|
Local politics, the county, and the world, as viewed by Tammy Maygra Tammy’s views are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bill Eagle, his pastor, Tammy’s neighbors, Wayne Mayo, Betsy Johnson, Joe Corsiglia, President Trump, Henry Heimuller, VP Pence, Pat Robertson, Debi Corsiglia’s dog, or Claudia Eagle’s Cats. This Tammy’s Take (with the exception of this disclaimer) is not paid for or written by, or even reviewed by anyone but Tammy and she refuses to be bullied by anyone. See Standard Disclaimer.
|
|
The President of the United Nations General Assembly condemned Monsanto for profiteering in his opening remarks last week. President H. E. M. Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann noted that the global food crisis is worse than ever. World Bank figures came to the conclusion that, 75% of the food crisis on the current transfer of food crop production towards biofuels. The world's food supply "has been masterminded 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. 2007 is when the world food crisis began, and documentation shows that corporations such as Monsanto and Cargill, which control the cereals market, saw their profits increase by 45 and 60 per cent. While more and more people went without food. The developed countries' lavish agricultural subsidies have weakened agriculture in developing countries. At the same time, only a fraction of international aid is earmarked for improving agricultural productivity. Aid for agriculture has shrunk from 17 per cent of total development assistance, the high point reached in 1996, to 3 per cent today. Now some international voices are demanding an end to fertilizer subsidies. Faced with today's world food crisis we must speak out on behalf of all people and say "This is not right". It is not right to keep in place agricultural and energy policies that give rise to these kinds of money grubbing corporations while people starve. Now is the time to help the poorest countries to boost their food and agricultural products Not at the prices forced on them which have undermined their ability to compete against the huge companies who are heavily subsidizing the production and export of these products. Together these factors have shaped a food production system that puts private economic interests ahead of people's basic dietary need. The ability of these huge companies to manipulate the food market to the point that people are starving is a disgrace on humanity. If these companies can do it to the poor nations when will they do it to the rich nations where they will control our very existence. Today, 3 billion 140 million people live on less than $2.50 a day. Of these, about 44 per cent survive on less than $1.25 a day, according to a new World Bank report issued on 2 September 2008. Every day, more than 30,000 people die of malnutrition, avoidable diseases and hunger. Some 85 per cent of them are children under the age of 5. Yet we continue to allow Monsanto and a handful of like companies to control the markets. The top 10 per cent of the world's people possess 84 per cent of the world's wealth, while the rest are left with the remaining 16 per cent. Yet we have the technical and productive capacity to adequately feed the whole planet. It is a matter of reorienting our priorities. We must now muster the resolve to feed the world's hungry. worldwide has affected the supply and access to three of life's basic necessities: food, water and fuel. In recent years, the prices of these three variables have risen at the This greedy handful of companies at global level, has caused devastating economic and social consequences. They are devastating the world’s poorest who have to battle the effects of climate change, wars, sickness and disease and economic depression. Today these three basic necessities are controlled by a small group of global corporations and financial institutions which are deliberately imposing their will of greed, which only contributes to and exacerbates this crisis. The Monsanto company name, which has become synonymous with genetically modified food and as a longstanding target of environmental activists, will disappear after the completion of its $63bn sale to the German company Bayer, retiring the 117-year-old Monsanto brand name. Monsanto has long been targeted by environmental activists for its pioneering role in creating GM crops and the deadly herbicide Agent Orange, used by the US in the Vietnam War. To ditch the Monsanto name would not alter the company’s horrible legacy, and the assault on millions of people and the earth. The merger will create the world’s biggest and most powerful agribusiness corporation, which will try to force its genetically modified seeds and toxic pesticides into our food and countryside. The way our government is on bed with these greedy manipulating companies is horrible. The way, most of the world is allowing this company to commit crimes against humanity is sickening. Yet, people and countries are starting to wake up, and there is a outcry and countries are starting to put up roadblocks and are doing legislation against this greedy company, in order to save the people from starvation, disease and death. When has it became ok to manipulate food, sources, such as seeds, land, crops. When has it become ok to allow it to happen? Where has the humanity of man gone? Where has the compassion for the poor gone? Where has the knowledge to do the right thing gone? And when will all this stop? It will only stop when we all come together with a united front, When we demand from our government to do the right thing for its people and the people of the world, and inorder to do this we need law makers which do not owe their soul to the corporate money machine, or when the world lives in a world which resembles a waste land off Mad Max. Either way something needs to be done to stop these mega companies from killing our world. Tammy
|