These technologies either render crops sterile or control their genetic traits via chemicals. This is in contravention of previous commitments by both companies not to pursue these technologies. They will be forced to purchase seeds every planting season that are dependent on chemical inducers to switch on and off plant characteristics for yield, height, nutrition, flowering, ageing, disease resistance, etc. Approximately 1.4 billion farmers rely on saved seeds. According to the South-North Development Monitor the new Syngenta will be the third largest seed supplier in the world.
Seed is the center of food chain.
Corporate control of our seeds, will amount to corporate take over of our food system and leave us at the mercy of transnational corporations. Furthermore, sterile, chemically dependent crops will increase the sales of unnecessary and dangerous agricultural inputs. The report by the pan-European coalition of NGOs states Novartis and AstraZeneca have taken out 11 new patents to render crops dependent on chemicals. Farmers in the U.S. have taken exception to the new Novartis policy, claiming it to be a double standard. Novartis produces Ovaltine, Gerber baby foods, Wasa crackers and a variety of 'health foods'.