

On May 16, commenting on petitions submitted to the USDA opposing applications by Monsanto and Dow to test new GM crops, Monsanto's CEO Hugh Grant stated the petitioners wanted to block others from choosing more affordable food options. Subsequent reports on the March cited these comments. Monsanto released a statement on the day of the march to the Associated Press, explaining that it respected people's rights to express their opinion on the topic, but maintaining that its seeds improved agriculture by helping farmers produce more from their land while conserving resources such as water and energy. Commenting in response to news of the march, Adam Blight, corporate spokesperson for Monsanto in Australia and New Zealand, stated that GE foods were fine and that biotechnology was one of the tools to help farmers yield more from their crops and thus feed the increasing global population.

Monsanto Hawaii released a longer statement saying that they were making a considerable effort to improve agriculture by helping farmers to reduce inputs, use less water, use less energy while at the same time increase the farmer’s productivity, yield and efficiency and that they were part of an overall effort to help improve farm productivity and food sustainability worldwide. They went on to say that they would welcome respectful dialogue with anyone who truly would like to learn more about who they were and what they did.

From related organizations

Alicia Maluafiti, executive director of the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, a Hawaiian agricultural biotechnology trade association of which Monsanto is a member, responded to the march by noting that "enetically modified crops are the most tested and regulated crops, and the scientific consensus about their safety is overwhelming."

Media reception

This section may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. Please help to create a more balanced presentation. Discuss and resolve this issue before removing this message. (June 2013)

The protests were covered by news outlets including the Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and Russia Today. On American cable news, the march was covered three days after it took place on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper".

Columnist J. Kojo Livingston of The Louisiana Weekly thought that "the mainstream media was sympathetic to the company, using in their reporting, Monsanto's definition of generically modified organisms", a favorable definition that portrayed genetically modified plants designed to "add nutritional benefits or otherwise improve crop yields and increase the global food supply."

Radio host Thom Hartmann, in an opinion piece called "So Much For The Liberal Media", claimed that the media had largely ignored the protests. "There was hardly a peep about the event in the corporate media. Apparently, a Koch-Brothers-funded Tea Party march of 300 people is news-worthy... but two million protesters aren't enough to risk upsetting the corporate masters."

Future plans

March Against Monsanto organizer Tami Canal said she was surprised by the viral response and plans to continue raising awareness. March Against Monsanto joined forces with another GMO protest group, "Moms Across America", and has plans to make a showing at Fourth of July parades, and for World Food Day on October 12, 2013. Another group, "Occupy Monsanto", organized the July 2013 march.

See also

• Genetic engineering
• Genetically modified crops
• Genetically modified food controversies

References

1. Berry, Ian (June 26, 2012). "Monsanto Digs Into Seeds". Wall Street Journal.
2. ^ "On the eve of March against Monsanto Senate shoots down GMO labeling bill". RT. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
3. "Boulder residents participate in worldwide March Against Monsanto". Boulder Daily Camera. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
4. Quick, David (26 May 2013). "More than 100 participate in Charleston’s March Against Monsanto, one of 300+ in world on Saturday". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
5. ^ "Protesters Around the World March Against Monsanto". USA Today. Associated Press. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
6. ^ "'March Against Monsanto' comes to King Street in Kitchener". CTV News. CTV Kitchener. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
7. ^ Peterson, Eric S. (29 May 2013). "SLC March Against Monsanto". Salt Lake City Weekly. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
8. Nowles, David (8 May 2013). " Stars align in protest against food giant Monsanto over GMO crops". Daily News. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
9. Taryn, Utiger (21 May 2013). "NZ urged to remain GE-free zone". Taranaki Daily News. p. 4. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
10. ^ Tapper, Jake (28 May 2013). "Millions protest genetically modified food, Monsanto". The Lead with Jake Tapper. CNN. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
11. "‘March Against Monsanto’ Draws As Many As 2 Million Globally, As Facebook And Twitter Once Again Show Social Media’s Effectiveness As Organizing Tools". International Business Times. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
12. ^ Xia, Rosanna (28 May 2013). "Hundreds in L.A. march in global protest against Monsanto, GMOs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
13. "'Monsanto Protection Act' might be repealed in Senate". RT. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
14. Lewis, Al (29 May 2013). "Monsanto Sows Seeds Of Protest". Fox Business Network. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
15. Murphy, Dave (28 May 2013). "Dave Murphy: The March to Stop Monsanto: Taking Back Our Food, Our Farms, Our Democracy and Our Planet". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
16. "Umstrittener Gen-Konzern: Weltweite Proteste gegen Monsanto". Der Spiegel. 26 May 2013. [English translation via Google Translate. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
17. "Challenging Monsanto: Over two million march the streets of 436 cities, 52 countries". RT. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
18. Murray, Ryan (8 June 2013). "Backlash growing against GMOs". Daily Inter Lake. McClatchy-Tribune Regional News. Retrieved 18 June 2013; Milner, Conan (21 May 2013). "Protests Against Monsanto in 55 Countries". The Epoch Times. Retrieved 18 June 2013; For the original Bloomberg interview, see: Kaskey, Jack (15 May 2013). "Monsanto Sees 'Elitism' in Social Media-Fanned Opposition". Bloomberg. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
19. Moayyed, Mava (27 May 2013). "Marching against genetic engineering". The Wellingtonian. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
20. Jensen, Chelsea (26 May 2013). "Locals march against GMOs". Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
21. Perry, Brian (26 May 2013). "Protesters against GMOs, but Monsanto says crops are safe". The Maui News. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
22. Hawaii Crop Improvement Association. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
23. "Monsanto protests around the world". The Washington Post. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
24. "Global march challenges Monsanto's dominance: TIMELINE". RT. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
25. ^ Livingston, J. Kojo (3 June 2013). "Millions worldwide join March against Monsanto". The Louisiana Weekly. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
26. Hartmann, Thom (28 May 2013)."So Much For The Liberal Media". The Thom Hartmann Program. Talk Radio News Service. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
27. Facebook page for Moms Across America
28. Short, April M. (2 June 2013). "Worldwide Movement Against Monsanto Gaining Steam". AlterNet. Retrieved 18 June 2013.

Further reading

• Campesina, La Via (2011). "Haitian peasants march against Monsanto". Synthesis/Regeneration. 54 (Winter): 16.
• "FW News". Farmers Weekly (740). 23 March 2012. France's agricultural minister, Bruno Le Maire, imposed the temporary ban on maize MON810 on Friday (16 March), amid mass protests against Monsanto in its homeland country.
• "Tens of thousands of activists from around the world will take part in March Against Monsanto this weekend to call for action against GM crops". Farmers Weekly (855). 31 May 2013.

External links

• Official website

• Protest marches
• Genetic engineering in the United States