Kelly Clauss

Q: If GMOs are so great, why does Monsanto serve organic produce in it's cafeteria?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Aug 01, 2013

A: Great question. There is a belief that Monsanto won’t serve GM foods—or that we serve only organic food—in our cafeterias. It’s a myth that started back in 1999 and continues today. In reality, all types of foods can be found in our cafeterias. These are the same foods that we purchase at grocery stores for our families, and the same foods that everyone else eats. Sometimes we have special menu items that feature our products. For example, in summer 2012 we held a special event for employees to taste our GM sweet corn from a customer’s farm. If you want to learn more about the “cafeteria my [...]

Answered By Community Manager - Apr 17, 2015

A: In the video below Monsanto Global Preparedness Content Manager, Chelsey Robinson, also addresses this common GMO myth:   [...]

Q: I have learned that Monsanto employees do not allow GMO food to be served in their own cafeteria. Is that true? If so, why? Can you provide proof of your answers?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Sep 12, 2013

A: It's not true. In fact, in August 2013, our cafeteria specifically featured special menu items that include GM sweet corn and held a farmers' market to directly offer employees an opportunity to purchase GM sweet corn.  More information (including photos and video) is available on Monsanto’s blog. I’d also suggest you read our responses to similar questions on GMO Answers:  If GMOs are so great, why does Monsanto serve organic produce in it's cafeteria?If GMO is so safe then why are Monsanto campuses 100% non-GMO and Organic. In other words why don't your own scientist eat [...]

Q: I have read that Monsanto has sued farmers whose fields have exhibited evidence of having Monsanto seeds mixed in with an otherwise non-GMO crop, and this has occurred due to the natural tendency of plants to cross pollinate, leaving the farmers no choice

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Sep 25, 2013

A: Monsanto has never sued a farmer when trace amounts of our patented seeds or traits were present in the farmer's field as an accident or as a result of inadvertent means, such as cross-pollination.  It is truly that simple, and we have publicly made that commitment.    Please see additional information that I provided on a similar question: Why has Monsanto sued farmers who, by no fault of volition of their own, had their crops contaminated by GMO pollen blown into their fields? [...]

Q: Did the CEO of Monsanto, Mr. Hugh Grant really make the statement " No food shall be grown that we do not own" ?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Aug 11, 2013

A: No. The quoted statement is an urban myth that has been recycled on the web for a number of years.  It is an improper characterization of our values, our business and our employees―including our CEO.   To learn more about Hugh’s actual views, please visit our website to read a recent letter from Hugh that accompanied our 2012 Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report. [...]

Q: If GMOs are so great, why did Monsanto ban them from their campus in St. Louis?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Aug 21, 2014

A: This is a popular myth, but it is just that and therefore not true. Monsanto has not banned, nor does it have any intention to ban, GMOs from its campus in St. Louis. Our employees are served foods that contain ingredients from GM crops in our cafeteria every day. In fact, every summer the St. Louis campus offers a farmers’ market to showcase some of our customers’ produce, which includes GM sweet corn, and make it available to our employees and their families.   There are more responses to similar questions on GMO Answers: If GMOs are so great, why does Monsanto serve organic [...]

Q: Under the tab PUBLIC REVIEW, you claim JAPAN is a supporter of your GMO. Why did they put an immediate halt to wheat import when there was only a SLIM CHANCE of SOME GMO infestation?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Apr 10, 2015

A: Japan is a strong supporter of biotech crops. As with most countries, its regulatory system requires a rigorous review and assessment of all of the scientific studies on each biotech trait. If its assessment concludes the GM trait and crop are safe, Japan grants a regulatory approval that allows the crop to be imported and used as food or animal feed. (Check out this table — GMO Safety Reviews and Approvals from Around the World — which captures many of the products Japan has approved since 1995.)   However, if Japan’s regulatory agencies have not reviewed and approve [...]

Q: What do yo do when GMO seed gets blown on to a farm where the farmer was using non-GMO seed. The famers crop is then infected by GMO seed, what recourse will you pursue?Also how can you prevent this from ocurring?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Oct 14, 2013

A: In the situation that you described, we would not take any legal action. In fact, we have a long-standing public commitment that “it has never been, nor will it be, Monsanto’s policy to exercise its patent rights where trace amounts of our patented seeds or traits are present in a farmer’s fields as a result of inadvertent means.” In reality, farmers have been successfully growing conventional, organic and GM crops―sometimes even on the same farm―for years through good communication, cooperation, flexibility and mutual respect for each other’s practices and requirements. Since coexistenc [...]

Q: Why don't aren't Monsanto employees served GMOs in their cafeteria?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Sep 16, 2013

A: In short, Monsanto's employees are served foods that contain ingredients from GM crops in our cafeteria every day. In fact, in August 2013, we held a sweet-corn recipe competition and featured special menu items that included GM sweet corn in our cafeteria.   I’d suggest you read our responses to similar questions on GMO Answers:    If GMOs are so great, why does Monsanto serve organic produce in it's cafeteria? If GMO is so safe then why are Monsanto campuses 100% non-GMO and Organic. In other words why don't your own scientist eat your frankin-food. Seems to m [...]

Q: Why doesn't Monsanto serve ANY GMO products in its companies cafes? If its safe why won't you or your employees eat it?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Sep 23, 2013

A: Monsanto's employees are served foods that contain ingredients from GM crops in our cafeteria every day. In fact, in August 2013, we held a sweet-corn recipe competition and featured special menu items that included GM sweet corn in our cafeteria.  I’d suggest you read our responses to similar questions on GMO Answers:  If GMOs are so great, why does Monsanto serve organic produce in it's cafeteria?If GMO is so safe then why are Monsanto campuses 100% non-GMO and Organic. In other words why don't your own scientist eat your frankin-food. Seems to me pretty telling that if [...]

Q: Why do you continue to sue innocent farmers about seeds? Why do continue to monopolize the food industry?

Answered By Kelly Clauss - Sep 26, 2013

A: Monsanto has never sued a farmer when trace amounts of our patented seeds or traits were present in the farmer’s field as an accident or as a result of inadvertent means such as cross pollination.  It is truly that simple, and we have publicly made that commitment. (Please see additional information that I provided on a similar question: http://gmoanswers.com/ask/why-has-monsanto-sued-farmers-who-no-fault-volition-their-own-had-their-crops-contaminated-gmo). Regarding your question about food, I want to first clarify that Monsanto is primarily a seed company that sells seeds to far [...]