Monsanto Business Ethics Paper
This paper about Monsanto Corporations Business Ethics
Thesis Statement
I will outline some of the ethical issues Monsanto Corporation has faced, I will focus on the predatory litigation of farmers that have been contaminated by Monsanto’s Genetically Modified seed and then sued for using that seed to plant subsequent crops. I will provide examples and citations of what I feel are unethical practices and cases involving Monsanto.
Introduction
“The Justice Department is investigating whether Monsanto Co. violated antitrust rules in trying to expand its dominance of the market for genetically engineered crops.”
At issue is how the world's largest seed company sells and licenses its patented genes. Monsanto has licensing agreements with seed companies that let those companies insert Monsanto genes into about 96 percent of U.S. soybean crops and 80 percent of all corn crops. (CBSNews.com, 2011)
Monsanto Corporation uses unethical business practices to monopolize on the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) market. * By all but eliminating the option for farmers to clean their own seed – forcing them to purchase seed year after year. ”Critics of the seed technology patents, such as the Center for Food Safety as well as more widely-known entities such as Vanity Fair, contend the seed patents financially hurt farmers—both big and small—because the farmers must purchase new seed every year and cannot save the seed from the previous growing season. Other critics say Monsanto is being unethical by patenting its technology, as you should not be able to patent a natural product.” (Monsanto.com, 2013) * By using licensing agreements to control small seed companies. “The first time growers purchase Monsanto seed, they sign a stewardship agreement and contract agreeing not to save and replant seeds produced from the crops they grow from Monsanto seed.”
‘Farmers are presented with a contract that gives them a license to purchase the proprietary seed and
Thesis Statement
I will outline some of the ethical issues Monsanto Corporation has faced, I will focus on the predatory litigation of farmers that have been contaminated by Monsanto’s Genetically Modified seed and then sued for using that seed to plant subsequent crops. I will provide examples and citations of what I feel are unethical practices and cases involving Monsanto.
Introduction
“The Justice Department is investigating whether Monsanto Co. violated antitrust rules in trying to expand its dominance of the market for genetically engineered crops.”
At issue is how the world's largest seed company sells and licenses its patented genes. Monsanto has licensing agreements with seed companies that let those companies insert Monsanto genes into about 96 percent of U.S. soybean crops and 80 percent of all corn crops. (CBSNews.com, 2011)
Monsanto Corporation uses unethical business practices to monopolize on the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) market. * By all but eliminating the option for farmers to clean their own seed – forcing them to purchase seed year after year. ”Critics of the seed technology patents, such as the Center for Food Safety as well as more widely-known entities such as Vanity Fair, contend the seed patents financially hurt farmers—both big and small—because the farmers must purchase new seed every year and cannot save the seed from the previous growing season. Other critics say Monsanto is being unethical by patenting its technology, as you should not be able to patent a natural product.” (Monsanto.com, 2013) * By using licensing agreements to control small seed companies. “The first time growers purchase Monsanto seed, they sign a stewardship agreement and contract agreeing not to save and replant seeds produced from the crops they grow from Monsanto seed.”
‘Farmers are presented with a contract that gives them a license to purchase the proprietary seed and