OCM's most recent "Taking It Back" event in Iowa made front page news last week. Renae Vander Schaaf of Farm News reports: 

'Monsanto profits are up 42 percent during the second quarter,' said State Representative Marcie Frevert, D-Emmetsburg. 'Profits came in at $811 million, up from $570 million a year ago.' Frevert was speaking at a seed concentration event that took place Sept. 11 at the Clay County Fair, sponsored by the Organization for Competitive Markets. 

District 14 Representative Mark Kuhn, D-Floyd, who is also a farmer, became interested in the issue when he witnessed how the StarLink fiasco, in 2000, affected Iowa’s economy. He believes this concentration in the seed industry is an economic development issue.

Read the full article article here.

Organization for Competitive Markets

P.O. Box 6486
Lincoln, NE 68506
www.competitivemarkets.com

For Immediate Release:  July 10, 2008

Contact:    Fred Stokes, 601-527-2459, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Harry Siemen's Show Hosts Hubbard

OCM's Kristina Hubbard was interviewed today on the Harry Siemen's Show.  Row crop farmers are concerned about risks of record crop seed price hikes this fall.  OCM believes Monsanto's monopoly control of the transgenic corn and soybean seed market may be a major cause of these increased prices.

"Monsanto has approximately 90% of the trangenic corn, soybean and cotton seed markets," said Kristina Hubbard, OCM's Seed Concentration Project Coordinator.  "The company has reportedly predicted $300 per bag corn seed prices for this fall.  OCM does not believe these prices could be charged if the market was competitive."

Monsanto has acquired its dominance in the transgenic seed industry through aggressively acquiring other seed companies.  OCM also believes Monsanto may use a strategy of licensing its genetics to regional seed companies using terms that unjustly maintain and increase the companies market share.  The result is substantially lessening competition, and quashing future innovation.

"American farmers work hard every day to become more efficient, innovative and productive,"  continued Hubbard.  "Many OCM members depend upon regional seed companies for their crop seed, and do not want those companies limited in their crop genetics offerings."

OCM is encouraging producers to educate and inform their political leaders about the crop seed price hike problems.  Several state attorneys general are investigating Monsanto's practices. 

Times Republican

Monsanto is the gorilla controlling the seed industry

May 12, 2008

By David Kruse

Fred Stokes, a prominent figure in the Organization for Competitive Markets wrote: “As you know, the seed industry has become highly concentrated, with Monsanto becoming the dominant global player in the industry.”

It is said that he who controls the seed controls the food supply. Monsanto clearly is the 800-pound gorilla and has a reputation for playing rough. The OCM is launching a new project that will take a critical look at the seed industry and the ills of concentration. On Wednesday, April 16, Michael Stumo, OCM General Counsel, and I were guests on the Derry Brownfield Show and discussed the new project and seed industry concentration.

The following Monday, Derry Brownfield was notified that his right to broadcast over the Learfield Communications Network was being terminated; presumably because of the April 16th broadcast.”

Greeley Tribune

Greeley Tribune quotes Dr. Thornsberry from R-CALF news release in Sunday's Ag Notebook

May 4, 2008

Staff Reports

Investigation sought ... R-CALF USA, along with the Organization for Competitive Markets, has sent formal correspondence to several state attorneys general from major cattle-producing states -- including Colorado -- asking the officials to join with other attorneys general to investigate the competitive effects of the proposed acquisitions by JBS S.A. of National Beef Packing Co., Smithfield Beef Group and Five Rivers Ranch Cattle Feeding. The acquisitions were made last week and are pending U.S. Justice Department approval. Max Thornsberry, president of R-CALF USA, said the primary focus of that group's concern is with the market for slaughter-ready cattle that are sold in proximity to the major meatpackers and the market for lighter-weight feeder cattle that are sold in relatively large quantities in every state. In a press release, Thornsberry said if the JBS merger is allowed, only three people -- the head buyers employed by JBS, Tyson Foods and Cargill Meat Solutions -- will make price decisions on more than 80 percent of the slaughter-ready cattle each day. Letters sent to attorneys general in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, are available at the "Competition Issues" link at www. r-calfusa.com.