Basing their decision on evaluations of hundreds of thousands of women and minorities, Fortune Magazine has named Monsanto one of the ‘25 best places to work’ based on diversity. But can a workplace be all that great when its main objective is to genetically manipulate nature and leave the planet a genotoxic, pesticide-riddled, soil-ruined mess.
Sure, maybe it is great if a woman or minority to work at Monsanto and climb the corporate ladder to obtain a position of leadership, but at what true cost? Women currently only fill 25% of the jobs in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers, but it is no big achievement if women fill more of these positions simply to allow the corporate machine to dictate how ‘life’ happens on this planet.
The real point here is that while it’s great to see this kind of equality, working at a company like Monsanto is a questionable job for anyone.
What’s more, it doesn’t seem like Monsanto’s intentions for this minority employee acceptance is pure.
As Josh Sager insightfully points out:
“During Obama’s four years as president, the federal government had several opportunities to pass legislation and executive initiatives which affect Monsanto. Of these federal initiatives, the 2010 African hunger plan and the 2012 Farm Bill present the most important examples of the Obama administration’s friendly attitude towards Monsanto.
In 2010, the Obama administration pushed a humanitarian initiative focused upon increasing the food supply of poor areas of Africa—while the ideals of this program are admirable, the execution presents an incredible opportunity to agro-business conglomerates like Monsanto. In order to solve the ‘hunger problem’ in Africa, the Obama administration has partnered with large industrial farming and GMO operations, under the aegis that these organizations can produce large amounts of food quickly.”
I would be remiss, if I didn’t point out that ‘minorities,’ (meaning non-affluent, non-white males around the globe) have been force-fed genetically modified food even when they have vehemently opposed them. African nations were even marking aid packages ‘return to sender’ due to their GM nature.
Zambis popularized the phrase, “Better Dead than GM Fed” (harsh, I know). If this doesn’t encapsulate the feeling toward Monsanto’s crops for those who want to champion their business practices, then nothing will convince a Monsanto-supporter otherwise. Zambia, for those who are unaware, is by-and large, near starving.
So while I wouldn’t put it past thousands of American women and minorities to vote for Monsanto as a ‘good company’ while they are getting a paycheck from them, it begs the question – who would want to work for one of the most hated companies on the planet?
Are they simply afraid? In denial? Out of touch how GMOs are causing harm?
Considering that one Monsanto employee has “admitted” an entire department exists at the company to discredit scientists who publish findings against them, might not the internal pressure be incredibly high to tow-the-company line?
There are very few biotech whistleblowers. Dr. Terry Vrain, who was a former biotech scientist who later decided GMOs posed a significant risk to human health, and told the world about it, remains a minority. Vrain does give some insight, though, in this remark made in an interview:
“As a scientist working for the government, I didn’t question the status quo or dogma. I just did my work and was the person designated from the institute to reassure the public, so I was very busy. When I retired, my wife and I began an organic farm where I started to discover new things about soil biology never taught in graduate school. Not being on the payroll anymore, I had the freedom to read different sources and look at genetic engineering from new perspectives. That is how I first became aware of the possibility that GMOs were not all rosy and perfect.”
I hope that logic like Vrain’s seeps into those who currently work for Monsanto. It doesn’t matter if this biotech company hires for diversity given the role they play.
Chrissy just can’t accept that no one agrees with her.
Please provide a verifiable list of your, “NO ONE.”
In other words, I agree with her, which would simply prove your statement as an activist lie.
Yes but a moron like you would believe anything.
The true definition of moron, would be somebody who would believe or defend your BS.
Your alone here Stinky, no one wants to associate themselves with your mental issues, you even scare your activist friends away.
Don’t see any one coming to defend your lies so what does that prove?
What lies are those?
Please provide verifiable proof.
As soon as you provide the proof I requested I will be more than happy to, until then go back to your basement with your blowup doll
I’m not providing my name, address or social security number or any personal information online. In case you didn’t know, nobody will.
In other words you are saying that you have lied and refuse to provide proof to the contrary. Thanks for clearing that up.
So by protecting my finances and my ability to provide for my Family by ensuring my personal information is safeguarded, I’m a lair and proving that I’m below your elitist statue within this Nation?
I should be willing to open myself up to identity theft and place the safety and general welfare of my Family at risk to prove to an unknown internet activist of anything?
I’m on it, LMAO.
Never ask someone to do something you are not willing to do yourself.
Lotta talk no proof, you made the claim so put up or shut up.
You also claim to be a seed seller, make your point, try using some carefully thought out intelligence for once.
As I have said before selling seed is a very small part of my business, less than 10% of my revenue. If seed was all I had to worry about I would need at most one employee instead of the small army that I must have. Again not only do you not listen, but you don’t know much about agriculture either.
You’ll probably not believe this just because of it’s impossibilities, I know people who own and run Feed and Seed businesses.
That’s where we get our pet supplies from.
Aren’t you afraid fido will bit a hole in your blow up doll? I’m sure you have a repair kit. If you (or should I say your mommy) actually goes to a feed store then you should be use to the good that gmos do and are most likely even buying them.
Pets are loving members of Families also, you continue attacking all innocents for your amusement.
I’m not aware of any GE items in the Feed Store, but that isn’t my intent to insult my friends for taking care of their Families and carrying on their long run Family business.
Pro GMO will do anything or say anything, good job.
You have proven time and again that you are not aware of most things in this world. I guess it is hard to keep up when you are in mommy’s basement loving on your blowup doll (at least that keeps you away from the pets)
All you have proven is your pro GMO and will do or say anything to anyone who doesn’t meet your views.
I have been places and done things, I know how hard this is for all here to believe, since you say I am locked up in a basement.
I haven’t traveled the world for entertainment purposes, I didn’t have a choice as to the places I’ve been.
LOL, just because you don’t decide the programming for the discovery channel.
I prefer the History Channel.
What is 37F?
The bust size on your blowup doll probably
I agree with her.
working at a company like Monsanto is a questionable job for anyone
Being a pseudoscience blogger is a questionable job for anyone.
I would be remiss, if I didn’t point out that ‘minorities,’ (meaning non-affluent, non-white males around the globe) have been force-fed genetically modified food
This is complete and utter BS. No one is being “force-fed”. Can the garbage.
Out of touch how GMOs are causing harm?
You want to talk about “out of touch”? Ok, produce examples of peer-reviewed and reproducible evidence that GMOs themselves are causing harm. This author is completely out of touch with the scientific realities surrounding GMOs.
This article is a great example of wonton bias mixed with willful ignorance.
PS I don’t work for Monsanto and don’t care what people think about the company. What I do care about is providing people with accurate, unbiased information. Something Christina Sarich routinely fails to do.
Ok, produce examples of peer-reviewed and reproducible evidence that
GMOs themselves are causing harm. This author is completely out of touch
with the scientific realities surrounding GMOs.
Southern African leaders have concerns beyond the safety of GM foods.
Roughly half the region’s agricultural exports are sold to the European
Union, where there is loud opposition to GM foods, and where they must
be labelled as such. African farmers fear that if they are no longer
able to certify that their foods are GM-free, they will lose their share
in the European market.
These European markets are an important source of income for southern
Africa’s cash-starved economies. From 1999 through 2000, for
example, Zambia exported more than 8,400 tons of produce to Europe for
US$62.6 million. Between 1993 and 1997, Zimbabwe’s export of peas to the
EU grew by 53 percent, so that Zimbabwean imports account for 12
percent of peas and beans consumed on European tables.
. “Our decision to reject some of these foods is out of fear…. We
have been told that we will lose our European market if we start growing
GM foods,” Zambian Vice President Enoch Kavindele explained to U.N. aid
workers. “Hungry we may be, but GM foods pose a serious threat to our
agriculture sector… and [could] grind it to a halt.”
That is GMO’s causing harm. Though the scientific community doesn’t look
at marketing and economics as a danger or harm, it is.
I keep seeing mysterious pro-GMO people who are actually driven to defend them. That just doesn’t sound right. Who’s got the time for that? I also keep seeing these mysterious pro-GMO commentors ask for “proof” or “evidence” right away. Over and over. Like it’s coming from a playbook. And I just laugh. Don’t you realize your playbook has a distinct signature and can be seen right away?
As for the proof you seek: it’s out there on the web. There is a TON of it. Go get it yourself. Just stay away from all the companies and organizations with close ties to the industry because you’d be a fool to trust those. Also note that it’s become more and more clear that the FDA can’t be trusted either. I’ve lost count of how many ludicrous decisions they’ve made which just happen to help out big corporations.
We all recognize that the GMO industry is BAD is multiple and diverse ways. It contaminates natural crops, it uses dangerous glyphosate which the WHO says is a “probable carcinogen” (I guess you missed that bit of news and that’s why you’re asking for others to get the proof collected for you?), and it’s causing monopolies on food. That’s not going to change.
The GMO corporations are spending insane amounts of money on social media reputation management. Every article is ridden with unrealistic pro-GMO commenters. Nobody I know in the physical non-internet world supports GMO’s, and over 90% of the country wants GMO labeling. Yet, 90% of the comments regarding GMO’s are largely in favor of them and against labeling.
We all see right through it though. It’s laughable. Whenever someone calls you ‘anti-science’ for wanting labels on GMO’s, you know you’re dealing with one.
Well said!
I tried to touch on that when I said that I found it strange that there are actually people out there who are driven to spend time defending the GMO industry as it exists today.
Lol, how much does Monsanto pay you to write all this nonsense? Any 8-year old can figure out that spraying pesticide on plants that are meant for consumption is bad for the plant, the soil, the insects, the environment and the person who is going to eat it.