Roundup Ready Alfalfa

[novaman]

For those of you using the RR alfalfa, did you sign the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement? It is a legal document. Did you have legal counsel explain your liability to you?

Are you looking to stir the pot? It seems all you are trying to do is fight everybody that supports Roundup resistant crops. The bottom line is the crops have been approved to be grown in the US. I do everything in my power to use them properly and in return I see better profits as a result of using such crops. Those of you who have a problem with that should go bark up a different tree because you aren't going to change anybodies minds here.

 

[MarkM]

I don't really understand "stir the pot". I don't think discussing a topic and listening to people's thoughts is anything other than that. I have nothing to gain whether you use the product or not.

It seems as though the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement shifts all liability to the producer. If that doesn't bother you, fine. It bothers some and I would like to know the thoughts of those on this board that have read the agreement and how they view it. I think it is unwise to use the products IF that is what the agreement accomplishes.

novaman, what do you take the agreement to mean?

dun, what are your thoughts on the agreement and the implication of liability, not necessarily the good or bad of the products themselves.

 

[dun]

I don't really understand "stir the pot". I don't think discussing a topic and listening to people's thoughts is anything other than that. I have nothing to gain whether you use the product or not.

It seems as though the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement shifts all liability to the producer. If that doesn't bother you, fine. It bothers some and I would like to know the thoughts of those on this board that have read the agreement and how they view it. I think it is unwise to use the products IF that is what the agreement accomplishes.

novaman, what do you take the agreement to mean?

dun, what are your thoughts on the agreement and the implication of liability, not necessarily the good or bad of the products themselves.

Since I won;t be planting it for a couple of years at least I haven;t looked and don;t care at this point in time

 

[bear]

I don't really understand "stir the pot". I don't think discussing a topic and listening to people's thoughts is anything other than that. I have nothing to gain whether you use the product or not.

It seems as though the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement shifts all liability to the producer. If that doesn't bother you, fine. It bothers some and I would like to know the thoughts of those on this board that have read the agreement and how they view it. I think it is unwise to use the products IF that is what the agreement accomplishes.

novaman, what do you take the agreement to mean?

dun, what are your thoughts on the agreement and the implication of liability, not necessarily the good or bad of the products themselves.

If you are worried about liability, you would probably be better served to discuss your concerns with an attorney.
Bear

 

[bandit80]

I don't believe Monsanto has any interest other than their own profit motives and that it will be unwise in the long run to give agribusiness one more means of control over producers.

I didn't realize that Monsanto bashing made it to cattle boards also. I understand there is a hatred towards Monsanto for various reasons, but this above statement is wrong. Sure Monsanto wants to turn a profit, but who doesn't? Monsanto has brought more to the farmer to make him/her more profitable than any other company out there. They offer more choices to the farmer, and are soley focused on Agriculture. They are also a smaller company than some of the others out there supplying seed and chemicals to farmer.

 

[upfrombottom]

For those of you using the RR alfalfa, did you sign the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement? It is a legal document. Did you have legal counsel explain your liability to you?

Monsanto has spent millions of dollars in research and development on their products and like any other company or individual they deserve to be able to protect their investment by patent. I or you, or anyone else for that matter, don't have to use any of them, but if their technology will make or save me money in the long run, over any other products out there, I will use them.

As for the agreement, they as well as I, want to be protected from the liability of some idiot not using common sense and damaging another farmers or individuals crops or property with their negligence while using the product. This is not any different than any other legal document shifting blame for misuse of the products of every chemical company out there.This is also why I and most all farmers, have liability insurance.

 

[john250]

I saw an article on the Huffington Post which posited that farmers might face unlimited liability if they plant roundup ready alfalfa. :?: :?:
Sounds like a trial lawyer's wet dream to me.

 

[smuff76]

For those of you using the RR alfalfa, did you sign the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement? It is a legal document. Did you have legal counsel explain your liability to you?

I would be curious where your located and where you saw it........... since I am going to be selling it and I haven't even seen it yet?

 

[MarkM]

smuff,

I am in Texas. This is a link to the 2009 version. The 2011 has the same paragraph that is my concern.

http://www.westernfarmservice.com/pdf/Corn/2009MTSA.pdf

"GROWER'S EXCLUSIVE LIMITED REMEDY: THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY OF THE GROWER AND THE LIMIT OF THE LIABILITY OF MONSANTO OR ANY SELLER FOR ANY AND ALL LOSSES, INJURY OR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OR HANDLING OF SEED (INCLUDING CLAIMS BASED IN CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, PRODUCT LIABILITY, STRICT LIABILITY, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) SHALL BE THE PRICE PAID BY THE GROWER FOR THE QUANTITY OF THE SEED INVOLVED OR, AT THE ELECTION OF MONSANTO OR THE SEED SELLER, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SEED. IN NO EVENT SHALL MONSANTO OR ANY SELLER BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES."

Apparently, the seed seller is protected in the same manner as Monsanto. The grower assumnes ALL liability. In my mind, this means Monsanto fully expects problems and wants no part of it. They include the sellers in the protective clause so that they will be able to have sellers willing to sell the product.

 

[smuff76]

Given that the technology agreement covers virtually every roundup ready product including corn and beans I am not sure what the real issue is? Given the millions of acres of roundup ready crops in production, and the comparitively limited acres of roundup ready alfalfa, I can't really see the huge issue here?

In my mind this means that Monsanto is asking users of RR alfalfa to adhere to the same agreement they ask of every other user of their products.

 

[smuff76]

That is not contained in the form we have.

The only agreement is with the dealer.

Buy the seed through your seed dealer. They sign a basic dealer agreement and the grower fills out a sheet with field GPS coordinates, their name, address, tech number and that is it.

I personnally don't see the need for Roundup Ready Alfalfa unless your a dairyman or have significant preexisting weed problems, but to each his own.

For the cattlemen I would plant alfalfa with a good, late maturing, orchardgrass to boost your yield and lower the nutrient value. A beef cow can't digest all the nutrients in straight alfalfa.

 

[novaman]

A beef cow can't digest all the nutrients in straight alfalfa.

Huh?

 

[hayray]

Interesting info learned yesterday at the Forage Technology conference held at Michigan State University. MSU has has the longest term study on glyphosate resistant alfalfa to date. They planted prior to the 2007 court injunction, I think in 2005 was the first harvest year. Study results compared to controls and Velpar application plots showed no significant difference between RFV, persistance based on stem density counts and yield was slightly higer in non-treated fields. Was an eye opener since the non-treated fields with more weeds had the same RFV and slightly higher yields most likely because of of less bare ground and more plant growth. One season the treated fields had more weeds because timing of application with glyphosate was the key to control of invasive opportunistic species.

 

[smuff76]

A beef cow can't digest all the nutrients in straight alfalfa.

Huh?

Alfalfa passes through a cow's digestive system in half the time that a grass hay passes through..... so the cow doesn't have time to fully digest everything in the alfalfa. If you mix grass in with it then you slow down the process which aids in digestion:

Initial research with reduced-lignin alfalfa varieties shows neutral detergent fiber digestibility increasing 4 to 11 percentage points. Milk production, because cows digest more, jumps nearly 3 lb./cow/day. Longer cutting intervals might also be possible, which could improve yields and the consistency of the resulting feed.

Conversely, the protein in alfalfa is often too highly digestible, resulting in wasted protein and excessive nitrogen excretion. Here, researchers are looking at two avenues of attack:

http://www.agweb.com/article/Alfalfa_Re ... em_194808/