The Farmer's Daughter USA

Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Work with Me
    • Speaking
    • Giveaways
    • Social Media Consulting
    • Sponsored and Guest Posts
  • Gift Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
  • About Me
    • Media
    • Terms of Use

My Trip to Monsanto

March 6, 2017

While in St. Louis, Missouri for the Food and Fear event, I had the opportunity to do something I’ve wanted to do for quite a long time – visit Monsanto!

As a sponsor of the Food and Fear event, Monsanto invited a group of participants to come to their corporate offices in St. Louis, chat with some of their scientists and engineers, and take a tour of the facility. Despite what I’ve been told repeatedly over the last few years of blogging, I have never been inside such a facility so this was an exciting, unique opportunity for me and it did not disappoint! The facility was very nice, the people were awesome, and it was so cool to see some of the things the company is working on.

While I would love to give you a play-by-play account of the day, for your sake, I’ll stick to a highlight reel.

An Introduction to Plant Breeding

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the biggest highlights on the tour were those focused on plant breeding. What may surprise you is that we talked a lot about traditional breeding methods to create hybrids. In other words, non-GMOs.

So, how do plant breeders know which plants they want to use as the parents for those hybrid crops? Simply put, by taking DNA samples from a number of specimen and choosing the ones with the desired traits. Originally, this process included planting up to 100,000 seeds, waiting for them to grow into plants, and then taking about four leaf samples from each plant. Those samples were then coded so scientists could keep track of which plant they came from (read: logistical nightmare). The DNA of the samples were then checked for desired traits and only the plants with the right ones were kept. The rest of the plants were pulled out of the field and disposed.

More modern techniques actually take the DNA samples right from the seed itself, instead of the leaf samples. While this was originally accomplished by filing the seed, a chipping tool was later created for better speed and efficiency. These chipping tools started as hand-held tools where one seed could be chipped at a time (try doing that 100,000 times…), but now more advanced machines are used that can chip several seeds at a time. Once the desired traits are found, the hybrid creation can begin.

Of course, we also talked about genetically modified plants and the creation process. We were shown corn plants in different stages of the process. Interestingly, genetic engineering is only one step toward creating a new biotech plant. The rest of the process involves some of the traditional plant breeding methods described to find seeds where the DNA was changed in exactly the way necessary.

Machine Creation

The coolest part of the tour had really very little to do with agriculture.

Consider that when Monsanto needs a machine or tool to do something, such as chipping seeds, it can’t just run down to Costco and buy the required machine. They have to create the machine. We were able to take a quick pass through the area where Monsanto designs and creates these specific tools and machines. Once a machine is designed by the engineers, it is created using a 3-D printer. I have no idea how these things work, but it was so cool to see the bendable, pliable, little plastic models that these printers were able to create. Once the designers are sure that the 3-D model is exactly what they need to do the job, it is then created using steel and other more durable materials.

All of the models and machines being built and processed while we were in the plant were at least 6-7 years away from being implemented.

Crop Pest Protection

Another part of the tour that I found absolutely fascinating was the one regarding pest protection for crops. Did you know that 95% of all the biomass on the Earth is insects?! Let that sink in for a minute and hopefully you’ll appreciate how important pesticides are for farmers.

When Monsanto seeks out ways to protect plants from these pests, they’re always looking for the most targeted approach. That means they try to find a pesticide that targets only the insect causing the problem, instead of finding a pesticide that kills that bug…and all the others. The Bt protein is the best example of a targeted pest management pesticide. By inserting the gene into certain crops, the plant is protected from certain pests. You can learn more about how this trait works here.

By way of a visual aid, there was a display case at the Monsanto facility. In it were two soybean plants containing the GE Bt trait. There was also a non-GE soybean plant. Monsanto employees then put certain worms into the case, including the looper, which target soybean plants. As you can see from the above photo, the non-GE soybean plant (center) did not fair so well. The GE soybean plants did much better and were thriving.

While on the tour, we also got to see the greenhouses Monsanto has onsite, talk about bee health, and learn more about their new data tools for farmers. We were also treated to some very interesting conversation and a nice lunch.

Overall, it was a super cool experience to see the facility, learn more about the company, and have the opportunity to actually speak with employees. A special thank you to everyone at Monsanto for having us at the facility and showing us around!

signature
Share this:
«
»

Filed Under: Promotion and Engagement Tagged With: corporations, GMO, gmos, Monsanto

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe via Email

Archives

Latest on Twitter

March 2, 2023
Farmers Daughter's Twitter avatar
Farmers Daughter
@farmdaughterusa

Right-to-Repair Challenges Continue t.co/sOTL8t7fPx

  • Reply
  • Retweet 3
  • Like 3
March 1, 2023
Farmers Daughter's Twitter avatar
Farmers Daughter
@farmdaughterusa

Soy & Soil Erosion t.co/gvugi5W3DK

  • Reply
  • Retweet 0
  • Like 2
February 27, 2023
Farmers Daughter's Twitter avatar
Farmers Daughter
@farmdaughterusa

LEGO Responds to My Inquiry…Again t.co/7kLnR7Zzy7

  • Reply
  • Retweet 1
  • Like 3

Latest on Facebook

The Farmer's Daughter

16 hours ago

The Farmer's Daughter

Things I didn't miss while on vacation:❌ watching the news❌ hours scrolling on my phone❌ stress about creating new content❌ hours in front of the tv❌ worry about billable hours❌ always being connected❌ my to-do listIsn't it funny how a good vacation can change your perspective? Hoping to keep a few of these things with me until my next adventure.

... See MoreSee Less


Photo

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

5 days ago

The Farmer's Daughter

Whoops! Looks like I missed #NationalAgricultureDay.We're on a family vacation in Florida this week. We hit SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom. My highlight was spending some much-needed time with my favorite people. Headed home to Michigan soon. We're all hoping to bring back some warmer temperatures! 🤞 I hope you're having a good week! 💜

... See MoreSee Less


Photo

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

2 weeks ago

The Farmer's Daughter

I almost feel bad for Kroger. Almost. My latest for AGDAILY

... See MoreSee Less

Kroger learns hard lesson about aligning with ag extremists | AGDAILY

www.agdaily.com

Mercy for Animals goes for the kill shot against Kroger after the grocer loosened its approach to selling only cage-free eggs.

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

2 weeks ago

The Farmer's Daughter

I bet I'm not the only one with extra coffee this morning. Just remember: farmers don't like Daylight Savings Time either! 😉

... See MoreSee Less


Photo

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

The Farmer's Daughter

3 weeks ago

The Farmer's Daughter

I'm not sure I deserve to be on the same list as these other ladies, but I'm so flattered! Here's to all the ladies in agriculture today!

... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

·
Share



Share on Facebook



Share on Twitter



Share on Linked In



Share by Email

Latest on Instagram

thefarmersdaughterusa

I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney by day, and "agvocate" at night.

Amanda Zaluckyj
Things I didn't miss while on vacation: ❌ watch Things I didn't miss while on vacation:

❌ watching the news
❌ hours scrolling on my phone
❌ stress about creating new content
❌ hours in front of the tv
❌ worry about billable hours
❌ always being connected
❌ my to-do list

Isn't it funny how a good vacation can change your perspective? Hoping to keep a few of these things with me until my next adventure.
Whoops! Looks like I missed #NationalAgricultureDa Whoops! Looks like I missed #NationalAgricultureDay.

We're on a family vacation in Florida this week. We hit SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom. My highlight was spending some much-needed time with my favorite people. Headed home to Michigan soon. We're all hoping to bring back some warmer temperatures! 🤞

 I hope you're having a good week! 💜
I bet I'm not the only one with extra coffee on th I bet I'm not the only one with extra coffee on this Monday morning. Just remember: farmers don't like Daylight Savings Time either! 😉

#agriculture #usagriculture #farmers #usfarmers #farming #farmfamilies #sustainableag #sustainableagriculture #sustainable #sustainability #farmerscare #homegrown #localagriculture #knowyourfarmer #shoplocal #madeintheusa #madeintheus #americanagriculture
Do you know why farmers choose to grow bioengineer Do you know why farmers choose to grow bioengineered crops?

#agriculture #usagriculture #farmers #usfarmers #farming #farmfamilies #sustainableag #sustainableagriculture #sustainable #sustainability #farmerscare #homegrown #localagriculture #knowyourfarmer #shoplocal #madeintheusa #madeintheus #americanagriculture #be #bioengineered
Oh, man. These lyrics are hitting me in all the fe Oh, man. These lyrics are hitting me in all the feels right now.

"When they pave all the dirt roads and John Deeres are dinosaurs

When the last back forty gets sold and young boys don't open doors

When you can't hunt a white tail and keep what you reel in

Well, I hope I'm in Heaven by then

Oh, I don't wanna go today, but I don't wanna live

Down here at a place that thinks that that place don't exist

If there comes a day this country's somewhere country don't fit in

Hell, I hope I'm in Heaven by then."

"Heaven By Then," Brantley Gilbert & Blake Shelton

#countrymusic #country #heavenbythen #faith #rurallife #countrylife #farmlife #myhome myhome
Sunday morning snuggles. 🥰🥰 #Mischa #doggie Sunday morning snuggles. 🥰🥰

#Mischa #doggielove #dogsofinstagram #dogs #furmom #furbaby #sundayvibes #sundayfunday
U.S. farmers are constantly improving their craft U.S. farmers are constantly improving their craft and becoming better at their jobs. These types of statistics prove it.

#usagriculture #agriculture #soybeans #soy #soyproduction #soilhealth #sustainableag #sustainableagriculture #sustainablefarms #sustainablefarming #healthysoils
Did you know this about the organic label? If yo Did you know this about the organic label? 

If you want to buy certified organic products, that's totally your choice! But you should also know what you're buying and what it actually means. Often that reality is different than organic marketing.

#agriculture #usagriculture #farmers #usfarmers #farming #farmfamilies #sustainableag #sustainableagriculture #sustainable #sustainability #farmerscare #homegrown #localagriculture #knowyourfarmer #shoplocal #madeintheusa #madeintheus #americanagriculture #organic #organicfood #organiclabel
Now that's efficiency! #dairy #dairygood #milk # Now that's efficiency! 

#dairy #dairygood #milk #farms #sustainableag #agriculture #food #milkglass #dairycows #dairyfarm #dairyfarming #dairyindustry #drinkmilk #chocolatemilk #farmfact #farmsfacts
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs

Go to mobile version