[randomdata]

> Monsanto has systematically worked to destroy access to seeding machines (which take mature crop and harvest the seeds from them)

Wait, you mean the combine? They are not hard to come by at all. You will find one on most grain farms.

> Farmers are basically bullied away from approaching another source for their seeds.

Monsanto already licenses the technology to anyone you might buy seeds from.

> Lastly, Monsanto is only able to effectively enforce these patents in the US.

I believe Canada was the first location for the successful test of the validity of the patent.

[protomyth]

> Wait, you mean the combine?

hkarthik probably meant "seed cleaning equipment" which is quite different from a combine.

> Monsanto already licenses the technology to anyone you might buy seeds from.

No, that would be false. In fact, they go a step farther and claim that if your neighbor has Monsanto seeds and it drifts into your plots, you need to pay them. Instead of a time honored "you contaminated my land - pay me" we get the reverse complete with bully lawyers.

> I believe Canada was the first location for the successful test of the validity of the patent.

Yep, and it was a horrifically stupid ruling[1].

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_Canada_Inc._v._Schmeis...

[randomdata]

> hkarthik probably meant "seed cleaning equipment" which is quite different from a combine.

That had crossed my mind, but he was quite explicit about the machine that does the harvesting of the seeds. It is not very common for farmers to clean their own seeds anyway, even predating these patent issues. Monsanto has been so successful with this because it has no real impact on most farms.

> No, that would be false.

I mean you are not going to be buying GMO seed from your neighbour, but any business in the business of producing seeds will have the technology available. Monsanto is not the only vendor of RR products.