The Patent Threat - Who Owns the Right to Life?

We have an immediate and pressing need to become aware of what is transpiring in the world of Genetically Modified life forms. A key player in this strategic program is Monsanto with help from the EPA, FDA and the lower courts. The two cases cited below are indicative of the far reaching implications of this predatory strategy by Monsanto. The danger to our world's ECO Systems is real and without oversight by those whose responsibility it is to protect us, we now stand at the edge of a thousand foot cliff with a gale force wind at our backs.

When you alter a life form genetically your alteration does not give you patent rights over that life form. You have changed one element of hundreds, even thousands. The possible permutations and interactions from genetic manipulation of even the simplest life form cannot at this time be determined with any certainty. We desperately need oversight and yes, government intervention, to protect us from the introduction of new life forms into our food chain. Our safety must be the highest of priorities. Without oversight those who have the genetic tools and toys at their disposal can wreak havoc on our food supplies and our agricultural systems throughout the world.

The patent argument is totally flawed. We recognize a company can develop the technology to separate out and identify a specific gene, that a company can develop the technology to insert that gene into a seed, insect, rodent, bacteria, etc. etc. They have the right to patent the process but not the right to patent the life form they are tampering with. In the case cited above it is ridiculous for the courts to uphold a company's patent over GM (genetically modified) corn and not protect other plants from contamination from the newly introduced corn. To then allow that same company to sue others because their corn product has contaminated other farmer's crops borders on collusion to usurp the rights of all of us to provide our families with pesticide free, genetically modified free food.

I cannot overstate the crime against all of us that is the result of this effort by Monsanto, with the cooperation of the courts and government, to take over the seed business and thus our future health and safety. Monsanto has already tried to prevent labeling of food products as genetically modified. Your milk being one of them. What they are doing is dangerous, very, very dangerous.

The courts and government agencies responsible for our safety must intervene to protect us. I am asking everyone to contact your state and federal representatives and tell them that intervention is now the highest priority for the safety of all of us, and the irresponsible subjugation of the farmers to the invalid patent Monsanto obtained on their Genetically Modified corn seed

Learn more about this author, Richard Carpenter.
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