A *CORN* Scandal Makes A Comeback With Surprising Twist

[Liberty Star]

Remember this major scandal that Washington lobbyists had pushed under the rug?


GM corn scandal rocks industry

TALLINNEstonia's first scandal over genetically modified products erupted last week when it was uncovered that unauthorized GM corn seeds had been sold to local farmers.Older Grupp, a company owned by Siim Older, former adviser of the ex-Minister of Agriculture Jaanus Marrandi, had allegedly sold about 5,000 kilograms of imported genetically modified corn seeds to Estonian farmers this year without informing them of the seeds' true nature, the Aripaev daily reported on May 23.

Well, they may be back to same old same scandolous ways using k-street's political influence and bribery this time:

http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/58461-k-street-welcomes-lincoln-as-ag-chairwoman


Are these lobbyists going to lead America to the "small government" that suddenly every one seems to have got hots for?

[Dr.3D]

Wow, for a second, I thought this thread was about ACORN. :D

Do you have a link for the quote?

[Vessol]

Go genetically altered seeds...

[specsaregood]

I wonder if somebody could argue from a legal standpoint that this is the same as putting their intellectual property into the public domain. And thus make the IP in regards to this corn unenforceable....

[Liberty Star]

Wow, for a second, I thought this thread was about ACORN. :D

Do you have a link for the quote?

Can you focus on other national issues for a change? :)


The lobbyist said the Natural State is much more diverse in farming than the rest of the South, having poultry, pork and wheat producers there. In addition, the lobbyist added that corn is vital to the Arkansas economy too.

“Those chickens at Tyson eat a whole hell a lot of corn,” he said, referring to Tyson Foods, an agribusiness company based in Springdale, Ark.

Tyson has been one of Lincoln’s biggest political donors. The company has given more than $49,000 in campaign contributions to the senator through out her career, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.


Here is the old scandal link:
http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/8184/

[Liberty Star]

I wonder if somebody could argue from a legal standpoint that this is the same as putting their intellectual property into the public domain. And thus make the IP in regards to this corn unenforceable....

That would be an interesting argument.

[specsaregood]

That would be an interesting argument.

At least, I think one could make the argument that the people that purchased these GMO seeds unknowingly have a right to KEEP and reuse the new seeds after harvest which is usually not allowed; since they were not party to any contract forbidding them. If they can do THAT, that means they also should have to right to resell those seeds as they own them outright (ie: they were not "licensed" orginally)

[Dr.3D]

Here is the old scandal link:
http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/8184/

The following is all I can read from that site without a membership....

TALLINNEstonia's first scandal over genetically modified products erupted last week when it was uncovered that unauthorized GM corn seeds had been sold to local farmers.Older Grupp, a company owned by Siim Older, former adviser of the ex-Minister of Agriculture Jaanus Marrandi, had allegedly sold about 5,000 kilograms of imported genetically modified corn seeds to Estonian farmers this year without informing them of the seeds' true nature, the Aripaev daily reported on May 23.The farmers were ei ...

Well darn, now I'll never know if the GM seed was the kind you can only grow once because it doesn't make any viable seed for the next season. This would mean they would have to buy more seed in order to grow their crops the next season.

This would also mean had they been planning on saving seed corn, they would have been out of luck.

[specsaregood]

This would also mean had they been planning on saving seed corn, they would have been out of luck.

That is not true of all GMO crops. My understanding is they often rely upon lawyers to enforce non-seed saving

[Dr.3D]

That is not true of all GMO crops. My understanding is they often rely upon lawyers to enforce non-seed saving

That's why I wanted to know if it was the kind of seed that only grows once, but couldn't find out from that article.

[specsaregood]

That's why I wanted to know if it was the kind of seed that only grows once, but couldn't find out from that article.

Ah, misunderstood, carryon!

[Liberty Star]

Another twist to this. Europe has refused more than 200,000 tons of US soy because of " traces of unapproved GM maize varieties", those farmers probably still waiting for their monies. Can Washington put sanctions on EU too?



EU farm chief wants biotech proposal by end-2009

Mon Sep 14, 2009

The three suppliers are Argentina, Brazil and the United States.

More than 200,000 tonnes of U.S. soy have been refused entry at EU ports in recent months after traces of unapproved GM maize varieties were discovered in them.

The blockage raised fears in the EU feed industry that it will be unable to buy millions of tonnes of U.S. soybeans as planned unless the zero-tolerance policy on unapproved GMOs is changed.

The Commission has said it will find a technical solution to what is known as "low-level presence" of GMO residues.

"I've been very keen on this issue, raising the discussion on a quicker approval system, making it quite clear that member states do have their obligations...," she said.

Already, Fischer Boel said the Commission has received positive feedback from the EU's scientific advisory body, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), on a variety of GM corn -- MON 88017 -- which she hopes will be quickly approved by member states.

"Here, I hope that member states will show their responsibility and vote in favour," she said.

Fischer Boel said Sweden's Agriculture Minister, Eskil Erlandsson, had promised to put the issue of MON 88017 on the agenda at the next council meeting.

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLE636474

[Liberty Star]

At least, I think one could make the argument that the people that purchased these GMO seeds unknowingly have a right to KEEP and reuse the new seeds after harvest which is usually not allowed; since they were not party to any contract forbidding them. If they can do THAT, that means they also should have to right to resell those seeds as they own them outright (ie: they were not "licensed" orginally)

I'm no expert in IP but seems like a plausible argument to me.






Someone just changed CORN to *CORN* in title of this discussion , why LOL?

[Dr.3D]

Someone just changed CORN to *CORN* in title of this discussion , why LOL?

Probably so it wouldn't look like "A CORN". ;)

[Liberty Star]

Our freedoms are decreasing day by day.

[Dr.3D]

Our freedoms are decreasing day by day.

What's the matter, did you intend to have the thread title read [A CORN]?
That is the reason I thought it was about ACORN.

[Liberty Star]

What's the matter, did you intend to have the thread title read [A CORN]?
That is the reason I thought it was about ACORN.

I was just kidding :)

But there was a space in between as rules of grammar would dictate and was accurate statement.

[Dr.3D]

I was just kidding :)

But there was a space in between as rules of grammar would dictate and was accurate statement.

True but at first glance, it looked a lot like it said, "ACORN scandal" and many of us are used to seeing posts about the ACORN scandal videos.