According to Monsanto, “We work to bring better seeds for farmers. We do this by having a world-class breeding program that aims to keep finding the best plants adapted to local conditions. And, sometimes, we use genetic modification to bring beneficial traits to the plant, such as the ability to tolerate drought better, resist herbicide applications or ward off pests” (Monsanto.com).

Okay, so they produce GM seeds. People could hate or love them based solely on the product they sell. But there’s more to Monsanto than just GM seeds and weed killer.

As of today, after many extensive studies no evidence has been found that genetically modified foods pose any health risks. Because of this, the FDA has approved voluntary labeling laws. Under these laws,

“Food manufacturers may voluntarily label their foods with information about whether the foods were not produced using bioengineering, as long as such information is truthful and not misleading” (www.fda.gov).

This means the FDA is encouraging producers who do not use GMs to label their products as such. But does not put pressure on producers who do use GMs. This may be due to the fact that,

“Up to 80% of the processed foods sold in the U.S. contain GMOs” (Time Magazine).

Obviously Monsanto has been an outspoken supporter of these labeling laws because GMs are their business. However, recently Monsanto’s stock holders began to question how much Monsanto supported the labeling laws. This meant they wanted to see how much of Monsanto’s budget was going towards lobbying (giving money to the campaigns of politicians that would support these laws). Monsanto refused to release these numbers, because legally they are allowed to omit lobbying expenditures up to $75,000 per organization.

With a net worth currently estimated to be a whopping 55.7 billion, Monsanto is spreading it’s wealth to organizations doing great things around the world. WEMA (water efficient maze for Africa) is an organization Monsanto actively donates to. They provide drought resistant seeds and pesticide royalty free to all seed companies in Africa. They are also active partners in the honey bee health coalition, an organization that is working to find a way to protect the world’s honey bees.

Monsanto brings together a multitude of controversial topics, genetically modified foods, voluntary labeling, and commercial business lobbying of law makers. So what’s your opinion? Still believe Monsanto does not matter to you?