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March Against Monsanto (MAM) is an international grass roots movement as well as a protest against the Monsanto corporation and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The movement consists of multiple groups and individuals seeking to “bring awareness to health, agricultural, environmental and political issues associated with Monsanto" through various actions.

On May 25, 2013, an estimated 2 million supporters participated in marches and rallies in 436 cities around the world.

Founded by Tami Canal in February 2013, the movement was created in response to the failure of California Proposition 37. Canal said that the movement would continue its "anti-GMO cause" beyond the initial event. MAM supports mandatory GMO labeling laws and opposes the Farmer Assurance Provision (labeled the "Monsanto Protection Act" by critics).

Background

March Against Monsanto was formed by Tami Monroe Canal, a "stay-at-home mom" from Farmington, Utah. A first-time activist, Canal credits her "motherly inclinations", saying that where the health of her children is concerned, it "didn't take much" for her to get involved. The movement was spurred by Canal's frustration over the failure of California proposition 37 which would have required companies to label genetically engineered food.

Canal first promoted the concept via Facebook on Feb 23rd, 2013. The group posted a mission statement on their Facebook page that read:

For too long, Monsanto has been the benefactor of corporate subsidies and political favoritism...Organic and small farmers suffer losses while Monsanto continues to forge its monopoly over the world’s food supply, including exclusive patenting rights over seeds and genetic makeup.

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 labeling of genetically modified foods.

Issues

According to the Center for Food Safety, up to 75% of processed foods in the US include GM ingredients., and most of the corn, soybeans and cotton currently grown in the United States is genetically modified. MAM protesters as well as some health advocates and politicians, such as Senator Bernie Sanders, have recently been pushing for mandatory GMO labeling. Anti-GMO advocates believe GMOs can lead to serious health consequences. Protesters addressed the issue with signs that read "Label GMOs, It’s Our Right to Know" and "Real Food 4 Real People".

Ninety percent of Americans favor GMO labeling, however attempts to require it have been unsuccessful. Whole Foods Market has promised that its US stores will label their GMO products by 2018. The grocery chain said demand for products that don’t use GMOs is growing, with sales of products labeled "Non-GMO" spiking between 15-30%.

MAM demonstrators urged supporters to buy only organic products and to boycott Monsanto-owned companies. The Los Angeles MAM organizer explained, "We’re marching to raise awareness. This is not just a ‘boo Monsanto’ protest. We want more people to know so they can make their own decisions."

Supporters of the movement expressed concern about Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds and their effect on bee population, holding signs printed with "All we are saying is give bees a chance".

Protesters also took issue with the amount of influence Monsanto has in Washington, citing the recent legislation that allows Monsanto to ignore court rulings and permit planting of genetically engineered crops even if they are found to be potentially unsafe until Monsanto conducts further testing. Former Monsanto employees hold top positions in the US food safety agencies FDA and the USDA, leading to claims that the "fox is guarding the hen house". The "revolving door" was a common theme at the March for Monsanto in Maui. One protester from Occupy Maui stated, "Their corporate power is insurmountable....We should not have allowed that to happen. That happened with Citizens United , but who sits on the Supreme Court? Clarence Thomas from Monsanto. Who's in charge of the FDA? Michael Taylor, from Monsanto… We're not stupid. There are 66 countries that banned this for health reasons. Why are we still doing it?"

Crop contamination is another concern raised by the protesters, who worry that pollen from Monsanto's genetically modified plants could contaminate the crops of organic farmers and those not using Monsanto products. Unapproved GM wheat made by the company was found growing on an Oregon farm days after the march, bringing the issue into the spotlight. On May 31, 2013, Monsanto announced it would halt further lobbying for GM products in Europe. A Monsanto spokesperson said, "We’ve understood that such plants don’t have any broad acceptance in European societies". The announcement came days after the MAM protest, "amidst a series of recent public relations battles" for the company and during a "revival of opposition to genetically engineered foods".

Anti-Monsanto advocates further claim the patent rights to seeds lead to a cycle of dependence on the company. From an editorial in Salon, "In less than 15 years, many commodity crop farmers went from saving and replanting a portion of their harvest to largely buying new seed each year. This has increased farmers' dependence on a highly consolidated and narrowly focused seed industry. The transition has also eroded farmers' self-sufficiency and financial security."

In a Huffington Post article entitled "The March to Stop Monsanto: Taking Back Our Food, Our Farms, Our Democracy and Our Planet", Dave Murphy (founder of Food Democracy Now! ) wrote, "The problem with Monsanto is not just their corrosive lobbying practices, but the fact that the products they produce, genetically engineered foods and chemical weed killers, are in more than 70% of the processed foods that we eat and feed our families everyday....Monsanto is responsible for some of the most lethal chemicals known to history, including Agent Orange, PCBs, and DDT."

March

On May 25, 2013 protests took place in at least 436 cities in 52 countries around the world. According to RT, the event was attended by over 2 million people; organizers estimated a total of 2 million. CNN reported the same number, but said they could not independently verify it.

Response

Monsanto released a statement on the day of the march, explaining it "respects people's rights to express their opinion on the topic, but maintains that its seeds improve agriculture by helping farmers produce more from their land while conserving resources such as water and energy."

Thom Hartmann, in an opinion piece called "So Much For The Liberal Media", claimed 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."

In an op-ed for Metta Center for Non-Violence, Stephanie Van Hook and Michael Nagler compare the March Against Monsanto movement with the Salt March. They write, "However the present march turns out, we should consider it a step on a long journey – and plan that journey. A great deal of what Gandhi would have called “Constructive Programme” – education, community building, long-term efforts like organic and community-based farming to replace the old system...and the beginnings of a robust, diverse, and smart resistance movement represented by, among other things, the present march."

Future plans

MAM organizer Tami Camal said she was surprised by the "viral" response made up of a "unique cross-section of support", and plans to "continue raising awareness". MAM 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.

See also

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

References

1. Millions march against GM crops | Environment | guardian.co.uk
2. ^ Movement attempts shutdown of Monsanto office in Davis | The Aggie
3. Millions march against Monsanto in over 400 cities - Yahoo! News
4. Protesters around the world march against Monsanto
5. ^ On the eve of March against Monsanto Senate shoots down GMO labeling bill. RT. May 24, 2013.
6. Boulder residents participate in worldwide March Against Monsanto - Boulder Daily Camera
7. More than 100 participate in Charleston’s March Against Monsanto, one of 300+ in world on Saturday – The Post and Courier
8. ^ Salt Lake City News - News Articles: SLC March Against Monsanto
9. Nowles, David (May 8, 2012). Stars align in protest against food giant Monsanto over GMO crops. The New York Daily News.
10. http://www.facebook.com/MarchAgainstMonsanto
11. Taryn, Utiger (May 21, 2013). NZ urged to remain GE-free zone. Taranaki Daily News. p. 4.
12. ^ Associated Press (May 25, 2013). Protesters around the world march against Monsanto. USA Today.
13. Florida rally says: "Buzz off, Monsanto" » peoplesworld
14. Center for Food Safety | Issues | GE Foods | About GE Foods
15. Protesters rally worldwide in march against GMO giant Monsanto
16. Millions protest genetically modified food, Monsanto, organizers say – The Lead with Jake Tapper - CNN.com Blogs
17. Marching against Monsanto in "The Belly of the Beast"
18. ‘March Against Monsanto’ Draws As Many As 2 Million Globally, As Facebook And Twitter Once Again Show Social Media’s Effectiveness As Organizing Tools [PHOTOS]
19. We can't let Monsanto win on genetically modified food | Sadhbh Walshe | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk
20. Up to 2 million march against Monsanto - Salon.com
21. Hundreds in L.A. march in global protest against Monsanto, GMOs - latimes.com
22. Monsanto Sows Seeds Of Protest | Fox Business
23. The View From The March On Monsanto In Kahului
24. ^ March against Monsanto stirs up the GMO debate | syracuse.com
25. Discovery stirs foes of Monsanto gene-altered crops | SouthCoastToday.com
26. Monsanto puts GM push to Europe on hold after series of world wide protests – In Serbia News
27. Monsanto’s growing monopoly - Salon.com
28. Dave Murphy: The March to Stop Monsanto: Taking Back Our Food, Our Farms, Our Democracy and Our Planet
29. CTV Kitchener (May 25, 2013). 'March Against Monsanto' comes to King Street in Kitchener. CTV Television Network.
30. Xia, Rosanna (May 25, 2013). Hundreds in L.A. march in global protest against Monsanto, GMOs. Los Angeles Times.
31. bos/AFP, Der Spiegel. May 26, 2013 Umstrittener Gen-Konzern: Weltweite Proteste gegen Monsanto [English translation via Google Translate Accessed May 28, 2013
32. Millions protest genetically modified food, Monsanto. The Lead with Jake Tapper - CNN.com Blogs. Retrieved 29 May 2013
33. Challenging Monsanto: Over two million march the streets of 436 cities, 52 countries — RT News
34. Protesters march against Monsanto across the globe | The Hindu
35. So Much For The Liberal MediaTalk Radio News Service
36. Is the Monsanto Protest the Next Salt March?
37. https://www.facebook.com/MomsAcrossAmerica?directed_target_id=0&filter=2

External links

• Official website
• Event map
• Time-line and images from RT
• Images from Washington Post

• Protest marches
• Activism stubs
• Genetic engineering in the United States