Brown 1

Trevor Brown
Period 1, 2
10/2/13
Libertarian Argument
Monsanto is the leading producer and distributor of genetically modified organisms, also
known as GMOs, in the world. These genetically modified organisms come with a variety of
benefits such as no-till farming which allows the soil to stay healthier longer and generating its
own pesticides and being herbicide resistant in order to cut back on the use of chemicals in
farming. On the other hand, these GMOs are invasive, difficult to control, and in their initial
stages of growth, theyre not very hardy take longer to mature. Despite this, Monsanto still
dominates the industry of genetic engineering in crops like no other. What they are doing is
wrong though. Why, you may ask? There are three reasons: the business practices of Monsanto
stomp on others rights, GMOs are a danger to the ecosystem, and they encroach on other
peoples farms,
Despite that America is a free-country, and based around capitalism with a free
market, its control over the industry stomps on other peoples natural rights. It can quite easily
be compared to the oil companies during the 1800s. John Rockefellers oil company, Standard
Oil, also dominated the American market. They controlled the distribution and refining of
various forms of oil. It was them and a few select others who ran other smaller, independent oil
companies into the ground. They stamped on the natural rights of others and denied them a
chance at happiness by destroying peoples businesses. Monsanto is doing much the same thing.
It is nearly impossible not to buy from Monsanto, their sphere of influence is so large. It wasnt
until 1911, forty-one years after it was formed, for Standard Oil to be broken up, and allow other
companies back into the market (Standard Oil p.1). For the good of the country, and peoples

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natural born rights, Monsanto cannot be allowed to maintain its tight squeeze over the US market
any longer.
Monsantos products are a threat to the ecosystem. The GMOs are very invasive and
once they have themselves established in an area, its nearly impossible to get rid of them. They
push out native plants and take over their land. This presents a very serious issue. If a single
strain of corn is being grown everywhere, then these crops become vulnerable to blight. Blights
usually target only one or two strains of a plant at a time. If one were to target a particular breed,
say the one that happens to be grown across all of America, the corn population would be
decimated. Monsanto is reckless in the risks it takes in its journey for profit. It puts Americas
food supply at a serious risk.
These GMOs that Monsanto produce encroach onto other peoples farms. People that
use Monsantos corn, dont bother to keep its cross pollination under control. What this leads to
is genetically modified corn genes spreading into peoples organic farms. This harms other
peoples businesses. People make their livelihood off of growing unmodified farm products for
people. It drops the prices at which they can sell their products, making it even harder to generate
income and keep on living. It is the farmers natural rights, rights they were born with, to grow
and sell what they choose, without interference by some other third party. This is where selfownership comes into play. If people own their labor, and therefore they own the fruits of their
labor, then Monsanto has no right to damage the fruits of their labor.
In conclusion, GMOs and Monsanto do pose a threat to America, and the world.
Monsanto encroaches on other peoples businesses, grow corn that invades local areas and kill
off native plants, put the countrys corn supply at risk of a blight, and damages other peoples
businesses and livelihoods. Monsantos reign over the free market in America, and their

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oppression of natural rights needs to be put to a stop.

The Standard Oil Company, www.linfo.org, The Linux Information Project, October 12, 2006
Web. October 2, 2013