Occupy Monsanto Protests Shareholder Meeting

Shareholders for Monsanto gathered on the campus of the Creve Coeur agri-giant's world headquarters Thursday to elect members of the company's Board of Directors.

Approximately eight demonstrators, calling themselves Occupy Monsanto, spent several hours Thursday afternoon holding signs and banners along Olive Boulevard. The group was protesting Monsanto's use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and its lack of transparency in research. 

Adam Eidinger, speaking on behalf of Harrington Investments and the Pesticide Action Network, read a statement to protesters before heading inside to speak to other shareholders. Eidinger said he owns 75 shares of Monsanto stock. 

Eidinger said he was going to speak to the shareholders about transparency in labeling, research and business practices. 

His speech read, in part:

The way forward is by upholding the Company's pledge to transparency. First, this means following the lead of other Fortune 500 companies likeApple, Coca-Cola and Walmart and begin to stream over the Internet audio and video of all future shareholder meetings. Second, the Company should cease its efforts to stymie legislative solutions that provided increased transparency around GMO foods. States like Washington, Hawaii, Connecticut, Oregon, New Mexico, Vermont and even here in Missouri have legislative solutions in the works. These efforts should be embraced by the Company, not fought off with lobbyists and lawyers. Third, the Company needs to provide scientists access to the Company's seeds and existing body of research. Let independent scientist provide the much needed peer-reviewed studies, so the public at large believes this Company is being truly transparent.

Eidinger quoted Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant from an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Grant said "we (Monsanto) needs to do a much better job explaining where food comes from." To view the full WSJ interview, click here.

See Patch's previous coverage:

• 'Occupy' Protests Targeting Monsanto Around The World
• 'Occupy' Protests Hit Monsanto's Creve Coeur Headquarters
• Occupy The Midwest Protests Monsanto Without Coming To Creve Coeur
• Monsanto Shareholders Meeting Subject Of Protest