Essay on Monsanto Attempts to Balance Stakeholder Interests

Monsanto positions itself as a relatively new agricultural company having formed in 2002, and focused on supporting local farmers around the world. They also promote themselves as a guardian of the environment with a mission “to produce more food while conserving more” (Monsanto.com). Today’s Monsanto conglomerate also promotes itself as the “New Merchants,” a leading research company in the field of agriculture-crop production, as well as a strong supporter of public and private research through its grant, donations and University scholarship programs.

The issue of genetically modified foods, is Farmers can't harvest seeds. Fundamentally, farming is a simple process: plant seeds, grow crops, harvest crops, and gather seeds from the plants for the next season. Sadly, GMO companies like Monsanto take this last step away from farmers and raise expenses even futher by forcing the farmers to continually buy the premium-priced GM eeds every growing season. In fact, as was shiwn in the Bowman v. Monsanto court case, it is illegal in the US for someone growing a Monsanto crop to harvest the seeds and use them later. The Nowman case went all the way to the unanimously found guilty of patent infringement after he purchased and used second generation Monsanto seeds.

Monsanto’s was founded by John F. Queeny in 1901in St. Louis, MO. The first product for the company was artificial sweetener. This open the door for many years of success for the company. The most controversial product that the company produced was called Agent Orange. This product was used doing the Vietnam War. The purpose of the product was to clear some of the foliage in the jungles of Vietnam. The product contained dioxin which was harmful to the U.S. Military Personnel fighting the Vietnam War. Monsanto made a large class action settlement for harm done to the soldiers. That has been the ethical dilemma for Monsanto’s for a long time.

However, the use of the GM seeds for food production can quickly render a harmful impact to the user. Lee & Burrell (2002) stated, “Intense concerns about the uncertain health and environmental of GM farming have been the subject of high profile debate. The effects of GM farming on existing forms of agriculture, raised by the prospect of cross-pollination by GM seed, provoke similarly polarized views” It is common that genetic engineering process often takes place by joining different genes of plants together to come up with a whole species of the plant. Unfortunately, this process can easily result in coming up with plants with genes that are harmful to the consumers. Most of the genetically modified food staffs can

People who support GM foods dismiss complaints that they might not be safe to eat. GM foods are likely to be more nutritious and contain smaller amounts of pesticide residues that foods raised by traditional farming methods. Food poisoning agents such as salmonella are natural and they kill thousands of people each year. Lots of plants produce powerful toxins to deter pests. With the technology of GM Crops including beans and cassava (a fruit grown in tropical countries) produce cyanide that can be removed before cooking. This is extremely useful for consumers to eat and for producers to make.

GMO’s contain inherent health risks such as digestion issues, increased allergic reactions, and infertility. This should

Monsanto is a leading biotechnology company, which an American-based company. The company had received import approval of some products before concerns were elevated. They responded by launching an advertising campaign to discuss the potential benefits of biotechnology. Monsanto was trying to impose America's food and production systems on the European life. Cultural differences were not factored into the European launch of GM foods by the biotechnology industry.

Monsanto is a Saint Louis Chemical manufacturer that is a major player in the weed killing business. Monsanto has quite a portentous past. They developed and produced the notorious defoliant "Agent Orange" used in the Vietnam War, they invented the controversial recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH), and they were the inventors and world’s main producer of

Companies, like Monsanto will come after small farms and sue them for more than they can pay if they find out they are using even a small portion of GM crops in their fields, even if by accident” (Fitzgerald). Approximately 2,400 farmers in 19 states through 2006 were sued and spied upon for alleged “seed piracy”, Monsanto has an annual budget of $10 million dollars and a staff of 75 devoted solely to investigating and prosecuting farmers who are caught with different seed. (Monsanto).

Compare the benefits of growing GM seeds for crops with the potential negative consequences of using them.

Monsanto is a company that some people may not be explicitly familiar with on a first name basis. However, the work that the company has done over the last century, with a larger emphasis on its most recent ventures, have been deeply engrained in our lives, our food, and our economy. Monsanto has those who advocate on their behalf in addition to their naysayers. While Monsanto has made huge strides in terms of biotechnology over the last couple of decades, their accomplishments, and the relevant methods, have not been free of criticism and controversy. In order to analyze Monsanto’s corporate environment, it is important to first explore their Strengths, Weaknesses,

Most public concern has been focused on human health and safety regarding the use and consumption of these foods, but potential environmental impacts are important to consider as well. Many varieties of genetically engineered crops are intended to decrease the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers, but the scope of environmental impacts does not stop at chemical usage. Common concerns about GM crops include the effects of cross-pollination, so-called “genetic contamination,” and the escape of GM crops from cultivation and their interactions with native species. Conversely, the environmental benefits of GM crops range from reducing dependence on chemical pesticides to the ability to treat polluted soils with bioremediating plants (Ford, 2004).

Roundup Ready has been linked to health problems and diseases from the glyphosate that has been found in food. The ethical issues with Roundup is that its benfically to the farmers because it keeps away bugs and weeds but if

Monsanto can best fulfill this moral obligation while also protecting society and the environment from the potential negative consequences of its products is by paying special attention to their social, economic, and their ethical responsibility. Social responsibility is adaption by a business of strategic focus for fulfilling the economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities expected of it by its stakeholders (Thorne, 2011). With Monsanto’s economic responsibility, the company has donated millions of dollars to help improve communities in developing countries. With sales over 8.6 billion which comes from mostly the biotechnology would satisfy any investors or stakeholder. Even though stocks had fallen 50% in 2003, Monsanto made

While I agree it is important to find a sustainable food source and way to produce such foods, people in this generation tend to be more concerned with organically and naturally grown foods. There are several companies that now offer 100% certified organic foods in which a number of people are now learning towards after hearing all of the derogatory statements involving Monsanto's genetically modified products. Many Monsanto stakeholders should already growing concerned of the safety implications of genetically modified foods. Biotech crops are completely unnatural and many are stating that Monsanto is "playing God" by creating these genetically modified seeds. Stakeholders are also concerned about destructive effects on those who ingest their products that are modified with the Roundup. It is a very valid and growing concern and because of this, Monsanto's stocks have continuously plummeted over the last few years; which is also where the stakeholder concerns lie. At this time there is no substantial evidence that has been produces to indicate that Monsanto's GM seeds will or can cause human harm, and it could very well be a long time until we can know for sure they won't. But in the meantime, as long as farmers are able to produce massive crops and save billions by using Monsanto's products, Monsanto will continue to produce these goods and service those willing to use them. I feel that there will come a day when they do discover that these GM products lead to harmful or fatal diseases and when they do, there will be a major shortage of food worldwide. It was stated back in September 2012 that French researchers had found a direct link between Monsanto corn and numerous cancers in lab rats. The two year study