Monsanto Fires Back at Neil Young Over New Documentary
An article in Rolling Stone dated July 24 is reporting that Monsanto has issued a statement regarding Neil Young’s new short film: “Seeding Fear,” an anti-GMO documentary featuring a farmer named Michael White.
According to Monsanto, as quoted in Rolling Stone:
“Mr. White is not transparent in describing his actions or the situation,” a rep for the company tells Rolling Stone. “He actually admitted to knowingly planting, producing, saving, cleaning and selling Roundup Ready soybeans illegally. All of this information is available in court documents.
“Protecting patents and copyrights can be difficult in any business – including the entertainment industry,” the rep continues. “Mr. White’s actions are equivalent to pirating an album, producing thousands of copies and selling bootleg copies – all while knowing what you’re doing is illegal and that it will result in criminal charges if caught.”
The rep also referenced a LinkedIn blog by Monsanto’s chief technology officer, Robb Fraley, in which he responded to Young. “Here’s an invitation to establish that dialogue with Neil Young,” Fraley wrote. “I invite him to visit our company and talk with us about what we’re doing.” The rep also provided a link to another blog, hosted on the Monsanto website, titled “Correcting The Monsanto Years,” published earlier this month in response to the album Young put out this year, which attacks the company.