Most people know how Monsanto has ruined many farmers by taking them to court over pollen that drifted from their patented seed fields and sued seed savers out of business for nothing more than allowing unique varieties to perpetuate and compete. The company's patenting of life has horribly altered how food is produced worldwide and eliminated freedom of choice to a great extent.

Well, I just read this, and it made my blood run cold. Monsanto is now exploring the patent and marketing of soil organisms. If they achieve this, they will legally be able to claim ownership of the very soil we grow in. If they can win in court over "accidental" cross-pollination, they will certainly be able to claim that their proprietary fungi or bacteria were stolen and that they own the dirt it is living in. How easy would it be to spray an inoculant over someone's property?

This is no small threat to us all. Seed companies gobbled up thousands of plant varieties under the guise of research and sent them to what amounts to extinction, by denying anyone access to grow them ever again. Meanwhile, they continually manipulate the system to ensure everyone grows their monocultures. Now, Monsanto will try to bring about a day when they can force us all to grow in their profitable, licensed soil.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/monsanto-novozymes-team-sustainable-bioagricultural-131500130.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CXCG6dSCxYAMQ3QtDMD

I know this is not specifically about figs, but we all love growing things and this may impact us all down the line. It is very scary and disheartening.

I think the defendants in these cases take the wrong approach. Instead trying to prove that they haven't stolen anything from Monsanto, rather they should turn the tables on them by claiming that Monsanto is the intruder and destroying our fields of open pollinated and diverse crops. Or, just as insurances companies don't cover "acts of God" then farmers should be allow to use "acts of God" as a defense.  What next, air? Will they patent a type of air and they claim the worlds owns them for it. Wake up people, all these things are controlled by whom we vote for.
"gene'

I hope they dont patent the air we breath.

if there is way to make money, companies will come up with a way to do it.. if not, government will come up with a way to tax it. 

Consider probiotics (Gut bacteria) - many of which are licensed now. Where will it stop? Imagine going to the doctor and popping positive for a proprietary bacteria. You had no idea. All you did was eat a carrot or tomato, and you get charged a fee as that organism (living in or on the vegetable) is now a part of your physical being. It could be coming to that one day, if something does not change.

This horrific slide all began with the decision to allow the patenting of lifeforms by corporations. That decision by the Supreme Court was written primarily by Justice Clarence Thomas, former Monsanto lawyer. The connections between the big seed companies and the USDA, FDA and other areas of government are everywhere. Sadly, in many ways, it is merely a veneer of "freedom" that we enjoy.

If you have not seen the movie "Food Inc.," check it out. It was enlightening and thoroughly disgusting. I had no idea.

Bio-engineered, hormone-contaminated, milk supply....Pig DNA in corn.....follow the money, and find out who gets "greased" in Washington, by the Lobbyists.  These kind of Frankensteins will stop at nothing.  Ever wonder why we get sick, fat, heart-disease at 30 yrs. old, diabetes......read a package label, and see what chemicals are in our food that we buy and must eat.  The very soil is contaminated...so, "organic" produce is a huge crock.  John Stossel did an expose on "organic" whatever.  It's all BS!

Control the health-care system by subterfuge, "create" a very unhealthy population, and then, control every personal decision, what we eat, earn....and every aspect of out lives.  Do it by lying, deceit, trickery...make sure the "free" press/media is on the same page and promotes the agenda and political narrative-du-jour.  Keep people ignorant and disinterested....even apathetic.

Follow these simple steps, shake up the mix with a few "red herrings" and voila.....reap an enslaved population of compliant, willing, sheep.


For those who understand, no explanation is necessary....for those who don't, no explanation is possible.

"Land of The Free".....what a friggin' joke!


Frank

Quoting from Dennis....

How about those figs?!

On a related note, I read Monsanto is also trying to introduce a GMO variety of Apple tree that produces fruit with pulp that doesn't turn brown. Why this is so desirable I don't know. Seems only a matter of time before we are dealing with GMO figs.

It would take an army of Lawyers and large amounts of money to reverse this madness, but since they bought all the good ones and have key officials on their side there is very little hope left for the small farmer.

Just keep voting back into office all the dirt-bags that keep selling us out.  This will ensure there will be no changes.  How come some in Congress get to stay in office for decades?  Why?  Moronic voters....bipartisan, moronic voters !! 

For my money, they all stink, but some have a worse stench than others.  But here's a clue.....power and money are NEVER relinquished without a bloody, fight.

But look on the bright side.... when we all get poisoned by the gene engineered food supply we can all pick a number and wait for the few doctors that are still working after the "Affordable" Health Care Act is fully implemented.  I'm so reassured that the IRS is making my health care decisions.


Frank

Monsanto is the devil. IMO.

That's the only justification I can see for the general population's legal right to bear arms in the US. An armed militia is the only defence you have against an overbearing executive and judiciary that has sold you out.

Heard the stories about the FDA raids on small independents? They just wreck the place and leave the owners to pick up the pieces. Only Stalin's Russia had a worst record on human rights, but you're not that far behind. You may have to take up those arms one day against your oppressors. 

I held out such great hopes for Obama's administration. Remember his promise?

Just read the book "monsanto vs the world" the world according to monsanto (or the film).  Years ago I had their stock, before I found out about them.  I don't care how much money I would have had by now but I got rid of it all.

I have read a lot about many farmers in India committing suicide because of the unbearable burden of debt caused by the vicious cycle of buying new hybrid seeds (Monsanto) every year on debt and not being able to recycle seeds as they used to in the past. There is a big uproar but unfortunately Monsanto money will help it overcome all obstacles in pushing its products. I hope all countries will have ways and means to safely save the seeds that have been cultivated locally for generations to avoid extinction.

It is crazy to call them bad, when most people are delighted to give them money for their agent orange (weed and feed), and for spreading this agent orange on their gardens,  and even spilling over the neighbour's. We are the bad ones... buying the poison to poison us and make us sick... Well, I may be one, but I don't put any of their crap in my garden, and try not to buy any product that has any of them in them also.

Many fail to realize the potential disaster this company poses for the average gardener who likes to save seed from one season for the next. I do my best to save seed of some sort every year. One day even this could (very likely) come to an abrupt end.

It may be even worse for the large scale farmer. Other countries have already seen it happen. Sadly, as they have learned the hard way, it can have very deep repercussions. It becomes paramount to a sort of slavery wherein the slave pays the master. 

This kind of greed evoked madness doesn't bode well for the future. What else can I say? 

... a chemical company that famously said:  "without chemicals, life itself would be impossible".  I guess they think that means that all life owes the chemical company (and maybe they'll make life impossible for anyone who doesn't pay).

Harvey:  my figs are doing pretty well.  Today I picked (and ate) the last 4 figs from my Petite Negri (EL) tree for this year.  Maybe pics to be posted later.

Mike 

Good to hear, Mike. My figs have become popsicles.

Yeah, most of my fig trees have been dormant for a long time.  (It's 15 degrees F at the moment).  But I brought a couple of trees inside to finish ripening some figs indoors.  Now that I've picked the last of them from the Petite Negri, now I have to figure out a way to get the tree into dormancy without shocking the heck out of it with a too-sudden temperature change.  (Going from 68F to 15F too suddenly just might cause some damage, eh?).

Mike

Okay, that reminds me, I picked a fig from a rare Spanish variety in my greenhouse the other day and it was pretty good.  I should have more from some others if my heater quits going out on me!

Mike, that's exactly why when it's getting cold I just pull off the unripe fruits so I don't drain the trees energy before winter. Let me know what you end up doing and how you make out.

In a separate note, u was actually thinking about it earlier and wondering if these fig varieties from Ira Condit and different universities are considered gmos or what? I know it's a dumb question but still lookin for an answer? Anyone?

so harvey, what rare spanish variety was that?

timmy2green-

I would guess that the best fig varieties came about by a careful, breeding and selection process.  Treating seeds with chemicals, X-rays, Colchicine, etc. to induce genetic changes, in my mind, is a lot different than splicing swine genes into the DNA of corn.

Eugenics, and selective breeding is one thing....playing God is another.  Both can lead to unpredictable and sad results.  Look at "pure-bred" dogs.  Almost all breeds are carefully selected for (Eugenics) desirable characteristics, and almost all breeds can have some minor and major genetic defects, also, many health issues.  Why?  Because of arbitrary (Kennel Club) standards....and nothing else.  They may all look beautiful (subjective)...but, are they genetically superior dogs?  Do we dare splice unrelated DNA material into genes of these animals and hope for superior, new breeds?

Monsanto scientists, in fact, too many scientists never seem to ask:  Just because we could...should we?  Money, will always prevail in this debate.


Frank

Many years agout I was having a discussion with a group of people when I ( half jokingly) suggested the optimal human population on earth is probably closer to 2 billion rather than 7 billion due to resource management issues. Most of the group (and those I've discussed this idea with since) have argued that science will find a way to feed us all. Well...science has found a way to feed us all.