Category: Biotechnology

What’s in a Monsanto Contract?

What's in a Monsanto Contract? via thefarmerslife.com

I’m a family farmer, and I have signed a Monsanto contract.  I’m the 4th generation to work this land.  Somewhere along the line the idea corporations control farms or farmers are slaves to “Big Ag” came about.  People claim that we are beholden to corporations like Monsanto and have to sign unfair contracts to be privileged enough to use […]

Farmer Perspective on Dr. Oz, GMO, and Enlist Duo

Dr. Oz Ruffles Feathers with Herbicide Drift via thefaremrslife.com

Following right on the heels of USDA’s decision to deregulate Dow Agroscience’s Enlist corn, Enlist soybeans and Enlist E3 soybean traits The Dr. Oz Show aired a segment on the coming supposed dangers that will accompany the new herbicide formulation called Enlist Duo pending EPA approval. I received several messages through social media about the show so I set […]

How to Avoid GMO Popcorn

Orville Redenbacher non-GMO via thefarmerslife.com

Avoiding the consumption of genetically modified, or GMO, popcorn is very easy.  All anyone needs to do is eat popcorn.  Simple as can be.  As this post is written (August 2014) there is no GMO popcorn on store shelves nor is there any available for farmers to grow. I raise popcorn for Weaver Popcorn, and […]

Visiting Monsanto

Monsanto Vine via thefarmerslife.com

Early in September 2013 I was able to visit Monsanto‘s facilities in St. Louis, MIssouri.  My wife and I along with two friends were on a road trip taking us from home in Indiana out to Kansas City and back through St. Louis to take in a couple of concerts.  A friend I first encountered […]

Journal to Retract Seralini Rat Study

Seralini Rats via thefarmerslife.com

Last year French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini made news when a paper by his team was published in Food and Chemical Toxicology.  Data concerning long-term feeding of genetically modified Monsanto corn and the herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) in the Seralini study suggested the rats being studied developed cancerous tumors.  Of course this news spread around the internet like wildfire […]

Spot the Refuge Corn

Corn Refuge via thefarmerslife.com

Refuge corn?  What’s that?  I’ll show you!  No corn doesn’t need to take refuge in some kind of crop refugee camp, but it can act as a safe haven for pests that like to eat my crops.  Why would I want pests to eat my crops? What is Refuge? Refuge plants are needed to mitigate […]