Your last Hawaiian vacation
Have you ever enjoyed a Hawaii grown papaya? There’s nothing quite like it. You’re so happy when you find it at your local grocer, you buy it, even though it’s overpriced, you take it home, cradling it like a newborn baby so as not to bruise it. You cut it open to expose its reddish flesh and black, caviar like seeds. Its exotic, floral fragrance permeates your olfactory senses. You hack off a piece and taste it, its sweet flesh takes you back to your last Hawaiian vacation, a perfect moment. You may not realize this but if you live in the continental US or Canada, there’s a big chance you just ate a papaya that biotechnology made.
Ringspot virus
In 1992, the Hawaiian papaya industry almost collapsed because of the ringspot virus. Production went down 50% and people were losing their livelihood. Scientists at Cornell University figured out how to inoculate papaya against the disease, a sort of vaccine not unlike the flu shot for humans. Growers wanted the virus resistant seeds and today, close to 80% of papaya produced are transgenic.
I have always been against GMO or Frankenfoods as they often call them in the media but I wasn’t sure why. Was I just being a sheep, blindly following what my friends believed in? I wanted to learn about biotechnology to understand it and to make an informed opinion. I wanted to know more and that’s why I dragged Tim out to the Monsanto facility in Kihei Maui on a hot July afternoon.
We arrived before 2 pm, went through the open gates and passed the security truck on our way to the office building. Tim looked in the rearview mirror as he parked the truck and noticed the same security vehicle had just pulled up behind us. A jovial man jumped out and greeted us, asking whether we had an appointment. I told him we had a tour scheduled and he happily told us which building we needed to enter to register.
A non disclosure form awaited us in the portico, we read every word and signed the dotted line, it basically said that we wouldn’t divulge any scientific information that we saw during the tour. And that we couldn’t bring in any firearms. At this point our tour guide David and the receptionist both walked in and Tim joked that he had left his gun in the car. We all had a laugh.
A farmer’s son
Our guide, David Stoltzfus, tall and slender with a proud demeanour, told us that he grew up on an Iowa farm working side by side with his father as he directed us to the conference room where we met two other people who were joining us on the tour. For the next hour we heard about Monsanto’s endeavours to help farmers produce large quantities of food using sustainable agriculture so that there will be enough food to feed the estimated 9 billion people who inhabit the earth by 2050. So far so good, this is something we should all be working towards and Monsanto agrees, GMO or organic, we need to feed the world.
Tim asked whether they prized quantity over quality and if that might put profit ahead of health. We were told that the FDA, EPA and USDA are responsible for ensuring the safety of biotech crops and that no other type of crop goes through as rigorous testing as biotech crops. Monsanto knows the world is watching and is very careful to comply with all federal regulations regarding biotech crops. So far those governing bodies have found no issues with biotech crops, now if you have a problem with the FDA, EPA and USDA, that’s another story.
Tim also broached the subject of farmers being sued for illegally using patented seeds. David explained that farmers can practice organic farming next to a GMO farmer as long as they communicate their planting schedules and alternate so GMO plants don’t pollinate the organic plants. The farmers being sued were farmers who basically reproduced seeds and were selling them to other farmers for profit. Similar to pirating music or DVDs.
The science behind their work
A young man in our group was a County of Maui intern who was doing a stint at Monsanto’s Kihei facility. He seemed quite interested in the science behind their work which, whether you want to be eating the product of that science or not, you have to admit, is quite interesting.
We were told that what Monsanto does on Maui is grow corn, lots and lots of corn. The corn is hand pollinated by their employees, then it’s tested with what looks like a ph or pregnancy test strip. Good traits are noted, the best corn plants are selected and cross bred, sometimes with corn from their facilities in other countries, until they end up with a super plant, able to withstand drought, pests, viruses and whatever else nature throws at them.
They can get to the end result faster on Maui because of the lack of defined growing seasons. Instead of one growing cycle, as they would have in Canada and parts of the US, they can go through 3, sometimes 4 growing cycles in one year. Arriving at the end product that much faster.
Constantly hearing negativity about this mega company made me think I would walk in and see the devil incarnate. What I saw were regular folk, working towards something they believe in. Whether I agree with their method, I’m still not sure but one thing I do know, Monsanto isn’t going anywhere soon, so if you disagree with GMO foods, you better find a way to start growing your own.
If you missed our Q&A post, you can read it here.
We’d read about Monsanto and were definitely in the anti camp. After reading your balanced post, we still are. But rather less certain about our position.
Thanks Matthew, it took me a while to write it because I thought the visit would solidify my position but what it did was make me question it. Being against is fine but I believe fighting to ban GMOs will hurt not only businesses but farmers as well. There needs to be a middle ground.
As you know, the subject is very controversial in Hawaii, particularly on Kauai just before we left where a referendum was overturned by the mayor, and then allowed to stand via due process. There are decidedly two sides. But one mustn’t discount the pesticide-related issues either, which appear to manifest in cancer clusters in schools and communities on Kauai’s southwest side. No easy answers here. Something is going on with food in the US if someone like me can be gastro reflux free in every country we visit and have symptoms return with a vengeance once we return to our shores. It’s good that Monsanto is feeling the scrutiny. What remains to be seen is whether the integrity they profess is the entire case. I would like it to be so, but like you, I’m still skeptical.
It’s a bit of a double edged sword, on the one hand those who grow biotech crops don’t use as much pesticides but then not everyone wants biotech foods.
And we also have to realize that if there’s a ban on GMO foods it will take away a lot of people’s livelihoods. There needs to be a solution that benefits both sides.
I have serious concerns about GMOs, but mostly because I have serious concerns about Monsanto. They haven’t exactly proven themselves to be a responsible company in the past several decades. It is my hope that these GMOs are as safe as they claim them to be – for my children’s sake,and the sake of the rest of the world.
I also had many concerns which is why I decided to investigate it further.
Definitely “food for thought” so-to-speak! There are so many arguments for and against mega food producers and it’s nice to read an informative, unbiased post. Thanks!
I grew up in the Illinois. My father was a farmer and while I don’t like all the pesticides they use, I like GMO seeds even less. I am glad you wrote this piece, because after talking with pro-GMO folks (and I’m not saying that’s what you are) I understood the process more. You’ve written a good article explaining the other side. THank you !
Thanks for your comment and point of view Carla.
Wow! I’d never considered that they can get to the end result faster on Maui because of the lack of defined growing seasons but it makes sense – all the sunshine, humidity and fairly level temps. Thanks for giving me another helping of great food for thought. “-)
For or against GMOs, it’s interesting science.
A thought provoking article for sure. It’s one akin to global warming I think where you really need to understand the science and get all the facts so you can have an informed opinion. Mine has always been a knee-jerk can’t stand Monsanto feeling so I give you credit for making me want to find out more facts – not opinions.
Thanks Leigh, a few years ago I wouldn’t even have considered speaking to someone from Monsanto so when this opportunity came up I had to keep an open mind and stay unbiased.
I’m still not comfortable with GMO foods – I don’t think we have a clue what their long term effects will be. And companies as big and controversial as Monsanto have well trained people and materials that communicate their message in the most flattering way. I’d be interested if you also interviewed some well informed people who are anti-GMO and see what their responses to Monsanto are. I can’t get comfortable with trusting Monsanto but this at least shows me that they are willing to speak, although behind the shield of an NDA.
The thing is with 75% of all food on store shelves having some GMO ingredients, unless you’re growing everything you eat and making everything from scratch including growing wheat to make your flour; you can’t be 100% sure that you’re not eating GMOs. I would love to interview a well informed anti-GMO person, can you suggest someone?
I can remember visiting England in 1999 and the big hot topic was GM foods. They were already requiring disclosure labels on food. I was surprised that at that time, this issue didn’t seem to have any traction in the U.S. From what I understand, former Monsanto execs have been given appointed government positions in the agencies that are supposed to be the food watchdogs. In other words, exactly who is guarding the guardians? When Dick Cheney became VP, he had just left Haliburton—-Guess which company had major contracts with the government during the Iraq War? OK. I’ll take my cynical hat off now. This is a good post about what you learned on your visit to the belly of the beast (as it were). 😉
I’m a hypocrite. I happily ate the delicious papayas just about every day when we lived in Honolulu earlier this year. 😉
It’s hard to stay away from those papayas 🙂
Thanks for visiting Monsanto and writing about it. In Maui last year, I wasn’t, at first, conscious of their position on the islands. It was easy to read up on the locals’ protests and position statements. It was much harder, after stumbling on the fenced and guarded entrance to Monsanto’s Maui operations, to glean what was going on there, and why it felt so foreboding.
I remember the last time we were on Maui and the big gates at Monsanto. It seems like they’ve renovated and it looks much more open now.
Have to give credit to the company for reaching out to bloggers to educate the public—if that was what they were doing.
I actually approached them but they were quite willing to have us visit and answer questions. I would encourage anyone with questions to contact them directly.
Genetically modified foods were invented for many reasons. I’ve always known it wasn’t just to line Monsanto or any other company’s pockets. I need to learn more about this subject, but think there should be a middle ground after reading your article.
Thanks for your comment Michelle, I agree with you and believe communication is the only way to find that middle ground.
I agree, there is nothing quite like a Hawaii-grown papaya. Especially if you eat it in Hawaii. I find that the flavor doesn’t generally travel. I always buy Hawaii-grown papayas in California, but only about 1/3 of the time do they satisfy me with flavor I remember from being in Hawaii. 🙁
I guess that means you have no problem with them being genetically modified?
Thank you so much for taking the initiative to learn more about an issue rather than just blindly following a “camp”. I found this post and part 1 interesting, mahalo.
I live very close to Monsato, in Maui Meadows and work for another large ag company on Maui.
Thanks for stopping by Tania. You can only make an informed opinion when you have information from both sides.
Hi guys! Did you guys go to bed with Monsanto seed pods near your beds? I’m sure what happened is that they absorbed your better sense and made you into Monsanto shills!! Yes, I’m quite sure. Love the attempt at making this site just another impromptu “travelogue”, about 2 wacky folks that just happened to go to Hawaii, but instead of going to the beach, decided to hang out at a Monstanto facility!! Love you guys!! Bye….
Mom is that you? All kidding aside, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. We didn’t go to Hawaii specifically to visit Monsanto. We weren’t invited by them or asked to write about them. We were on Maui for five months and during that time we decided to educate ourselves about GMOs because the GMO debate is affecting that island’s farming methods. The fact that we visited Monsanto doesn’t make us pro GMO, it makes us pro education. Educating yourself on issues is the only way to make an informed opinion.
Wow! I can’t believe you went on a tour. I didn’t even know they offered them. As you know this issue is coming to a big head with this years election and ballot initiatives here on Maui. In my opinion our fragile little ecosystem would be a lot better off if Monsanto and Dow left our island.
They’re very receptive to people who want to know more about what they’re doing. I was surprised to find out they’ve been there so long and that so many farmers there are pro-gmo.