We hear a lot about Monsanto agricultural company these days. In fact, more than 18,000 people filed a class action suit in the United States claiming that RoundUp herbicide was the cause of their cancer. In addition, the city of Montreal has recently stated that it intends to ban this herbicide completely. Monsanto has been regarded for many years as one of the villains of the environmental cause. The impact of their products does not stop with the health of the American farmers, but also with the health of the producers of cotton and that of our environment. Indirectly, Monsanto has an impact on the way we produce the material needed for the production of clothing, both for fast fashion and luxury fashion.
About Monsanto
Monsanto is a company working in the agro-food industry. In 2017, it was valued at 60 billion US dollars. In 2018, this company was purchased by the pharmaceutical giant Bayers. Bayers also has an agri-food business, Bayers CropScience. The merger of these companies has allowed them to achieve a share of about 30% in the market of genetically modified seeds and control chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides. Although this merger is approved by the US Department of Justice and the Competition Bureau of Canada, many farmers are worried about the power this will give this company, especially for independent farmers. Indeed, following the various mergers that took place in the agri-food sector, there are really only four companies that hold 60% of the market. This reduces the options available to farmers, both in terms of products and prices. Although interested companies argue that these mergers will allow more innovation to help these farmers, the data collected by the US Department of Agriculture show the opposite. In fact, companies that had been merged in the late 1990s were investing less in research and development compared to the size of their market share than before the mergers.
About RoundUp
RoundUp is a glyphosate herbicide. It has been the most widely used herbicide in the world since 2016. This chemical agent has been in use since 1974, but is increasingly controversial following multiple lawsuits against Monsanto. There are thousands of farmers seeking compensation for their non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a form of cancer that affects white cells which play an important role in the immune system. In 2015, a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (AIRC) classified glyphosate as "potentially carcinogenic". In contrast, the US Food and Drug Administration as well as Health Canada rely on their own analysts to judge the risks of the products they approve, and they have determined that the herbicide is not a problem for humans. It is not uncommon for studies to contradict each other, and in the case of RoundUp, the literature is very divided. It is difficult to determine by epidemiological study a cause-and-effect relationship, we speak only of correlation. A scientific consensus can take years to reach, as it has been for cigarettes. It is therefore difficult to determine whether or not RoundUp could be dangerous for the general population.
Monsanto and cotton
RoundUp is not the only product manufactured by Monsanto. Indeed, a large part of the cotton that is produced in the world is Bt Cotton, a strain genetically modified by Monsanto, for which the company has a patent. This creates problems for farmers, especially for the largest cotton producer, India, where 90% of the cotton produced is Bt Cotton. This strain has been modified so that the cotton plants produce a toxin that attacks the bollworms, in order to increase the production of these cotton plants and reduce the use of pesticides.
The patent that Monsanto has on this variety of cotton, combined with its almost monopoly in India, allows it to charge a high price for seeds. Monsanto also sells licenses to different distributors in India, which makes it possible to sell the same product under a different name and give an impression of choice. Bt Cotton seeds are 3 to 8 times more expensive than regular seeds. Before the introduction of Bt Cotton, farmers kept their seeds and could replant them the following year. This is not possible with genetically modified hybrid seeds, as used in India, because they are sterile. It is almost impossible nowadays to buy non-GM seeds in India. One can also question the future of cotton biodiversity and its effect on the environment ...
Although the first years of use of Bt Cotton have had the desired effects, in the long run the reverse has occurred. India's cotton production is increasing year by year, but the amount of hectares harvested is also increasing, so it is difficult to attribute growth in production to the use of Bt Cotton alone. Some areas exclusively exploiting Bt Cotton recorded losses of up to 50% of their previous production. All this is even more problematic because the worms have developed resistance to the toxin produced by Bt Cotton. In addition, the decline in the worm population of the cotton bud has allowed other insect species to multiply. Thus, not only are harvests not better, but as much or more pesticides is used than before the introduction of Bt Cotton in India. Finally, the exploitation of Bt Cotton in India has decreased the amount of nutrients in the soil, since this strain requires up to 15% more nutrients than a non-GM strain. Thus, farmers must redouble their efforts in terms of irrigation and fertilization.
The price of seeds, pesticides and irrigation for the maintenance of Bt Cotton fields is increasing, and this is forcing many cotton farmers in India to borrow so they can buy seeds and other equipment. Loans can have very high interest rates, and are almost impossible to pay when the harvest is not as good as promised. In 2015 alone, about 12,000 Indian farmers took their lives as a result of too much debt.
What to do?
The problem of cotton farming in India is not only an economic problem for farmers. This is an ethical problem, in which one must ask what is the responsibility of the government and the GM seed companies, but also what is the consumer's responsibility. The reason farmers have so much pressure to produce more and more cotton is simple: demand is increasing year by year and the consumer is not willing to pay more for their clothes.
Although the Indian government is trying to cap the price of BT seeds, this does not solve the underlying problem that Bt cotton is simply no longer effective in increasing India's cotton production, nor does it help farmers to pay their bills. Many are asking to revert to the use of native seeds, which require less water and are naturally resistant to local pests. In addition, this type of seed is not patented, which allows farmers to reuse each year and avoid huge debts. Farmers should also be taught to rotate crops instead of growing all of their land on a year-round basis to limit soil depletion. Finally, facilities for threading and weaving cotton could be put in place to allow India to export a refined product instead of a raw material, which would bring in even more money for the country and its citizens.
For our part, we can ask various companies that produce and sell clothing more transparency on the source of raw materials. Indeed, the indication "made in" gives information only on the last stage of production of the garment. We can buy a product made in Canada, but the fabric was dyed in China, woven in Bangladesh and whose cotton has grown in India ...
As long as there is no indication as to the source of the raw material on all garments, the best way to avoid encouraging harmful farming practices is to pay attention to certifications on clothing. For example, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification allows consumers to ensure that the entire garment production chain has minimal ethical and environmental impact, from agriculture to product sale and processing. This is the strictest certification of the raw material of a garment. Obviously, buying bamboo or hemp clothing avoids participating in the debacle of cotton farming in India, but these fibers come with their own problems if they are not certified.
Among the companies offering certified organic clothing, I recommend these:
The best way to reduce the environmental impact when buying clothes is simply to buy less, or buy second-hand clothes! Check out my guide to shopping in thrift for more information!
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