Bayer's bid has raised eyebrows in the German media because Bayer enjoys a good reputation as a chemical company, whereas Monsanto is despised for its cavalier attitude to national law, product safety and consumer rights. The corporation promotes generic modification and produces the controversial herbicide Roundup, which contains glyphosate, a herbicide currently facing an EU-wide ban because of cancer fears after the World Health Organisation reported that the herbicide 'probaly' causes cancer in humans.
Global Justice Now food campaigner Aisha Dodwell told the media:
"The proposed Bayer bid for Monsanto will have devastating consequences for farmers and consumers across the globe. The creation of a mega-corporation that is both the world's biggest seed and pesticide company means that a single organization will be handed almost total control of our foods, what we eat and how it is grown.
"This should worry all of us as we already know that these agri-businesses use aggressive techniques to further their market dominance which do not act in the best interests of farmers, public health or the environment,"
Roundup Ready crop seeds, produced by Monsanto, are resistant to its Roundup herbicide, which means farmers around the world can buy the seeds from Monsanto and then treat them with its own herbicide. More controversial is that the crop seeds are sterile – known as terminator seeds – which means that farmers – often in the poorest areas of the world – have to buy fresh batches from Monsanto each year, rather than taking seeds from the growing crop.
While many independent scientists have questioned the short and long term safety issues attached to Monsanto's products, this blog's concerns are economic and social. We have reported on the contracts forced on independent farmers in poor third world countries who want to, or are coerced into using Monsanto GM crop seed by corrupt government officials. These contracts tie the farmers into Monsanto seed and products for life or until they are forced into bankruptcy.
At the same time the contract makes it almost impossible for Monsanto to be held responsible for crop failure or any harm done to human or animal health.
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