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Jan 1, 1000
16000-8000BC: Agriculture Begins
Agricultural societies begin to develop. -
Jan 1, 1400
469-399BC: Socrates
"Let food by thy medicine and let medicine be thy food." -
Thomas Jefferson creates the Patent and Trademark Office
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1847-1931: Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison states, "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." He also starts GE, the company that is first to receive a patent on a living organism. -
United States Food and Drug Administration is created
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General Electric applies for a patent of a bacterium
A bacterium that ingests oil is created by a scientist that works for GE. After years of review, the PTO denies the patent. GE uses the PTO and the decision goes to the US Supreme Court. -
US Supreme Court rules biological life is legal to patent
GE was successfully given a patent for a bacterium that ingests oil. After this Court decision, the PTO decides that the decision applied to all life. -
First GMO plant is introduced, a tobacco plant
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PTO issues first patent of animal life
The first animal that received a patent is a mouse that contains human and chicken genes. -
37 deaths, 1,500 permanently handicapped from GMO product
A genetically modified supplement of L-tryptophan cause 37 people to die and permanently handicapped 1,500 additional. The labs and evidence was destroyed by the company that produced the GMO supplement. -
FDA declares GMO foods are equivalent to natural foods
Only one product, the FlavrSavr tomato, is tested for safety on rats. The rats refuse to eat the GMO, so they are force fed. After two weeks, 7 of the 40 rats have died. Several more have stomach lesions. The study is stopped and the FDA approves the FlavrSavr 1994 and says GMO foods are same as natural foods and tests are voluntary. -
Allergic Reactions from GMO
Brazilian nut genes are inserted into soybeans. No problem in animal studies, but humans turn out to have allergic reaction that can lead to anaphylactic shock. -
Copyright Infringement lawsuit filed
Monsanto sues a famer for copyright infringement violations. GM crop seed blows from one farm to another, but the owner of the patent still owns the crop. This puts farmers at risk of being sued even if they know nothing about having GM crop on their property. It also causes organic farmers to be stripped of their certification. Monsanto has filed 145 lawsuits for copyright infringement. -
Consulting group reveals Monsanto's goals
Arthur Anderson Consulting Group explains how they helped Monsanto develop a plan to accomplish their goal of creating a world in which 100% of all plant seeds are genetically modified and patented. Monsanto owns 90% of all GMO seeds today. -
20% of all human genes are patented in US
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Production of rBGH is stopped
Monsanto's GM hormone that is given to cows to cause them to produce more milk, rBGH is stopped from production. It has been linked to increase cancer. RBGH had previously been banned by the European Union, Canada, and other countries around the world. It was in production in the US for over 10 years, and labeling was not required. In fact, to this day, no GM foods are required to be tested for health safety or required to be labeled in the US.
