Monday, September 17, 2012

6: Truth Behind an Ad

When I first saw the ads developed by Monsanto, I thought that they were PSA's, but after looking into the American Farmer I quickly realized it was all an effort to disguise the leading biotechnology company's true motive; money.

Monsanto is probably best known for their production of Agent Orange and that didn't have the best outcome. Over the years they have been doing everything in their power to attract positive attention. In 2001 it looked like they had, by being the first to genetically alter a plant cell and winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. With that territory, came their business model. Creating patents on everything that had the slightest connection to the plant breeding society. These patents allow Monsanto to continuously reap the benefits of the companies research.

The Patents can be seen in almost every aspect of farm life. Monsanto claims to fully support small town farmers, but in reality they are going behind the scenes and suing them into bankruptcy for using Monsanto's products without buying the rights to that product. In the case of Monsanto VS Schmeiser, Monsanto claimed that it didn't matter if whether or not Schmeiser knew he was using their product in his field, he had to pay them $15 per acre for using the product.

Countless documentaries and research articles have been made against Monsanto and the truth in the company's motives. The ads Monsanto has put out of The American Farmer are merely an act to regain a positive image. As the public, it is our job to look at these ads and actually research the companies who put them out there before siding one way or the other. If a nuclear weapons plant created a "Peace Campaign" against war, that would raise question right?

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