Comment Number: AGW-06792

I am writing because I am concerned about the lack of competition in agricultural markets.

Just one company, Monsanto, controls the majority of seeds in the US, and regularly threatens farmers who don't buy its seeds.  They also sue farmers who end up unknowingly getting Monansto's "patented" genes mixed in with their own crops, through natural pollination (bees, wind, etc.).  Not only is it not the farmers' fault, but they should be allowed to sue Monsanto for contaminating their non-GMO crops.  Monsanto is negligent in leaving GMOs vulnerable to natural transferrence of pollen into the general ecosystem!

    ? What's in our food, anyway? And why aren't there decent labels telling you where it grew, what chemicals are on it, and if it's genetically modified?  

    ? There is a "revolving door" of personnel between corporate lobbyists and government regulators. No wonder corporations aren't held to strict standards.

    ? Prices are rising at the supermarket, but you've heard that farmers are struggling -- and big food companies have made record profits this year.  It reminds me of the big oil companies who took advantage of hurricane Katrina and the iullegal war in Iraq.  They took huge subsidies from the government because of these stressors, yet still showed record-breaking profits for the year! 

    ? Food is grown and raised in ways that are terrible for the environment, with methods that pollute the water, poison the soil, and threaten our long-term food security.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to comment.

Sincerely,

Leslie Glendye

,  02725