Truth: Farmers have the option not to purchase biotech seed and also have the option not to purchase seed from Monsanto.

• One choice is to purchase organic seeds. Advocates for organic farming claim consumer demand for organics is on the rise, and there is some reliable data to support that claim. The global market for organic food and beverages was worth $22.75 billion in 2007, after more than doubling in five years, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. The United States accounted for about 45 percent of that total. (Source: "How green is my wallet?", Reuters, 01/28/2009).  This apparent increase in demand could lead to even more growth in the organic seed market, and thereby even more choice for organic farmers.
• Farmers could also choose to purchase conventional, non-organic seed.  Farmers can purchase seed from over 200 different seed companies, many of which sell both conventional and biotech seed. In addition, Monsanto will produce conventional seed for farmers who desire to order it from Monsanto.
• Finally, farmers who want the benefits of biotech seed, but want to purchase their seed from a company other than Monsanto, have that option as well. Biotech seed is available from more than 200 different seed companies. In addition, some of the biotech seed available in the marketplace contains traits developed by companies other than Monsanto – such as DuPont, Syngenta, Dow and others.

Truth: Authorities approved the commercialization of biotechnology applied to soybean seeds in 1996, and many farmers waited to purchase the technology until they saw how it performed the first few years. Farmers are businesspeople who choose seeds that will provide them with the best yield and highest profit. The Roundup Ready soybean technology delivered excellent results and proved to be extremely popular with farmers. As a result, thousands of farmers decided it was in their best financial interest to make the switch from conventional soybean seeds to Roundup Ready soybean seeds.

As farmer demand for Roundup Ready soybeans increased, Monsanto made the technology available to more than 200 other seed companies – so farmers can access the technology from a multitude of other companies.  In addition, and in light of the clear popularity of the technology with farmers, many of Monsanto’s competitors have developed or are developing other biotech products for soybeans.