Monsanto GM Seeds: Good, Bad, or Both?

[cityimrov]

What do you guys think, is Monsanto GM seeds a good thing, a bad thing, or a mix of the two?  

I've read some stuff from expert farmers and they call these seeds "Farming for Dummies".  It makes farming so easy that even a monkey can do it.  Just plant them, water them, fertilize them, apply pesticides, and wait for crop to grow. What used to take years of homing and expert knowledge in agriculture can now be done by anyone with half a brain.  Everyone can be a farmer!  There's quite a lot of resentment in the older guys over this.  

[JeffreyS]

Let's see I Genetically modify a seed so that you have to use my weed killer. Plant the seed near your farm so that when it cross pollinates with crops I sue you and take your farm. I going to go with net "bad".

I am pretty sure the Devil feels dirty when he deals with Monsanto.

[RiversideLoki]

Not to mention the fact that Monsanto seed is genetically modified not to reproduce, thus any seed from your crop that you may want to carry over will not germinate. Thereby putting you on the tit of Monsanto year after year to buy their seed stock.

Definite bad here.

[buckethead]

Too late... They already own the world.

[JeffreyS]

Not to mention the fact that Monsanto seed is genetically modified not to reproduce, thus any seed from your crop that you may want to carry over will not germinate. Thereby putting you on the tit of Monsanto year after year to buy their seed stock.

Definite bad here.

I am hoping they run with the terminator gene thing so farmers who use other seeds can stop fearing cross pollination.

[cityimrov]

Not to mention the fact that Monsanto seed is genetically modified not to reproduce, thus any seed from your crop that you may want to carry over will not germinate. Thereby putting you on the tit of Monsanto year after year to buy their seed stock.

Definite bad here.

I am hoping they run with the terminator gene thing so farmers who use other seeds can stop fearing cross pollination.

The funny thing is even without all that shady business, a large amount of farmers are going to voluntarily choose the Monsanto seed.  Why become an expert in pest control and growing techniques when you have a seed which does all the work for you?  Next thing you'll have people who have no business farming starting to farm because the seed does all the work for them.  I'm not sure why they do this shady business of attacking expert farmers who want to do things the old way when the market will do most the work for them. 

I'd say the good part of this company is the way they figured out how to make a "Farming for Dummies" seed.  It looks like a pretty good revolution in fighting hunger and figuring out ways to reduce the dangers of famine.  The science side of Monsanto seems pretty cool but the business side doesn't have the nicest reputation in the block.