About “Beyond the Rows”

Beyond the Rows is a Monsanto Company blog focused on one of the world’s most important industries, agriculture. Monsanto employees write about Monsanto’s business, the agriculture industry, and the farmer.avatar Monsantoco Posts

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Tag Archives: Farmers

3 farmers

Earth Day 2012 Featured Article

I was there at the first Earth Day – April 22, 1970. I was a freshman at LSU in Baton Rouge, and the Student Government Association, the Student Union and other organizations planned – and pulled off – a rather surprising number of events, speakers, entertainment, workshops and how-to demonstrations. 

What I remember the most was getting sunburned. I spent the entire day on LSU’s parade ground, a large grassy area in the very center of the university. At one time, it was where the ROTC cadets marched in formation. It had become the place for large student gatherings, like … Full Article »

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Originally published
April 23, 2012 by Glynn Young

darth

Who are you most afraid of – Darth Vader, Ninjas or Monsanto employees?

It happens. You create images of people and places you’ve never seen or met. And with some of the things that get said about Monsanto, it wouldn’t surprise me if some people said they were more afraid of Monsanto employees than they are of Darth Vader or ninjas. When I read a blog post, by a person I consider a friend through social media, that said something about the way she generally pictured my Monsanto colleagues and me in darkness. I have to admit to being a bit surprised. But more than that, I so appreciate her willingness to … Full Article »

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Originally published
September 13, 2011 by Janice Person

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Who should speak up for farmers?

As farmers look at the way the world works, its easy to think things need to change. Tennessee farmer Johnny Dodson says farmers need to speak up & be involved. He started with county and state soybean association meetings many years ago and as he became more engaged and involved, the other steps just came into place.

“I believe in becoming involved & making a difference,” Dodson says. “I don’t believe there is anyone else who can present my case, my issues any better than I can. I’m involved in those issues that are important to me. Whether it be … Full Article »

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Originally published
August 19, 2011 by Janice Person

Indian Farmers Producing More, Conserving More and Improving Lives with Better Technology

By Sara Duncan

Indian farmer Jamuna Lal had always planted his corn crop the same way: he mixed the corn seed with the fertilizer and spread it out over the field. Like many farmers in his village, he also used a traditional method of a bullock-drawn indigenous plough based system. Using this method results in the random spacing of seeds and direct contact with fertilizer—both factors decrease yield.

After seeing farmers experiment with mechanization, Lal decided to join a project that introduced him to a new sowing and fertilizing drill that would revolutionize his farming practice.

The seed cum fertilizer … Full Article »

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Originally published
July 14, 2011 by Monsantoco

Golden Tower Pepper Improves the Lives of 30,000 Chinese Growers

By Sara Duncan

Hongge Cai is a 49-year-old Chinese grower who used to feed his family by working on a two-hectare parcel of land growing corn. He, his wife, and two sons barely survived on $2,000 a year. Recently, Cai and his wife experienced one of the many joys of parenthood: their eldest son was accepted into college.

They were proud, but concerned about how to pay for tuition when they could barely get through day-to-day life.

Until, Cai happened to see a field demonstration about growing a certain type of pepper with potential. He borrowed money from his relatives, … Full Article »

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Originally published
July 8, 2011 by Monsantoco

Gothenburg Learning Center Highlights Agricultural Conservation

By Sara Duncan

Water limitations are constant constraints to western agricultural production. In 2008, Monsanto pledged to reduce, by one-third, soil, land, water and energy resources required to produce a unit of its corn, soybeans and cotton crops between 2000 and 2030.

Using a combination of advanced breeding, biotechnology and improved farm-management practices, the company is helping farmers make the most efficient use of precious resources that are vital to meeting growing demand for food, fiber and fuel. In 2009, Monsanto opened a learning center in Gothenburg, Nebraska, dedicated to showcasing efforts to support sustainable agriculture.

“The most difficult part … Full Article »

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Originally published
June 30, 2011 by Monsantoco

The Future of Food

As a Brit living in the United States, I have immensely enjoyed all the attention my former stomping grounds have been receiving lately due to the Royal Wedding. Watching my future king walk down the aisle, and having my American friends and family celebrate with me, was incredible and exciting.

So when His Royal Highness (HRH) the Duke of Cambridge’s father, otherwise known as HRH The Prince of Wales or Prince Charles and my immediate future king, visited the U.S recently to speak on food and agriculture at the Future of Food conference in Washington D.C., I paid attention.… Full Article »

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Originally published
May 31, 2011 by Mark Sutherland

Thinking About Dirt

Earth Day, 1970. The first one.

I was a college freshman at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. An entire array of events was planned on the large tract of land in front of the Student Union, known as the Parade Ground (and still known as that) for when ROTC was mandatory for freshmen boys. (Mandatory ROTC had ended the year before I started college.)

Encouraged by our professors, including my chemistry professor who cancelled classes for the day, my friends and I spent the entire day on the Parade Ground, listening to speeches, watching demonstrations, visiting information booths, enjoying … Full Article »

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Originally published
April 22, 2011 by Glynn Young

Farmers Signing Technology Use Agreements

Over the last few days I’ve seen people tweeting about Monsanto’s Technology / Stewardship Agreement (MTSA). Tweets send you to a video of two people discussing the agreement and now there is a commentary on Huffington Post. There seems to be a lot of shock that a liability statement is included in the document, and the overreactions about the extent of the liability borne by Monsanto and the farmers is amazing to me. But then again, I first heard about the agreements in 1995 when they were introduced and I read them shortly after. I’ve had dozens of discussions with … Full Article »

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Originally published
March 3, 2011 by Janice Person

“Monsanto is Evil.” What?

“Monsanto is evil.” I’ve seen headlines like that, the latest one for a story about the readers of a website catering to people interested in natural news, health and information. The readers had voted Monsanto as “Most Evil Corporation of the Year.” Given the readers and the site’s coverage of GM food, even the editor acknowledged that those who voted were largely a self-selecting, anti-Monsanto crowd.

If you search the web looking for “Monsanto” and “evil,” you will find the type of thing that sensational movies are made of. But thanks to a new beta product from Google that shows … Full Article »

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Originally published
January 24, 2011 by Janice Person