Jim Steele

One way to make cheaper food is to design better seeds. The largest seed company in the world is Monsanto – the American agri-business giant whose patented, genetically-modified seeds are behind many of the soybean, corn, and canola-based food products that line supermarket shelves. Monsanto requires farmers who use its patented seeds to pay licensing fees. Those who don’t pay, on purpose or by accident, become targets for the so-called “seed police” – Monsanto’s army of private eyes and lawyers who aggressively defend the company’s patents. Veteran investigative reporter Jim Steele wrote about Monsanto’s seed cops for Vanity Fair, and he speaks with Faith Salie on Fair Game.