Monsanto and the Farm Bureau

Charles Benbrook (benbrook@hillnet.com)
Mon, 01 Mar 1999 09:31:43 -0800

Sanet -- An Indiana farmer, Jim Winiger, is involved with a
protracted lawsuit against his local Farm Bureau-affiliated coop, the Posey
County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association. It is a case over a $2 million
plus weed control failure with Roundup in 1993; alleged forgery of release
forms settling claims; collusion between the Farm Bureau and Monsanto, and
possibly crop insurance adjusters. The full details of the case are
outlined on a webpage constructed by the farmer, who is obviously very angry
at what has transpired and trying to fight for his rights (see
www.winiger.com/farmbu~1/scandal.htm) Winiger is seeking others to join in
his class action lawsuit, and believes that any farmers who received Roundup
for resprays in the 1993-1997 period may also be entitled to compensation if
the lawsuit is successful. The reasons why are laid out on the webpage.

The broader issue raised is the relationship between Farm Bureau
coops (and perhaps other coops?) and Monsanto in the administration and
delivery of weed management "packages" involving RR beans, Roundup for
routine applications, Roundup for resprays following alleged control
failures, and/or new RR beans for replanting.

It is clear from reports across the country that Monsanto, and other
"life science" (i.e., seed-pesticide)companies, are now selling more than
just plant varietes and herbicides; they are moving toward multifaceted
packages that include seeds, pesticides, agronomic management, and
crop/income insurance/assurance programs. As part of the "deal", these
bundles of inputs and services impose new obligations and restrictions on
farmers, many of which are unprecendented and likely will be subject to
considerable debate and litigation within the farm community.

In addition, life science companies are offering increasingly
elaborate marketing "packages" that involve a variety of grower
incentives/rebates/agreements -- do not replant or sell seed, buy only a
given manufacturers brand of herbicide, apply for rebates on a second/third
herbicide application, quality for seed if x,y,z conditions are met, etc.

I am compiling information on these "packages" and relationships in
the ag input delivery chain, with the goal of estimating the "true" cost of
current weed management systems. Help from SANET is welcomed, and thanks
again to the growers who have already provided their weed control
programs/costs.

Some questions. How many Farm Bureau coops are in business? I know
FB sells insurance; how important are f.b.-affiliated coops in the delivery
of ag inputs?

Any new promotions announced recently in your area for RR beans, RR
corn, of Bt-corn plus herbicide packages? What are the costs/rebates, etc?

Who now plays the role of determining the veracity of claims under
these agreements? If these agreements become a bigger part of the economic
package, are the current mechanisms in place up to the task for assuring
fairness?

Any researchers out in midwestern land grants working on the
changing marketing strategies of life science corporations in the
corn-soybean system from the perspective of consequences on farmer costs,
freedom over management decisions, and envir. impacts?

Thanks for any help. I will compile and share results.


Charles Benbrook 208-263-5236 (voice)
Benbrook Consulting Services 208-263-7342 (fax)
5085 Upper Pack River Road benbrook@hillnet.com [e-mail]
Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 http://www.pmac.net

To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"unsubscribe sanet-mg".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"subscribe sanet-mg-digest".

All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
http://www.sare.org/htdocs/hypermail