Video: Monsanto spars with Australia’s Undercurrent over glyphosate, ‘world food domination’

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The Guardian hosted a scathing video on Monsanto’s business practices and history by Undercurrent, an online news show. It then followed up by publishing a reply from Monsanto’s Daniel Kruithoff, the managing director of Monsanto Australia and New Zealand, posted below this video. Here is Undercurrent’s summary of tis video:

The Undercurrent delves into the world of mass agriculture to ask how one company has such control over food supply. The name Monsanto was once synonymous with Agent Orange, but today it’s the dominance of the widespread herbicide Roundup which helps keep the company on top. But is the World Health Organisation’s claim that Roundup ‘probably’ causes cancer, cause for concern? And what about the company’s stance on patenting which sees farmers in developing countries unable to hold on to seed? Guardian Australia has joined forces with The Undercurrent – an online news show billing itself as an antidote to the five-second soundbite – for a four-part series over June and July. Brisbane creators Jen Dainer and Dan Graetz say it is the show they wish existed – so they created it themselves.

Read full, original post: The Undercurrent: why are we being fed by a poison expert? Monsanto and Roundup – video

The Guardian offered Monsanto the right of reply, and Monsanto representative Daniel Kruithoff submitted a response, excerpted here:

Some of the statements made in this video are incorrect and damaging not just to Monsanto, but to farmers and the important role they play in feeding and clothing the world’s rapidly growing population.

Firstly, glyphosate has recorded over 40 years of safe use and has been the subject of over 800 studies all of which have confirmed its safety.

Secondly, GM crops have a 20-year record of safety and almost 2,500 independent, global scientific reviews and approvals of genetically modified organism (GMO) crops have verified their safety.

Finally, the video also references farmer suicides in India. Tragically, farmer suicides in India began long before the introduction of GMO cotton in 2002.

We love to participate in balanced discussion and informed debate on food and agriculture. But the public deserves balanced reporting, especially when it comes to topics as important as the safety of food production. Unfortunately, misinformation only polarises the debate and adds to confusion and fear.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: Right of reply: Monsanto responds to the Undercurrent video

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