Monsanto

History

Originally founded in 1901 by chemist John Francis Queeny, Monsanto began producing saccharin, an artificial sweetener, and later went on to manufacture sulfuric acid, plastics, chemicals, and other synthetic materials. In the 1940s, it produced the herbicide 2,4,5-T, which contained dioxin, a toxic chemical. By the 1960s, Monsanto produced polychlorinated biphenyl, a chemical that was later banned in the United States for its deleterious effect on human health and on the environment. During the Vietnam War, Monsanto also manufactured the herbicide Agent Orange, which was used by the American military to defoliate rainforests in Vietnam. Agent Orange contained high levels of dioxin, which led to health problems in Vietnam War veterans. These veterans later brought a lawsuit against Monsanto for damages. Throughout the 1980s, Monsanto focused on biotechnology research, leading to its first biotechnology product, Posilac, or recombinant bovine growth hormone (BGH). Also known as bovine somatotropin, BGH generated much controversy and protest.

BGH

Monsanto's BGH, a genetically engineered hormone injected into dairy cows to increase milk production, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1993 and became commercially available in 1994. Critics state that Monsanto used its political leverage to gain regulatory approval of BGH. They further submit that BGH was not tested sufficiently before being approved. Additional concerns have been raised over the welfare of injected cows, as studies have shown an increased risk of udder inflammation and decreased fertility in addition to other health problems. Monsanto has claimed that these findings are false. Growing consumer concerns around BGH have led some retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Costco to carry BGH-free milk. These concerns also fueled efforts to label milk produced without the hormone. Claiming that BGH milk is no different from conventional milk, Monsanto attempted to ban or limit BGH-free labels and was successful in some states. Labels were now required to include a disclaimer stating the Food and Drug Administration's position that there is no difference between the two types of milk. Banned in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and by the European Union, BGH was sold to Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company, in 2008. In its decision to sell BGH, Monsanto stated that it seeks to focus on its seed and pesticide products instead. Critics contend that the sale of the hormone to Eli Lilly was in part a result of the immense controversy surrounding the product.

GM Organisms

The controversy surrounding Monsanto's GM crops centers around two product lines. The first is Monsanto's Roundup Ready brand of seeds, which include soybean, canola, [Page 313]cotton, and corn. Roundup Ready seeds contain the soil bacterium gene Agrobacterium, a gene that confers resistance to Monsanto's Roundup Ready glyphosate herbicide. Glyphosate is an herbicide that destroys all green plants. Second, Monsanto produces a line of controversial crops that emit their own pesticide. These crops, which include cotton (Bollgard) and corn (YieldGard), contain Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium found in soil. The bacterium produces toxins that eliminate insects that threaten corn and cotton crops.

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