Dear Dirt Works-
welcome to the forum
Here is a big thread we've had on the subject:
http://forums.organicgardening.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2...611040764#8611040764

BTW: Anyone who can't download that video (and I understand the dial-up problems), can Google text of the incident or newspaper articles on it. They don't take as long to load for dial-uppers.

Thank you I will do that

This article in May Vanity Fair discusses the "scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners" assault by Monsanto on farmers and anyone else, as they try to put whole communities out of business.

Excerpts:
"Scenes like this are playing out in many parts of rural America these days as Monsanto goes after farmers, farmers’ co-ops, seed dealers—anyone it suspects may have infringed its patents of genetically modified seeds. As interviews and reams of court documents reveal, Monsanto relies on a shadowy army of private investigators and agents in the American heartland to strike fear into farm country. They fan out into fields and farm towns, where they secretly videotape and photograph farmers, store owners, and co-ops; infiltrate community meetings; and gather information from informants about farming activities. Farmers say that some Monsanto agents pretend to be surveyors. Others confront farmers on their land and try to pressure them to sign papers giving Monsanto access to their private records. Farmers call them the “seed police” and use words such as “Gestapo” and “Mafia” to describe their tactics."

"It’s certainly easy for G.M. seeds to get mixed in with traditional varieties when seeds are cleaned by commercial dealers for re-planting. The seeds look identical; only a laboratory analysis can show the difference. Even if a farmer doesn’t buy G.M. seeds and doesn’t want them on his land, it’s a safe bet he’ll get a visit from Monsanto’s seed police if crops grown from G.M. seeds are discovered in his fields."

For most of its history Monsanto was a chemical giant, producing some of the most toxic substances ever created, residues from which have left us with some of the most polluted sites on earth. Yet in a little more than a decade, the company has sought to shed its polluted past and morph into something much different and more far-reaching—an “agricultural company” dedicated to making the world “a better place for future generations.”

In 2005, Monsanto paid $1.4 billion for Seminis, which controlled 40 percent of the U.S. market for lettuce, tomatoes, and other vegetable and fruit seeds. Two weeks later it announced the acquisition of the country’s third-largest cottonseed company, Emergent Genetics, for $300 million. It’s estimated that Monsanto seeds now account for 90 percent of the U.S. production of soybeans, which are used in food products beyond counting.

“The number of cases filed is only the tip of the iceberg,” says Bill Freese, the Center for Food Safety’s science-policy analyst. Freese says he has been told of many cases in which Monsanto investigators showed up at a farmer’s house or confronted him in his fields, claiming he had violated the technology agreement and demanding to see his records. According to Freese, investigators will say, “Monsanto knows that you are saving Roundup Ready seeds, and if you don’t sign these information-release forms, Monsanto is going to come after you and take your farm or take you for all you’re worth.” Investigators will sometimes show a farmer a photo of himself coming out of a store, to let him know he is being followed.

The article details the scorched-earth, take-no-prisoner assault by Monsanto on Pilot Grove: "Over a period of months, Monsanto’s investigators surreptitiously followed the co-op’s employees and customers and videotaped them in fields and going about other activities. At least 17 such surveillance videos were made, according to court records. The investigative work was outsourced to a St. Louis agency, McDowell & Associates...
Even after Pilot Grove turned over thousands more pages of sales records going back five years, and covering virtually every one of its farmer customers, Monsanto wanted more—the right to inspect the co-op’s hard drives. When the co-op offered to provide an electronic version of any record, Monsanto demanded hands-on access to Pilot Grove’s in-house computers...
Monsanto next petitioned to make potential damages punitive—tripling the amount that Pilot Grove might have to pay if found guilty. After a judge denied that request, Monsanto expanded the scope of the pre-trial investigation by seeking to quadruple the number of depositions. “Monsanto is doing its best to make this case so expensive to defend that the Co-op will have no choice but to relent,” Pilot Grove’s lawyer said in a court filing.
With Pilot Grove still holding out for a trial, Monsanto now subpoenaed the records of more than 100 of the co-op’s customers"

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/mon...true¤tPage=all

Welcome Dirt Works. As you have no doubt seen, this particular forum is full of people who have do compunction against speaking their mind. As for the "Miracle Glop" ads, we also listed the "Miracle Glop" recall info here.

Gardenz, it seems our experiences vary widely. NBC affiliated with WNDU primarily for their access to Notre Dame (in fact the station is owned by the College). WNDU could politely (in a Catholic sort of way) tell NBC where to put it if the network starts trying to dictate to them what to broadcast and what not to broadcast as there are other networks out there (including the network of independant broadcasters - I think that is the proper network name) who would give their eye teeth for the access WNDU can give them.

As I said though, networks keep reporters located in various areas. And, not having downloaded the artcle yet, I do not know but what this might be the case.

In this high-tech media day and age, all manner of events and news can be 'broadcast'...even over a cell phone. "Proprietary rights" are skewed, watered down and downright non-existent in some cases. But while the major network's domain to what, when, how and who it decides to broadcast is being challenged (and IMO rightfully so) they still rule w/an iron-sponsor-supported fist.

I'm more than personally familiar w/the "Catholic-sort-of-way". I'm sure Notre Dame would do its best to express that kind of guilt-ridden or religious squeeze or nose-snub. And I know there's all sorts of independents, satellite, etc. transmissions that could pick up the broadcasting slack if WNDU severed its ties w/NBC. But, I seriously doubt any independent, satellite, etc. has the revenues at their disposal that NBC (aka: General Electric) has at theirs. While ND, I'm sure has a huge roster of private or alumni contributors to keep their team in helmets and shoulder pads, NBC could buy them a new field, with a dome if they needed it.

If a sponsor of one of those college games influenced NBC ...in a "not-so-Catholic-sort-of-way"... to make some programming changes in broadcasting those games which would mean WNDU would have to comply even though they weren't particularly pleased, my sense is if NBC (in order to appease and please the sponsor, which is what it's all about) would demonstrate a major contribution to Notre Dame consisting of more than just a few new helmets.

I know this may be like oranges-to-grapefruit comparisons (not quite apples-to-oranges) but when it comes to networks dictating the affairs, programming and scheduling of affiliates, since you referenced football here, I can't help but be reminded of the infamous Heidi Game.

Remember? I'm not a big football fan, but I think it was back in he late 60's when NBC decided to interrupt and leave the last couple of minutes of a rather crucial (according to DH) game between The Jets and The Oakland Raiders. I think it was to determine who'd play in the SuperBowl or something like that? Anyway, NBC cut away to show their made-for-tv movie "Heidi". Why? Because at that time before networks realized what big business tv football would become, they and other networks had more sponsors with bigger pockets to shell out for made-for-tv movies than sports broadcasts. (Nowadays, I think Heidi would still be on that Alps mountaintop growing very, very old waiting for airtime.)

Sorry I went on so long about this. It actually is enjoyable talking about media dish. I don't mean that sarcastically either. Brings back some of the better memories of my "checkered" past.

Far as the original story, the reporters involved were employed by Fox News Broadcasting and worked out of that Fox Florida affiliate. Their immediate boss may have been the news director or president of that individual affiliate. BUT, their checks as well as their contracts were signed by Fox Broadcasting in NYC....as was their news director's and president's checks and contracts. So, you can see why most affiliates in situations like this are basically impotent. Very few news directors and even fewer presidents are willing to risk their butts, jobs and pension to support the ethics of two crusading reporters who were basically only doing the job they were assigned.

The only good news out of this is that Monsanto got some well-deserved mud all over its polluting, chemical-laden little face.