Monsanto Cuts Jobs Because Of Drop In Roundup Sales (900-1200)

[hatrack]

Monsanto cuts jobs because of drop in Roundup sales
By RACHEL MELCER Post-Dispatch
updated: 10/15/2003 09:33 PM


"Monsanto Co. executives on Wednesday took action, after months of saying they need to cut costs because competition is hurting sales of their flagship product, Roundup herbicide.

The agrochemical, biotech seeds and traits company, based in Creve Coeur, said it is laying off between 7 percent and 9 percent of its 13,200 employees, or between 924 and 1,188 people.

Approximately 200 of those cuts are at its Creve Coeur and Chesterfield facilities, leaving behind about 2,400 local employees.

The layoffs are evidence of a trend Chief Executive Hugh Grant has been touting for some time: Monsanto is now making more money by selling biotech seeds than old-line chemical herbicide."

EDIT

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Sure they are making more money selling biotech seeds

and putting farmers out of business and putting their land up for grabs around the world, since biotech seeds won't produce volunteers.
It just goes to show you all this claptrap about free marketeerism isn't about CREATING competition...the minute theses behemoths get any, they no longer wish to compete.

[soothsayer]

2. don't forget they're buying up water rights too

heartless, greedy bastards

[stickdog]

3. Kill a plant; save a job.

[pansypoo53219]

4. i boycot anything

monsanto. needs to get more press how they are destroying nature.

[SaintLouisBlues]

8. Don't forget Nutrasweet (sp?)

My mantra: never eat any Monsanto product. Seems logical, but diet soda swillers are doing just that.

Monsanto got Nutrasweet when they bought Searle, and I think their patent is expired, but just the thought of consuming Monsanto products gives me the willies.

[Sequoia]

5. Ha, ha (as in Nelson of "The Simpsons")

I heard yesterday that the weeds that had been treated are now resistant. Ha, ha! Don't mess with Mother Nature!

[amazona]

6. don't forget to boycott soy

For some reason liberals and greens are all too prone to overlook the fact that the growing of soy and Monsanto are hand-in-glove. They pay a high price to consume a cheap animal feed responsible for the destruction of countless species of wildflowers and wildlife such as our butterflies.


our wildflowers and wild butterflies are in deep trouble

On Edit: Glysophate is actually one of the best, if not the VERY best, for safely removing pest species such as Chinese Tallow from our swamps and woodlands. (Chinese Tallow puts out an acid in its roots, killing our native trees and allowing them to quickly take over our wetlands when not controlled.) However, you need not purchase Roundup. Glysophate is now a generic product. Read your labels!!!

[govegan]

7. Not organic soy -- the only kind I ever, ever use

Most liberals and greens around here, (Seattle area) are well aware of the GMO-Monsanto link.

And it is not just soy.

Anyone concerned about the evironment, wildlife and agricultural workers would be well advised to adopt the healthiest and most wholesome of diets: vegan.

The American diet would be impossible to support without intensive, destructive and chemically dependent agricultural methodologies. Basic mathematics will tell anyone concerned that trying to feed the world like Americans is absolutely ridiculous and absolutely impossible. When one dines on animals flesh, eggs or dairy, one can hardly avoid supporting destructive agricultural methods. Organic versions of these substances may appear more benign, but it is a serious fallacy to believe that organic animal products can be produced on the massive scale required to support western diets.

Let's support the family farmers and responsible stewards of the land: Buy Organic! (and go vegan while you are at it!)

[govegan]

9. The only good Monsanto is a defunct Monsanto.

I do hope the workers displaced can find good jobs.

"It lost money in Argentina and Brazil, due to political and economic instability that ruined the market for Monsanto's Roundup and seeds."

Gee, that's too bad (not).

Good article though, and thanks for posting.

Monsanto is into so many bad businesses, one has to be pleased to see their harebrained frankensteinian science go belly up.

"Monsanto also is shuttering a high-tech business for which it once had high hopes: Monsanto Protein Technologies, which was genetically modifying crops to grow proteins for use in pharmaceutical drugs. "

[LeftHander]

10. All Plantlife resistent to ROUNDUP

Monsanto annouced today that roundup is no longer needed as all plant life is now genetically modified to resist roundup brand herbicide with Monsantos patented gene.

HOUSTON, TX 2021 - The herbacide once known to kill any plantlife was used copiuosly by farmers throughout the late 20th century. Monsanto developed modified genes that enabled plants to resist the herbicides effects.

Pollen drift, cross-pollenation and genetic mutation over the decades allowed Monsanto's genetic marker to spread in the wild to nearly every form of plantlife on the planet.

Monsanto has reaped the benefits by requiring license fees to be paid by people who own land that contains plants with the modified gene.

When asked about the fact that Monsanto placed the genetic marker in a building block common to all plant life the spokesmen for Monsanto shrugged and said "Who could have known. It's been wildly good for Monsanto regardless of the recent deep discounts we have offered on kentucky bluegrass."

Monsanto plans on continuing its research in genetics and plans to have the first strain of wheat that is only beneficial to persons having a specifc genetically produced custom enzyme that breaks the wheat protiens into those useful to human digestion. Monsanto says that by controlling local wheat consumption within specific areas local farmers are able to benefit from naturally occurring supply and demand cycle. "No longer will Russian wheat effect Iowa's wheat price. And that is good for farmers and America. The gene implant will be free of charge to all newborns and most HMO's will cover the procedure for most Americans." Says Monsanto's spokesman.

[pippin]

11. so where

is the economic recovery?????

[osaMABUSh]

12. On slightly different tangent I never use RoundUp in my yard

Anything that supposed to kill everything has to be something you shouldn't want near your home, sidewalk, or lawn. I have three growing kids, an acre of grass and I hand weed anything that bothers me. Using a weed killer just doesn't seem like a healthy thing to do for your family. The only thing I put on my lawn besides grass clippings (self mulching) is Milorganite.

[Gloria]

13. Monsanto also pulled European operations today..."coincidentally"

GM food crop test results said they were harmful to wildlife.

In the current World Media Watch....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=170324