UN Condemns Monsanto

The President of the United Nations General Assembly condemned Monsanto for profiteering in his opening remarks last week.

Photo: Car king of the food chain? A cartoon from local scribbler Russ used here with his kind permission - infact have been looking for an excuse to use it and this speech is perfect.

President H. E. M. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann is to be applauded for highlighting that the global food crisis is worse than ever. In his remarks at the UN in New York City, he cited World Bank figures, which now blame 75% of the food crisis on the current mass transfer of food crop production towards biofuels.

According to Brockmann, the world's food supply: "has been subordinated to the economic aims of a handful of multinational corporations that monopolize all aspects of food production, from seeds to major distribution chains, and they have been the prime beneficiaries of the world crisis. A look at the figures for 2007, when the world food crisis began, shows that corporations such as Monsanto and Cargill, which control the cereals market, saw their profits increase by 45 and 60 per cent, respectively."

Other related stuff: See also an open letter from Vietnamese victims of Monsanto's Agent Orange just published here - and if you haven't seen the video re Round-Up watch it here - and why GM wont feed the world here - and last Zombie GM here. Plus see previous blog here on rising food prices and here related to peak oil and famine.