US Justice Dept confirms antitrust seed probe

[Robbien]

Source: Reuters

* Justice Dept declines to name targets

* Monsanto had said it was a target

WASHINGTON, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The Justice Department has opened a formal antitrust investigation of the seed industry, spokeswoman Gina Talamona said on Thursday.

Monsanto Co (MON.N) had said earlier on Thursday that the department had sent it a civil investigative demand for information on the company's soybean traits business after complaints that Monsanto was trying to limit access to push a new, pricier product instead.

"The antitrust division is investigating the possibility of anticompetitive practices in the seed industry," Talamona said, while declining to discuss which companies were the target of the probe.

Seed dealers, Monsanto rivals and others have complained that the company was creating conditions, through contracts with seed dealers and other means, that would unfairly push farmers to buy its new Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans and away from the first-generation, lower-priced Roundup Ready beans

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1412458720100114?type=marketsNews

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What did Monsanto do to piss off the Feds? Perhaps this year's budget for lobby money disappointed the greedy beltway citizens.

[Ian David]

1. This is good news. Remember what company The Antichrist worked for in The Omen?

Monsanto Soy Bean Pod

[ixion]

2. good. I hope they smack down Monsanto... hard

because they are single-handedly destroying family farming.

[CTD]

3. For all of our sakes, Monsanto needs to be stopped.

We can't all afford boutique real food.

[sudopod]

4. lol nt

[nykym]

5. Well this coupled with

the report of their corn (I believe its corn there was a post on DU about this but I can't find it) causes organ failure in lab rats. Maybe things will get a little more difficult for them.

[biermeister]

6. you mean this one?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7453492&mesg_id=7453492

[nykym]

13. Yes

that's the one. Pretty scary stuff huh!

[veganlush]

7. In the documentary "Food, Inc." , we see a guy being deposed

...in court, when Monsanto sued him he had to turn over, reluctantly of course, the names of all of his farmer/customers for the crime of using his services as a seed separator. His machine separated the debris from the seed so they could save their own seeds from year to year. that was their crime-and his. Monsanto, with the help of Clarence Thomas and the supremes, managed to get patent rights for what will end up being 90% of all soybeans. Meanwhile, tinfoil hats types are worrying about birth-certs and gun rights.

[defendandprotect]

8. War Monsanto -- Food by Monsanto -- !!!

[Gman2]

9. I'd like to see the managers and CEO tied to mounds, with GM corn growing thru them.

[The Stranger]

10. "What did Monsanto do to piss off the Feds?" How about a good old fashioned (alleged) monopoly?

Funny that the criminal Bush administration was as anti-competitive as it was.

[dmosh42]

11. If they really do something about Monsanto, I'll be a loyal follower! n/t

[safeinOhio]

12. It's time to turn Monsanto into

about 35 or 40 smaller companies. Bust the Trust like Teddy did the RRs.