Comments on: Message to Obama: Bust-up the Agribusiness Trusts http://civileats.com/2009/05/21/bust-up-the-agribusiness-trusts/ Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:08:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jeremy http://civileats.com/2009/05/21/bust-up-the-agribusiness-trusts/comment-page-1/#comment-3333 Jeremy Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:40:18 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3725#comment-3333 If any of you are interested in bringing sustainable back and phasing out fast food, I really suggest checking out Corporate Accountability International's "Value (the) Meal" campaign at http://stopcorporateabuse.org/category/sitecategories/food . It values children's health and tries to stop diet-related diseases but desperately needs people like you guys to help out. So come join the party! Cheers, Jeremy If any of you are interested in bringing sustainable back and phasing out fast food, I really suggest checking out Corporate Accountability International’s “Value (the) Meal” campaign at http://stopcorporateabuse.org/category/sitecategories/food . It values children’s health and tries to stop diet-related diseases but desperately needs people like you guys to help out. So come join the party!
Cheers,
Jeremy

]]> By: Grumpy Glutton http://civileats.com/2009/05/21/bust-up-the-agribusiness-trusts/comment-page-1/#comment-3276 Grumpy Glutton Tue, 26 May 2009 19:34:39 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3725#comment-3276 Ryan hit the nail on the head. Gov't interference in ag markets is the problem, not the solution. For a fuller analysis, see http://bit.ly/pLXsO. Ryan hit the nail on the head. Gov’t interference in ag markets is the problem, not the solution. For a fuller analysis, see http://bit.ly/pLXsO.

]]> By: Foxwood http://civileats.com/2009/05/21/bust-up-the-agribusiness-trusts/comment-page-1/#comment-3230 Foxwood Thu, 21 May 2009 22:14:02 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3725#comment-3230 Obaminamics is failure, but by design. He’s done so much so fast, it can’t be stupidity, but design. The list is so long for just 100+ days. Obaminamics is failure, but by design. He’s done so much so fast, it can’t be stupidity, but design. The list is so long for just 100+ days.

]]> By: Vince Wade http://civileats.com/2009/05/21/bust-up-the-agribusiness-trusts/comment-page-1/#comment-3228 Vince Wade Thu, 21 May 2009 20:16:02 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3725#comment-3228 Monopoly and restraint of trade are killing America's once-great food supply network. This column addresses important issues, but there's one more issue that most "foodies" overlook. Companies like Monsanto can dominate farming because they patent crop seeds. They can do this because of a surprisingly overlooked U.S. Supreme Court case from 1980. Diamnond-v-Chakrabarty ruled life forms can be patented. That fundamentally changed how America eats. That patent ruling encompasses all of agriculture, right down to the seeds in the ground. Diamond-v-Chakrabarty is as important as Roe-v-Wade or Brown-v-Board of Education in terms of impact on our daily lives. Anyone who frets about eating genetically-modified foods should push for legislation that would negate Diamond-v-Chakrabarty. It's the legal (for now) right to patent life forms that enables this predatory corporate takeover of our nation's--and the world's--food supply. New laws on patenting life-forms combined with anti-trust enforcement will go a long way toward slaying this voracious dragon. Vince Wade Huntington Beach, CA Monopoly and restraint of trade are killing America’s once-great food supply network. This column addresses important issues, but there’s one more issue that most “foodies” overlook.

Companies like Monsanto can dominate farming because they patent crop seeds. They can do this because of a surprisingly overlooked U.S. Supreme Court case from 1980. Diamnond-v-Chakrabarty ruled life forms can be patented. That fundamentally changed how America eats. That patent ruling encompasses all of agriculture, right down to the seeds in the ground. Diamond-v-Chakrabarty is as important as Roe-v-Wade or Brown-v-Board of Education in terms of impact on our daily lives.

Anyone who frets about eating genetically-modified foods should push for legislation that would negate Diamond-v-Chakrabarty. It’s the legal (for now) right to patent life forms that enables this predatory corporate takeover of our nation’s–and the world’s–food supply.

New laws on patenting life-forms combined with anti-trust enforcement will go a long way toward slaying this voracious dragon.

Vince Wade
Huntington Beach, CA

]]> By: Ryan http://civileats.com/2009/05/21/bust-up-the-agribusiness-trusts/comment-page-1/#comment-3227 Ryan Thu, 21 May 2009 18:11:54 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=3725#comment-3227 The real problem is that there is /not/ freedom in agriculture (or any aspect of the economy, for that matter)--and it certainly could not be called "unfettered capitalism." The alleged monopolies this article discusses are the result of decades of government agriculture subsidies and tax incentives that would not and could not exist in a free market. These government policies make possible the kind of agriculture that exists in this country today. Clearly, the only solution is to get government out of the agriculture markets entirely. Using further statist tactics, such as antitrust laws, will only cause more problems--and will not make anybody healthier. The real problem is that there is /not/ freedom in agriculture (or any aspect of the economy, for that matter)–and it certainly could not be called “unfettered capitalism.” The alleged monopolies this article discusses are the result of decades of government agriculture subsidies and tax incentives that would not and could not exist in a free market. These government policies make possible the kind of agriculture that exists in this country today. Clearly, the only solution is to get government out of the agriculture markets entirely. Using further statist tactics, such as antitrust laws, will only cause more problems–and will not make anybody healthier.

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