Farmers fret over excessive chemicals, low yields

[jphantom]

The obvious approach to solving the problem is in improving the quality of the overworked land with composting / organic farming.

Composting vastly reduces air pollution since it directly eliminates the horrendous annual burning of material that can better be used for composting. It takes a couple years to regenerate the soil with composting, but the results are proven times over.

Of course the chemical companies pay the politicians and bureaucrats to promote their products. If the consuming public, along with the farmers started cooperating to replace chemical over-use with organic farming, all of Thailand would benefit enormously!

[Ragzilb]

This is a scary thought....rice farmers who will not eat their own produce...but didnt the goverment say just a few days ago, that they have checked and havent found a problem with "chemical" contamination....some one is lying....

glad I dont eat rice

Then what do you eat?, Potato have over 18 different sprays, Onion has over 23 sprays, I couldl go on and on. and you with gasp over how the western world is spraying, at least in Thailand people can speak up about it we hae GMO rice, GMO Potato.

Did you know that in a single tomato there is about 3 different fish DNA inside. Haha

And if you smoke Marlbro or LM? ..damn... the tobacco plants are grown on Radiated hot soil often from one of the 450 nuclear facilities we have around the world.

Edited June 30, 2013 by Ragzilb

[belg]

555

and an amulet or two to make the rice grow fast and healthy?

farmers all over the world : if your costs are higher than the local or world price = time to find either another cash crop or time to go work in the factory

[IMA_FARANG]

If the farmers are using excessive amounts of chemicals, then I can understand why the U.S and others are concerned about Thai rice.

----------------------

Yongyut Kuntaweethep, 70, retired kamnan of Beung Thonglang district, said productivity was constantly dropping. It used to be more than 600kg of rice paddy per rai 10 years ago. During the Abhisit Vejjajiva government it was 570 and now the official survey by the local agricultural officer shows 540kg per rai.

That is the symptom of over used and therefore deteriorating LAND.

The land is not being allowed to naturally regenerate itself.

Instead it is a victim of what is called "put and take" farming.

It is the LAND that is not being allowed to recover and it is only the chemicals from outside that are being put into the system that allows the land to SEEM productive.

In fact the land is slowly dying, it's only the chemicals that are maintaining the semblance of productivity.

It's a slowly deteriorating cycle that ends in ultimate collapse.

Edited June 30, 2013 by IMA_FARANG

[NavaJauvana]

Thank you for posting this very informative article. More such pieces should appear in the local media to start an open dialog on this critical topic. It's the vested interests that want to keep everyone in darkness, so the cycle of chemical dependency can increase their wealth. Who benefits from agri-industry? Not the farmers. Not the consumers. It's the large chemical companies, the middlemen, and finally, the healthcare industry. Companies who profit from the huge numbers of persons who eat processed foods and become ill from the hidden "food pollution."

One may be wealthy, but health does not come from an expensive lifestyle or from prescription drugs. Our health is directly related to the quality of food we eat, the air we breathe, and the green space and positive energy around us.

We are opening an organic lifestyle shop in Bangkok in two weeks, where we will sell organic food, raw honey and natural supplements. It is difficult, although not impossible, to find organic sources for rice, vegetables, fruits and herbs. We are sourcing our material from all over Thailand. The organic certification programs are expensive and not well supported by the govt. here, so often we find food that is organic but does not have the "stamp." Hopefully the certification program will improve over time. The prices are more expensive than conventional crops, but not unreasonable. There are studies showing the health and longevity benefits of organic food. Even a subjective taste test shows the difference. Compared to the cost of future medical care or becoming an invalid, it's quite reasonable and sane to go organic now.

[Loptr]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

If it is scary that farmers will not eat their own rice then it should be equally scary that Bill Gates, the major Monsanto shareholder will not eat anything Monsanto, nor will he eat meat from any animal fed on Monsanto feed. It is little wonder how conspiracy theories come into being. Look how quickly the Thai rice agri business has been sent to the point of destruction. More pledging means farmers trying to grow more crops per year, more crops per year is draining the soil of any nutrients, no nutrients means the need for chemicals if you are doing nutrient replacement on the cheap, more chemicals mean unsafe food, unsafe food means you will try a new idea, Monsanto perhaps and Monsanto means.....unsafe food. If it is this easy to destroy the rice bowl of the world, the rest will be child's play. How soon before the dreams of Bill Gates and those of his father come in to place?

It is a vicious cycle. The only other means to address the issue is population reduction, which is a nasty conversation no matter who you are.

[Loptr]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

Seriously, Monsanto?

The company that's suing just about every farmer in the USA whose crop (even accidentally) picks up a little genetic material that Monsanto has patents on? The company whose GMO material has mysteriously shown up in crops hundreds of miles from their closest sale?

Yield is one thing, but the farmers also want to keep a tiny little bit of the profit in their own pockets. Monsanto seems to want that money, too.

I didn't say it was an attractive solution, but how else would you suggest increasing yield given the current techniques are not working?

[edwardandtubs]

Thai rice is checked for chemicals when it is imported into the EU and US and they haven't found a problem. Of course there's a possibility that they'll dump the contaminated rice on the domestic market and export what's fit for human consumption but I don't see much evidence.

[jbrain]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

Seriously, Monsanto?

The company that's suing just about every farmer in the USA whose crop (even accidentally) picks up a little genetic material that Monsanto has patents on? The company whose GMO material has mysteriously shown up in crops hundreds of miles from their closest sale?

Yield is one thing, but the farmers also want to keep a tiny little bit of the profit in their own pockets. Monsanto seems to want that money, too.

If their product is found to be grown hundreds of miles from their closest sale, then it's obvious the wind hasn't carried the seeds there.

So why they wouldn't have the right to sue someone growing their patented product without paying for it ?

[GentlemanJim]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

If it is scary that farmers will not eat their own rice then it should be equally scary that Bill Gates, the major Monsanto shareholder will not eat anything Monsanto, nor will he eat meat from any animal fed on Monsanto feed. It is little wonder how conspiracy theories come into being. Look how quickly the Thai rice agri business has been sent to the point of destruction. More pledging means farmers trying to grow more crops per year, more crops per year is draining the soil of any nutrients, no nutrients means the need for chemicals if you are doing nutrient replacement on the cheap, more chemicals mean unsafe food, unsafe food means you will try a new idea, Monsanto perhaps and Monsanto means.....unsafe food. If it is this easy to destroy the rice bowl of the world, the rest will be child's play. How soon before the dreams of Bill Gates and those of his father come in to place?

It is a vicious cycle. The only other means to address the issue is population reduction, which is a nasty conversation no matter who you are.

Enter Bill Gates and Monsanto! Bill Gates Father William Gates Snr was head of The American Eugenics society.

Bill Gates' father, William H. Gates Sr., has long been involved with the eugenics group Planned Parenthood, a rebranded organization birthed out of the American Eugenics Society. In a 2003 interview with PBS' Bill Moyers, Bill Gates admitted that his father used to be the head of Planned Parenthood, which was founded on the concept that most human beings are just "reckless breeders" and "human weeds" in need of culling (http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_gates.html).

Gates also admitted during the interview that his family's involvement in reproductive issues throughout the years has been extensive, referencing his own prior adherence to the beliefs of eugenicist Thomas Robert Malthus, who believed that populations of the world need to be controlled through reproductive restrictions. Though Gates claims he now holds a different view, it appears as though his foundation's initiatives are just a modified Malthusian approach that much more discreetly reduces populations through vaccines and GMOs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Robert_Malthus).

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035105_Bill_Gates_Monsanto_eugenics.html#ixzz2Xfz0piQo

[GentlemanJim]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

Seriously, Monsanto?

The company that's suing just about every farmer in the USA whose crop (even accidentally) picks up a little genetic material that Monsanto has patents on? The company whose GMO material has mysteriously shown up in crops hundreds of miles from their closest sale?

Yield is one thing, but the farmers also want to keep a tiny little bit of the profit in their own pockets. Monsanto seems to want that money, too.

If their product is found to be grown hundreds of miles from their closest sale, then it's obvious the wind hasn't carried the seeds there.

So why they wouldn't have the right to sue someone growing their patented product without paying for it ?

I don't know but the number of class action is/has been significant.

[Issangeorge]

We have our own small farm in Isaan and grow all our own rice for consumption. Not too many chemicals there as only 1 crop per year dependent on rain. Also the rice is milled in a small momma and poppa mill in the village and not polished - lovely stuff!!!

We are the same we use very little to chemical fertilizer and no pesticides. We also use the local village mill. I'm interested to know what you mean by "not polished" do you mean the rice is brown?

I do feel sorry for others without access to same.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[OzMick]

It is a vicious cycle. The only other means to address the issue is population reduction, which is a nasty conversation no matter who you are.

Not necessarily. I prefer the passive approach of banning safety warnings. Would we really miss those who use a hairdryer in the bath, don't unplug the toaster before they poke a knife into it, or can't appreciate that the truck in the mirror is closer than it looks?

[Unkomoncents]

Does anyone here really know how anything is grown or raised in Thailand? Can we assume because one farmer uses one trusted method, that another follows protocol? This is the problem with Thailand: anyone can really get away with just about anything. Even if you get caught, bribery is a powerful tool in the Kingdom. You honestly just have to trust that everyone is acting ethically. There is no public record. There is no recourse. The Thai courts are as fair as a baseball game against Barry Bonds. And in the end, the only people who consistently walk away OK are the elites who have paid off everyone and installed family members in positions of key oversight.

It's cute when Americans point to Monsanto as a source of American agribusiness evil. Fact is: we talk about Monsanto being evil because we actually know one or two things about what that corporation does. Does anyone know anything, anything at all, about CP corporate practices?

Edited June 30, 2013 by Unkomoncents

[impulse]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

Seriously, Monsanto?

The company that's suing just about every farmer in the USA whose crop (even accidentally) picks up a little genetic material that Monsanto has patents on? The company whose GMO material has mysteriously shown up in crops hundreds of miles from their closest sale?

Yield is one thing, but the farmers also want to keep a tiny little bit of the profit in their own pockets. Monsanto seems to want that money, too.

If their product is found to be grown hundreds of miles from their closest sale, then it's obvious the wind hasn't carried the seeds there.

So why they wouldn't have the right to sue someone growing their patented product without paying for it ?

How's this for a scenario (maybe even a movie)?

20 years from today, some whistleblower comes forward and blabs to the world that an unnamed company hired private airplanes and truckers to spread their seeds all over the place, insuring that every crop in the land has some of their patented genetic material in it. They then sent out their investigators to sue every farm for the royalties owed on all those crops.

The unnamed company plea bargains, pays out 1/8 of the profit they made over the past 20 years in penalties (without admitting any wrongdoing, of course) and goes on to the next patented seed. BTW, the thousands of farmers they bankrupted don't get their farms back- they're SOL.

In the meantime, since most countries won't accept GMO imports, soybean, wheat, corn exports from the USA drop to approximately zero and the vulture investors from a certain Asian country come in and buy up all the farmland at bankruptcy auctions. Their government then conveniently changes the laws so they can now import the corn, wheat and soybeans raised on the farms now owned by the state run companies that bought all the land...

Maybe we can get Russell Crowe to play the whistleblower.

If someone deliberately grows GMO crops from patented seeds, that's one thing. But if the GMO pollen blows over into my land (planted with unpatented seeds), and I can't sell my crop and replant next year with my own seed stocks without paying a royalty, that's just wrong. And if my product then can't be exported because it now contains GMO components that I did not want, that's criminally wrong.

That's why it's so disturbing that the genetic line has been found where it should not be.

Edited June 30, 2013 by impulse

[apetley]

I said this before in other rice threads that guys in our village are growing three or four crops a year. You can only do this by using huge amounts of chemical fertilisers and it takes a terrible toll on the soil itself.

We bought a truckload of topsoil from one of the local paddies and spread it out over part of our garden. The only thing that will grow in it is weeds because it was virtually lifeless.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[SundayAfternoon]

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/6626/Orange-Alert

[tomross46]

45 years ago, when I came to Thailand, all the farmers plowed the rice using a water buffalo. The water buffalo fertilized the land, and there were fish in the rice fields also. Occasionally you would see monitor lizards, there were snails, and herrings. At that time farmers grew one or two crops a year. In the 60's IR8 rice was brought in from the Philippines, This rice grew faster allowing the farmer to grow more crops.

Now the water buffalo are being used for meat and all the fields are plowed with tractors. Presently all the BS is coming from the government.

Large amounts of fertilizer and pesticides are used. This kills the fish and snails, so more fertilizer needs to be added.

Lot of the farm land in Pathumtani is being used to make housing developments. The amount of rice land is decreasing. Every housing development in this area uses large amounts of soil that has be trucked in to raise the rice paddy land to be above the nominal flood plain.

Every thing changes, some for good, so not so good.

Edited June 30, 2013 by tomross46

[worgeordie]

Just wait till Burma gets it act together,then Thailand will have greater

competition in the rice market, Burma used to be the biggest grower

of rice in SEA, until the Generals took over.

regards Worgeordie

[Thai at Heart]

Thailand committed a grave error by preventing entry of foreign companies into the Thai agribusiness industry.

Now the market is dominated by 2 or 3 monolithic domestic firms and there is little or no competition or market visibility.

[Bluespunk]

"Productivity has been low lately. Since the flood [in 2011], the only crop that was productive was the crop right after the flood," Narong said. He added that he used to have a yield of one tonne of rice paddy but it has been as low as 400-500 kilograms per crop lately."

Now that's something to think about.

Edited June 30, 2013 by Bluespunk

[spirit47]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

If you believe what you say, I will pray for more brain. If you payed by Monsanto, ok, you must know what you do.

Monsanto and Bayer Crop Science want controll the market of seeds and pesticide, not help farmers or consumers.

Obama sign the Monsanto Protection act, but his garden is organic. And all people, without you, want organic food, not cancer...

[TomTao]

This is a scary thought....rice farmers who will not eat their own produce...but didnt the goverment say just a few days ago, that they have checked and havent found a problem with "chemical" contamination....some one is lying....

glad I dont eat rice

We buy our rice from a friend who grows hers orgainally, she rents a small milling machine and does everything short of market it herself, no chemicals used from planting to reaping. The rice she grows is completely different to that which is sold in the shops.

[Sudgirl]

After reading all the posts I'm left wondering what is safe to eat over here? I realise that chemical fertiliser is used world wide, but I think Thailand is still third world and is probably using fertiliser that may be banned in the west, what do you people eat for your health and safety? Also I don't like western practises for farming and agriculture they too use too much and although assuring the public that food is safe it's obviously not I.e. all the cancers and other health issues etc.

I've lived over here for many years and feel this is "home" now but I will not eat Thai rice I buy Indian basmati cos I love it but who knows if that's ok....

[laislica]

Farmers fret over excessive chemicals, low yields

No, they fret over Low Yields.
With GMO seeds, they are promised higher yields and in the first year or two they do and they are happy. But it is not sustainable and they end up needing more chems to achieve any results.
Over growing ruins the land to destruction.
In the end, they lose money, borrow more to try to overcome the problems and get into huge debt – then they drink the pesticide and die.
Oh, sorry, that is India, Africa and a bunch of other countries – so why not Thailand too?

Until recently, the life span of the developed world was continually increasing – now it´s decreasing, despite all that technology is offering. Modern parents can now expect to outlive their children.

Loptr said that the only other solution was a reduction in population – seems like that will happen by the nature of what we are doing on this planet.
Interesting that so many of the “High” people go organic?

It is surely time to stop and go back to time tested methods, composting and being gentle with the land and using old seeds that have not been tampered with.

And to Impulse: Ya got me
That´s not fiction, more like the truth

[lineofentry]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

Have you heard about the suicide rates of farmers around the world who did exactly that? Monsanto are pure evil.

[xylophone]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example.

Surely you have to be joking with this statement? There is more and more evidence coming to light that the pesticide Monsanto uses to kill the weeds in the farmers fields is horribly toxic. Furthermore they insert a gene into their seeds which allows the plant to absorb this pesticide without affecting it, however it is still contained within the plant. That chemical/pesticide is called glyphosphate and it ravages the human body.

Now, testing shows that people in 18 countries across Europe have glyphosate in their bodies¹, while yet another study reveals that the chemical has estrogenic properties and drives breast cancer proliferation in the parts-per-trillion range². As reported by GreenMedinfo.com:.............“Does this help explain the massive mammary tumors that the only long term animal feeding study on Roundup and GM corn ever performed recently found?”

In another study...........

"The second study pertains to the carcinogenic nature of this popular weed killer. Contrary to Monsanto’s claims that Roundup is “minimally toxic” to animal and humans, along with claims of it being environmentally friendly and biodegradable—claims found to be false in the highest court of law—Roundup is quite the disaster... As reported by GreenMedinfo.com⁸:

"The study, titled, 'Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors,' compared the effect of glyphosate on hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancer cell lines, finding that glyphosate stimulates hormone-dependent cancer cell lines in what the study authors describe as 'low and environmentally relevant concentrations.'"

And yet more to worry about......

"Another groundbreaking report, published earlier this month in the journal Entropy⁹, argues that glyphosate residues, found in most commonly consumed foods in the US, “enhance the damaging effects of other food-borne chemical residues and toxins in the environment to disrupt normal body functions and induce disease.” As explained by the authors, Dr. Stephanie Seneff and Anthony Samsel:

"Glyphosate’s claimed mechanism of action in plants is the disruption of the shikimate pathway... The currently accepted dogma is that glyphosate is not harmful to humans or to any mammals because the shikimate pathway is absent in all animals. However, this pathway is present in gut bacteria, which play an important and heretofore largely overlooked role in human physiology through an integrated biosemiotic relationship with the human host. In addition to aiding digestion, the gut microbiota synthesize vitamins, detoxify xenobiotics, and participitate in immune system homeostasis and gastrointestinal tract permeability. Furthermore, dietary factors modulate the microbial composition of the gut.”

If you add to the research above the fact that huge Roundup (the Monsanto weedkiller containing glyphosphate) resistant weeds are being found in the very fields that are being sprayed with it, and that farmers have to buy more of this weedkiller just to retain the status quo, then you will get an idea of the magnitude of the stupidity that we are engaging in.

Some 50 years or more down the track I am pretty sure that scientists will look back at this era and ask themselves, "what the hell were we doing and how could we have been so stupid as to let this happen".

Edited July 1, 2013 by xylophone

[TomTao]

Seems like a good time to contact Monsanto or another global agra conglomerate to provide some genetically modified seed. They have done wonders for crops around the world where yields go up while requiring less land for planting, less water and most important, less chemical fertilizer. Some people balk at this technique, but you cannot argue with the yields. Just look at corn yields in the last few years for an example. 

 

Surely you have to be joking with this statement? There is more and more evidence coming to light that the pesticide Monsanto uses to kill the weeds in the farmers fields is horribly toxic. Furthermore they insert a gene into their seeds which allows the plant to absorb this pesticide without affecting it, however it is still contained within the plant. That chemical/pesticide is called glyphosphate and it ravages the human body.

 

Now, testing shows that people in 18 countries across Europe have glyphosate in their bodies¹, while yet another study reveals that the chemical has estrogenic properties and drives breast cancer proliferation in the parts-per-trillion range². As reported by GreenMedinfo.com:.............“Does this help explain the massive mammary tumors that the only long term animal feeding study on Roundup and GM corn ever performed recently found?”

 

 In another study...........

"The second study pertains to the carcinogenic nature of this popular weed killer. Contrary to Monsanto’s claims that Roundup is “minimally toxic” to animal and humans, along with claims of it being environmentally friendly and biodegradable—claims found to be false in the highest court of law—Roundup is quite the disaster... As reported by GreenMedinfo.com⁸:

 

"The study, titled, 'Glyphosate induces human breast cancer cells growth via estrogen receptors,' compared the effect of glyphosate on hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancer cell lines, finding that glyphosate stimulates hormone-dependent cancer cell lines in what the study authors describe as 'low and environmentally relevant concentrations.'"

 

And yet more to worry about......

"Another groundbreaking report, published earlier this month in the journal Entropy⁹, argues that glyphosate residues, found in most commonly consumed foods in the US, “enhance the damaging effects of other food-borne chemical residues and toxins in the environment to disrupt normal body functions and induce disease.” As explained by the authors, Dr. Stephanie Seneff and Anthony Samsel:

 

"Glyphosate’s claimed mechanism of action in plants is the disruption of the shikimate pathway... The currently accepted dogma is that glyphosate is not harmful to humans or to any mammals because the shikimate pathway is absent in all animals. However, this pathway is present in gut bacteria, which play an important and heretofore largely overlooked role in human physiology through an integrated biosemiotic relationship with the human host. In addition to aiding digestion, the gut microbiota synthesize vitamins, detoxify xenobiotics, and participitate in immune system homeostasis and gastrointestinal tract permeability. Furthermore, dietary factors modulate the microbial composition of the gut.”

 

If you add to the research above the fact that huge Roundup (the Monsanto weedkiller containing glyphosphate) resistant weeds are being found in the very fields that are being sprayed with it, and that farmers have to buy more of this weedkiller just to retain the status quo, then you will get an idea of the magnitude of the stupidity that we are engaging in.

 

Some 50 years or more down the track I am pretty sure that scientists will look back at this era and ask themselves, "what the hell were we doing and how could we have been so stupid as to let this happen".

When the future scientists (that is those who are not on the payroll) ask how we could have been so stupid, the eventual answer may be, because scientists allowed thier objectivity be clouded by multinational corporations with an agenda who paid huge sums of money for scientific research to show the results they wanted.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[xylophone]

Quote Tom Tao: "When the future scientists (that is those who are not on the payroll) ask how we could have been so stupid, the eventual answer may be, because scientists allowed thier objectivity be clouded by multinational corporations with an agenda who paid huge sums of money for scientific research to show the results they wanted".

And of course those politicians who are also on the "payroll" of the multinational companies or whose constituencies depend upon them for employment............. all being driven by the dollar in one way or another.

That Monsanto have been allowed to get away with as much as they have is a tragedy, not only for local farmers, but for mankind as a whole I believe. The fact that many farmers are now tied to using/buying seeds from Monsanto every season is in itself a crying shame, and if they don't they are sued to the point of losing their livelihood.

Luckily enough there is a growing backlash against Monsanto, however I don't know if it will grow big enough or strong enough in the near future to be able to avert what horrible fate awaits us if we let this company continue with its agenda.

[rubl]

The government policy on 'rice price pleding' has made farmers concentrate on quantity, not on quality. So of course more chemicals are used. The comment on "good crop after flooding" is interesting. If the "Water Management Plan" causes less flooding in the Rice Plains the need for fertiliser will only increase. Possibly together other problems as one could notice after major dams were completed, like the big one in the Nile in Egypt.