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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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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Reaching Indian Farmers on Pink Bollworm Resistance

Mention of the words “insect resistance” can cause panic; particularly among farmers growing a crop that can be devastated by the insects developing resistance. To farmers, insect resistance means the technology that prevents them from having to spray round-after-round of insecticide is in jeopardy. To farmers who rely on selling that crop to feed their families, resistance endangers their livelihoods.

In 2010, resistance to pink bollworm was detected in five districts of Gujarat state, threatening the crops of more than five million farmers who planted Bollgard® and Bollgard II® cotton in India. The detection also meant concerns could heighten … Full Article »

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 »

Reasons Why We Do Need GM Foods: The World is Bigger Than Your House

I have always liked the concept of empathy–or putting yourself into another’s shoes. I truly believe we would have a better world if people only make a little effort to look for different perspectives and realities before opening their mouth or doing things.

Let’s try an exercise. Close your eyes and picture yourself trying to survive with less that $1 a day. Can you do it? Ha! Pretty hard, especially if you were lucky enough to have been born and/or live in a developed country where–even in the middle of an economic crisis–a good dinner and a decent place to … Full Article »

Indian Farmer Suicide – The Bottom Line

Suicide is a difficult subject to discuss, as many of us are likely to know someone who’s taken their own life. This is a particularly emotional topic, and I hope to show due respect and sensitivity for those affected by such a tragedy.

Unfortunately, there have been some sensational allegations lately about farmer suicide rates in India. Speculative reports spawned mostly by anti-GMO groups–not pro-farming groups–have implied that these tragic farmer suicides have somehow become an epidemic since the introduction of biotech cotton in 2002. This is simply not true. The activists’ reports largely ignore many complex cultural, environmental … Full Article »