What would you say if I told you that one company is making decisions about what you eat? As it turns out, a new report
[pdf] released last week by the Farmer to Farmer Campaign on Genetic
Engineering reveals that Monsanto controls the genetic traits — and
thus the seeds — of most of the corn, soy and cotton grown in the US;
and that they are using their control of the market to raise prices on
their products and limit access to non-genetically modified (GM) seed.

This means that farmers are unable to make decisions about what
they grow, and also that they grow more to make ends meet, pushing more
corn and soy on the market to be processed in to a proliferation of
packaged foods — making up most of what is available to eat. This
report details the history of seed consolidation (including excellent
visuals mapping larger chemical companies’ acquisitions of smaller seed
companies), provides recommendations, and importantly, gives a voice to
some of the affected farmers from all over the United States.

It will be useful reading for the Department of Justice (DoJ) because as we wrote back in August, the DoJ is investigating Monsanto and other agribusiness companies for antitrust activity. In addition, the DoJ and the USDA will hold workshops
all over the nation beginning in Iowa on March 12th, 2010, where
farmers have been invited to discuss the issues of concern to them. In
addition, the DoJ is taking public comments on the issue: you can email
agriculturalworkshops@usdoj.gov to add you thoughts to the
investigation before December 31st.