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Monsanto

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→‎Overview and History: adding to history from Good Jobs First research
IG Farben was not dissolved until 2003.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1549092.stm IG Farben to be dissolved], [[BBC]], September 17, 2001</ref> See also [[pharmaceutical industry]].
 
Monsanto was the creator of several attractions in Disney's Tomorrowland. Often they revolved around the the virtues of chemicals and plastics. Their "House of the Future" was constructed entirely of plastic, but biodegradable it was not:
 
:"After attracting a total of 20 million visitors from 1957 to 1967, Disney finally tore the house down, but discovered it would not go down without a fight. According to Monsanto Magazine, wrecking balls literally bounced off the glass-fiber, reinforced polyester material. Torches, jackhammers, chain saws and shovels did not work. Finally, choker cables were used to squeeze off parts of the house bit by bit to be trucked away." <ref>[http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Monsanto-Disneyland-HomeoftheFuture.htm Disneyland's Home of the Future], Mindfully.org, accessed January 2011</ref> However another of their synthetic inventions, Astroturf (fake grass), survives.
 
See also history of Monsanto [http://www.reuters.com/article/idUKN103210092009111 time line]. <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/idUKN1032100920091111 Time line: History of Monsanto Co.], [[Reuters]], Nov 11, 2009</ref>
 
===Post-WWII Expansion and Move into Biotechnology===
Monsanto expanded into producing herbicides after World War II, including the brands Ramrod, Lasso, and (later on) Roundup. In 1985, it acquired the drug company G. D. Searle, which produced aspartame under the brand name NutraSweet. At the time Searle faced lawsuits related to its Copper-7 intrauterine contraceptive device.<ref name="mattera profile"/>
Beginning in the 1980s, Monsanto focused more intensively on agricultural biotechnology. According to research by Good Jobs First, the company initially aimed to develop "crops that would not be damaged when the company's herbicide Roundup was applied to kill weeds,"<ref name="mattera profile"/> a strategy it continues to pursue today.
The first genetically engineered product made by Monsanto was bovine somatotropin (BST, sold under the name Posilac), a growth hormone given to dairy cows to artificially stimulate milk production. BST was approved by the creator FDA in 1993. Despite protests by consumers and grocery stores,<ref>Keith Schneider," [http://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/04/us/grocers-challenge-use-of -new-drug-for-milk-output.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm GROCERS CHALLENGE USE OF NEW DRUG FOR MILK OUTPUT]," ''New York Times'', February 4, 1994. Accessed November 18, 2014.</ref> Monsanto continued its move into biotech with several attractions acquisitions in Disney's Tomorrowland. Often they revolved around this period, including Calgene, which produced a controversial genetically modified tomato called the the virtues of chemicals Flavr Savr; and DeKalb Genetics and plasticsCargill, both seed producers. Their <ref name="House of the Futuremattera profile" was constructed entirely of plastic, but biodegradable it was not:/>
The company underwent a complicated restructuring in the late 1990s, as a Good Jobs First corporate profile describes:<br>"After attracting It announced plans to spin off the remainder of its old chemical business into a company called Solutia (which later filed for bankruptcy as a total result of 20 million visitors from 1957 legal settlements relating to 1967, Disney finally tore PCBs); the house down, but discovered it would not go down without a fight. According to Monsanto Magazine, wrecking balls literally bounced sweetener business was also sold off the glass-fiber, reinforced polyester material. Torches, jackhammers, chain saws The agriculture and shovels did not work. Finallypharmaceuticals businesses merged with Pharmacia & Upjohn in 2000, choker cables were used to squeeze off parts of with the house bit by bit to be trucked away." <ref>[http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Monsanto-Disneyland-HomeoftheFuture.htm Disneyland's Home of combined company taking the Future], Mindfully.org, accessed January 2011</ref> However another of their synthetic inventions, Astroturf (fake grass), survivesname Pharmacia.
See also history :"Pharmacia then spun off the agricultural business as the new Monsanto (the rest of the company was acquired by Pfizer). During the following years Monsanto [http://www.reuters.com/article/idUKN103210092009111 time line]focused on the seed business, purchasing regional firms as well as the large fruit and vegetable seed company Seminis; it later bought the large cotton seed company Delta and Pine Land as well. "<ref>[http:name="mattera profile"//www.reuters.com/article/idUKN1032100920091111 Time line: History of Monsanto Co.], [[Reuters]], Nov 11, 2009</ref>
==Global Pollution and Environmental Impact==
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