"Every 30 Minutes A Farmer Kills Himself, You'll Never Guess Why"

[damnedifIknow]

&feature=player_embedded#!

[NYC_SKP]

1. K/R and shocked when I first learned of this, years ago, has only gotten worse.

Thanks for posting.

sigh.

[damnedifIknow]

9. I really like this guy.

He has a way of mixing activism with comedy that is enjoyable to watch.

[Fridays Child]

2. k/r

[Smilo]

3. I knew Monsanto was evil,

but I never guessed just how much.

Very good vent by Leo Camp.

[ashling]

4. My first guess was that they were driven insane by having to listen to Paul Harvey

but I can see that it was much too flippant for this thread

[wtmusic]

5. Just what the world needs - another ill-informed loudmouth.

"In the last five years, India has rapidly increased its production of cotton, becoming a major exporter, and it has exceeded the production of the United States in 2007/08 to become the second-largest producer of cotton. Among other factors, the introduction and rapid adoption of Bt cotton likely played a significant role in the increase in production in India thanks to its observed contribution to a period of high cotton productivity growth. Yet, despite its visible commercial success, Bt cotton remains largely controversial in India. Among the many allegations against it, some groups accuse it of being the main reason for a resurgence of farmer suicides in cotton-producing districts of Central and Southern India, particularly in certain dry districts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

In this paper, we review the evidence on the alleged resurgence of farmer suicides in India and the potential relationship between the adoption of Bt cotton and suicides among Indian farmers. Using secondary data from multiple sources, we evaluate two sets of contradicting hypotheses on the phenomenon of farmer suicides and Bt cotton in India. The first supports the existence of a visible increase in farmer suicides concurrent with the adoption of Bt cotton and affirms that this technology contributed to the rise in farmer suicides. The second set rejects both the presence of a surge in farmer suicides in recent years and any direct or reciprocal role of Bt cotton introduction in farmer suicides, while noting that Bt cotton may have played a role in specific cases and seasons. These cases were mainly the result of institutional, climatic, and economic constraints, among many other factors. By compiling and synthesizing available data from official sources, research reports, and economic and policy analyses we are able to clearly reject the first set of hypotheses and support the second."

"Bt Cotton and Farmer Suicides in India: Reviewing the Evidence"
http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/ifpridp00808.pdf

Fuck the Corporations! Fuck the...uh...nevermind.

[Nederland]

6. Hey! Stop with those pesky facts

I need to be able to feel outraged. Don't you get that?

[wtmusic]

15. No need to overthink this.

Discrediting the report and calling me a Monsanto troll seems to work for most.

[newthinking]

7. "IFPRI covering up the link between Bt cotton and suicides"

"A recent paper from IFPRI “Bt Cotton and Farmers Suicides in India” falls in this
category of a doubly toxic paper because it covers up the risks of toxic genes
and is detached from reality. Yet it is aimed at shaping public opinion about GM
crops by using every trick in the trade to separate the impact of GM crops on
farmers from the seed monopoly and the technology of producing nonrenewable,
toxic seeds through genetic engineering."


http://www.whale.to/b/shiva1.pdf

[iamthebandfanman]

8. yeah, the thing about that is...

some people would say ..
Hey, the IFPRI is funded by the IRRI ..
which has a ton of former monsanto employees (including a main researcher who works as a co-ordinator)...

http://www.irri.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=10867:funding-and-donors&lang=en

http://www.irri.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=10150:barry-gerard&lang=en


im not sayin it,
just sayin tho...
lmao


http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/Business/Ministry-blames-Bt-cotton-for-farmer-suicides/Article1-830798.aspx

[mojowork_n]

12. Oh, OK, we can all go home then. Move along, nothing to see... Is the rate of suicides increasing?

The International Food Policy Research organization has released a publication.

Thank you, that takes care of it.

Never mind other reports:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-09/india/33118430_1_cotton-seeds-bt-cotton-cotton-growing-states

The ban comes in the wake of widespread complaints against the company accusing it of supplying inferior quality seeds which aggravated the agrarian crises in rural Maharashtra and spurred suicides among farmers... ... Protests have marked the 10th anniversary of the introduction of Bt cotton in the country this year with angry farmers and social activists asking policy makers for a comprehensive review of the technology that was meant for irrigated areas but was pushed in all cotton-growing states.

Tiwari said that while the Indian cotton seeds cost much lower, they are ready for plucking within five months, while the Bt cotton takes upto 200 days.

"Indian cotton seeds greatly reduces the demand and need for additional inputs like water, fertilizers, pesticides and other nutrients," he added.

[wtmusic]

14. Like "Lee Camp" you obviously didn't bother to inform yourself either

by reading the report, which concludes some suicides may indeed have been the result of Monsanto policies, and doesn't even take on the more complicated question of whether those policies are ethical or even legal.

Putting the rant before the thought is akin to putting the cart before the horse.

[mojowork_n]

22. Late reply but that's really a cheap trick.

Claiming that I "didn't read the report" and making up (writing in your own) conclusion.

Does that job pay well?

Where can I apply?

[KurtNYC]

19. You didn't use the "F word" -- not even once. So it sounds like you're not very sure of your facts.

I suppose next you will tell us try to tell us that plants don't crave the electrolytes in Brawndo ?!

[valerief]

10. I know. MONSANTO, the REAL SATAN. nt

[MrMickeysMom]

11. K&R for this one...

RT should be on Verizon's cable. Think I'll call, based on the programs like this, Thom Hartman, Max Keiser, and other subversive things... oooh...

[drynberg]

13. GMOs, ONE OF THREE BIGGEST ECO THREATS TO LIFE (others are Global Clim. Change & Frackin')

So, GMOs are obviously very bad for farmers of all nations. How about the consumers of the food? 'Bout same. These nasty lab creations are about making $$$$$ for MONSANTO (duh!) not about nutrition, health or anything good except Monsanto's Bottom Line. We must all do all we can to stop this GMO consumption of US. Really. ACT NOW!

[me b zola]

16. "Scripture to air missile"

I heart Lee Camp.

[Stuart G]

17. K and R nt

[LiberalFighter]

18. First thought is that it was American farmers

And I didn't think the facts supported that statement. Might be helpful to include a bit more details.

BTW I'm one of those that don't open every video that is posted here. If there isn't enough details to encourage opening it it will probably be the same for many. Don't have time to read every post let alone every video.

[CHOCOLATMIMOSA]

20. K&R

[ScottLand]

21. God hates bags .... of Monsanto