Credit: Jason Jenkins

Is Monsanto “evil”?

Just pop that question into Google and you’ll find out quickly why Monsanto ranks near the top of every “most hated company” list. And ask any news editor … the name “Monsanto” is guaranteed clickbait that reels in readers by the bushel.

It’s probably why you are reading this right now.

Perhaps you, like many anti-GMO farmers, environmental watchdogs and consumer advocates, see Monsanto as the embodiment of everything that’s wrong with corporate America. Its name is synonymous with unbridled greed, indifference to the environment, bipartisan cronyism and a demonstrated willingness to steamroll the little guy.

To wit, Monsanto wields a three-decade-old Supreme Court patent ruling like a scythe as it cuts down farmers who dare to save seeds for the next planting season. It has also beaten back challenges from organic farmers who fell victim to “genetic drift” when Monsanto’s patented crops cross-pollinated with their non-GMO neighbors and therefore rendered them unsellable.