Monsanto signs royalty deals with Argentine farmers

[n2doc]

Monsanto signs royalty deals with Argentine farmers
By Hugh BronsteinPosted 2011/06/07 at 1:50 pm EDT

BUENOS AIRES, June 7, 2011 (Reuters) — Bruised by a lengthy battle over royalties in Argentina, U.S. seed giant Monsanto is asking the nation's farmers to sign contracts promising to pay to use the company's new seed technology.

Argentina is one of the world's biggest soybean exporters and production is growing, making it a huge potential market for Monsanto's new genetically modified (GM) Roundup Ready 2 Yield soy variety.

The company, however, is wary of Argentine laws because its original Roundup Ready soy variety was never patented in the South American country -- although it became ubiquitous -- provoking years of legal wrangling with the government.

The latest Roundup Ready seeds have been patented but Monsanto hopes to guarantee payments on their technology by signing agreements with individual Argentine farmers who are seeking to boost yields.

more
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre75656v-us-argentina-monsanto-soy/

[arcane1]

1. Argentina should tell Monsanto to GFY and go organic n/t

[jwirr]

2. Iowa farmers used to grow soy beans because they are good for

the soil. I wonder if GM soy beans do the same? I feel sorry for Argentina. Just more Friedman economics.

[GliderGuider]

3. So does this mean we won't solve the world's food problem after all?

If there was ever a case for corporacide, Monsanto is it.