Monsanto CEO Robert Shapiro made a statement to the press saying, "I am writing to let you know that we are making a public commitment not to commercialize sterile seed technologies, such as the one dubbed 'Terminator.'"
The "Terminator" seed was engineered to be sterile, thus making them impossible to replant. Anyone who purchased the genetically engineered seeds (which are thought to be of a higher quality because they are resistant to pesticides and other factors that threaten natural crops) would have to repurchase the seeds annually. This has developing countries in a panic.
Greenpeace has been a strong advocate for eliminating genetically modified crops. Peter Melchett, head of Greenpeace UK, said, "Everything we have actually seen of genetically modified food and farming so far is bad, and is taking us in the wrong direction." Melchett said that Greenpeace would work with Monsanto if the company would "stop developing genetically modified crops, get out of producing pesticides, and reject the idea of patenting life forms."
"The idea of patenting life forms" is a strong statement, but that is exactly what Monsanto is trying to do. Sterile seed technology is a form of protecting genes. Other biotech firms are invoking similar protections. For instance, after a crop is yielded from a seed, the valuable gene within the crop would become deactivated so that seeds would have to be repurchased. Biotech firms feel that the ability to control and protect gene enhancements is detrimental to the industry and investors.
Monsanto claims that they don't own a sterile seed technology, but there are patents on file with the US government. Interestingly, the FDA doesn't have any regulations or guidelines for genetically engineered food. It seems that the government won't be the strongman in this battle. The public has all the power. Monsanto would never give up something that could generate millions in revenue just because it was morally correct. They realized that this technology would never win public support. Maybe they took the hint from the group in Ireland that dug up one of their genetically modified beet farms.
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