Monsanto's Ever-Stronger Stranglehold on the Seed Industry

The seeds of Monsanto Company (MON) are everywhere in the typical American diet; in those corn chips, corn flakes and soy milk, yes, but also in the yogurt, hamburger and sausage McMuffin; in the soda, candy bars, barbecue sauce and sandwich bread.

A new investigative report by the Associated Press, based on a series of confidential licensing contracts, reveals that not only are Monsanto-patented genes in 95% of the soybeans and 80% of the corn grown in the U.S., but that the company's control over the seed industry is so ironclad, prices are sure to rise precipitously in the next several years.