Monsanto Is Going Organic in a Quest for the Perfect Veggie By Ben Paynter 01.21.

1.14 7:00 AM Monsantos new veggies are sweeter, crunchier, and more nutritious !actor. with none o! the "#ran$en!oods% ic$

&icho'as (o)e *n a window'ess +asement room decorated with )hotogra)hs o! !armers c'utching !resh'y harvested vegeta+'es, three )o'o,shirt,and,s'ac$s,c'ad Monsanto e-ecutives, a'' men, wait !or a s)ecia' 'unch. A server arrives and sets in !ront o! each a ca)rese,'i$e sa'ad tomatoes, mo..are''a, +asi', 'ettuce and one o! the e-ecs, /avid 0tar$, ro''s his des$ chair !orward, raises a !or$ dramatica''y, and s$ewers a 'ea!. 1e ta$es a +ig, showy +ite. 2he other two men, 3o++ #ra'ey and 4enny Avery, a'so tuc$ in. 2he room !i''s with 'oud, intent, wet chewing sounds. 5ventua''y, 0tar$ 'oo$s u). "&ice cris) te-ture, which )eo)'e 'i$e, and a )retty good taste,% he says. "*ts )ro+a+'y +etter than what * get out o! 0chnuc$s,% #ra'ey res)onds. 1es ta'$ing a+out a grocery chain 'oca' to 0t. 6ouis, where Monsanto is head7uartered. Avery seems ha))y8 he 9ust $ee)s eating. 2he men )o$e, )rod, and chew the ne-t course with even more vigor: sa'mon with a re'ish o! red, ye''ow, and orange +e'' )e))er and a side o! +rocco'i. "2he 'ettuce is my !avorite,% 0tar$ says a!terward. #ra'ey conc'udes that the )e))er "changes the game i! you thin$ a+out !resh )roduce.% (hanging the agricu'tura' game is what Monsanto does. 2he com)any whose name is synonymous with Big Ag has revo'utioni.ed the way we grow !ood !or +etter or worse. Activists revi'e it !or such mustache,twir'ing )ractices as suing !armers who regrow 'icensed seeds or !i''ing the wor'd with 3oundu),resistant su)erweeds. 2hen theres Monsantos re)utation scorned +y some, ce'e+rated +y others as the !oremost )urveyor o! genetica''y modi!ied commodity cro)s 'i$e corn and soy+eans with /&A edited in !rom e'sewhere, designed to have 7ua'ities nature didnt 7uite thin$ o!. 0o its not )articu'ar'y sur)rising that the com)any is introducing nove' strains o! !ami'iar !ood cro)s, invented at Monsanto and endowed +y their creators with )owers and a+i'ities !ar +eyond what you usua''y see in the )roduce section. 2he 'ettuce is sweeter and crunchier than romaine and has the stay,!resh 7ua'ity o! ice+erg. 2he )e))ers come in miniature, sing'e,serving si.es to reduce 'e!tovers. 2he +rocco'i has three times the usua' amount o! g'ucora)hanin, a com)ound that he')s +oost antio-idant 'eve's. 0tar$s de)artment, the g'o+a' trade division, came u) with a'' o! them. ":rocery stores are 'oo$ing in the )roduce ais'e !or something that )o)s, that !ee's di!!erent,% Avery says. "And consumers are 'oo$ing !or the same thing.% *! the team is right, they'' $now soon enough. #rescada 'ettuce, Be''a#ina )e))ers, and Bene!ort; +rocco'i cheery +rand names trademar$ed to an a'',+ut,anonymous Mon, santo su+sidiary ca''ed 0eminis are ro''ing out at su)ermar$ets across the <0. But heres the twist: 2he 'ettuce, )e))ers, and +rocco'i )'us a me'on and an onion, with a waterme'on soon to !o''ow arent genetica''y modi!ied at a''. Monsanto created a'' these veggies using good o'd,!ashioned cross+reeding, the same techno'ogy that !armers have +een using to o)timi.e cro)s !or mi''ennia. 2hat doesnt mean they are 'ow tech, e-act'y. 0tar$s division is drawing on Monsantos accumu'ated scienti!ic $now,how to create vegeta+'es that have a'' the advantages o! genetica''y modi!ied organisms without any o! the #ran$en!oods ic$ !actor. And thats a serious +usiness advantage. /es)ite a ga)ing 'ac$ o! evidence that genetica''y modi!ied !ood cro)s harm human hea'th, consumers have shown a mar$ed resistance to )urchasing :M )roduce =even as they ha))i'y consume )roducts derived !rom genetica''y modi!ied commodity cro)s>. 0tores 'i$e ?ho'e #oods are )'anning to add :M@ disc'osures to their 'a+e's in a !ew years. 0tate 'aws may mandate it even sooner. Bene!ort; =+rocco'i> 6aunched #a'' 2010 Avai'a+i'ity Aear,round 2rait 1

(om)ared with standard +rocco'i, contains u) to three times the amount o! g'ucora)hanin, a com)ound that increases antio-idant 'eve's Method (ross+reeding commercia' +rocco'i with a strain growing wi'd in southern *ta'y 3egion :rown Ari.ona, (a'i!ornia, Me-ico Price B2.C0 )er )ound But those re7uirements wont a))'y to Monsantos new su)erveggies. 2hey may +e +orn in a 'a+, +ut technica''y theyre every +it as natura' as what youd get at a !armers mar$et. 4ee) them away !rom )esticides and trans)ort them 'ess than 100 mi'es and you cou'd ca'' them organic and 'ocavore too. Dohn #rancis Eueeny !ormed Monsanto (hemica' ?or$s in 1F01, )rimari'y to )roduce the arti!icia' sweetener saccharin. Monsanto was the !ami'y name o! Eueenys wi!e, @'ga. *t was a good time !or chemica' com)anies. By the 1F20s, Monsanto had e-)anded into su'!uric acid and )o'ych'orinated +i)heny', or P(B, a coo'ant used in ear'y trans!ormers and e'ectric motors, now more !amous as a )ernicious environmenta' contaminant. 2he com)any moved on to )'astics and synthetic !a+rics, and +y the 1FG0s it had s)routed a division to create her+icides, inc'uding the Hietnam,era de!o'iant Agent @range. A decade 'ater, Monsanto invented 3oundu), a g'y)hosate,+ased weed $i''er that !armers cou'd a))'y to reduce overgrowth +etween cro)s, increasing )roductivity. *n the ear'y 1FF0s, the com)any turned its scienti!ic e-)ertise to agricu'ture, wor$ing on nove' cro) strains that wou'd resist the e!!ects o! its signature her+icide. &ow, +reeding new strains o! )'ants is nothing new. Euite the o))osite, in !act o)timi.ing )'ants !or yie'd, !'avor, and other 7ua'ities de!ined the ear'iest human civi'i.ations. But !or a'' the mi''ennia since some )roto, !armer !irst tried it, success!u''y a'tering )'ants has +een a game o! )o)u'ation rou'ette. Basica''y, !armers +reed a )'ant that has a trait they 'i$e with other )'ants they a'so 'i$e. 2hen they )'ant seeds !rom that union and ho)e the traits $ee) showing u) in su+se7uent generations. 2heyre wor$ing with 7ua'ities that a +io'ogist wou'd ca'', in aggregate, )henoty)e. But )henoty)e is the mani!estation o! genoty)e, the genes !or those traits. 2he rou'ette'i$e com)'ications arise +ecause some genes are dominant and some are recessive. 2a$ing a tree with sweet !ruit and crossing it with one that has +ig !ruit wont necessari'y get you a tree with sweeter, +igger !ruit. Aou might get the o))osite or a tree more vu'nera+'e to disease, or one that needs too much water, and on and on. *ts a tria',and,error guessing game that ta$es 'ots o! time, 'and, and )atience. 2he idea +ehind genetic modi!ication is to s)eed a'' that u) ana'y.e a s)ecies genes, its germ)'asm, and mani)u'ate it to your 'i$ing. *ts what the )ast three decades o! )'ant +io'ogy have achieved and continue to re!ine. Monsanto +ecame a )ioneer in the !ie'd when it set out to create 3oundu),resistant cro)s. 0tar$ 9oined that e!!ort in 1FIF, when he was a mo'ecu'ar +io'ogy )ostdoc. 1e was e-)erimenting with the then,new science o! transgenics. Monsanto was !ocusing on :M commodity cro)s, +ut the more e-citing wor$ was in creating +rand,new vegeta+'es !or consumers. #or e-am)'e, (a'gene, a 'itt'e +iotech out!it in /avis, (a'i!ornia, was +ui'ding a tomato it ca''ed the #'avr 0avr. (onventiona' tomatoes were harvested whi'e green, when theyre tough enough to withstand shi))ing, and then gassed with ethy'ene at their destination to 9um),start ri)ening. But the #'avr 0avr was engineered to re'ease 'ess o! an en.yme ca''ed )o'yga'acturonase so that the )ectin in its ce'' wa''s didnt +rea$ down so soon a!ter )ic$ing. 2he resu't was a tomato that !armers cou'd )ic$ and shi) ri)e. *n the mid,1FF0s, Monsanto +ought (a'gene and reassigned 0tar$, moving him !rom 3oundu) research to head a )ro9ect that a'most accidenta''y !igured out how to engineer !'avor into )roduce. 1e +egan tin$ering with genes that a!!ect the )roduction o! A/P,g'ucose )yro)hos)hory'ase, an en.yme that corre'ates to higher 'eve's o! g'ycogen and starch in tomatoes and )otatoes. 2rans'ation: more viscous $etchu) and a #rench !ry that wou'd shed 'ess water when coo$ed, maintaining mass without a+sor+ing grease. And he succeeded. "2he te-ture was good,% 0tar$ says. "2hey were more cris) and tasted more 'i$e a )otato.% Be''a#ina =+e'' )e))er> 6aunched #a'' 2011 Avai'a+i'ity Aear,round 2

2rait A third the si.e o! regu'ar +e'' )e))ers when ri)e, mini, mi.ing waste and a''owing !or !'e-i+i'ity whi'e coo$ing Method 0e'ective'y +reeding )'ants with sma''er and sma''er )e))ers 3egion grown (a'i!ornia, #'orida, &orth (aro'ina Price B1.C0 )er three,)e))er +ag 2hey never made it to mar$et. Aside !rom consumer +ac$'ash, the 5PA deemed 0tar6in$ corn, a new +iotech strain !rom another com)any, un!it !or human consum)tion +ecause o! its )otentia' to cause a''ergic reactions. Another genetica''y modded corn variety seemed to $i'' monarch +utter!'ies. Big !ood cong'omerates inc'uding 1ein. and Mc/ona'ds which you might recogni.e !rom their !amous tomato and )otato )roducts a+andoned :M ingredients8 some 5uro)ean countries have since re!used to grow or im)ort them. 2oss in the !act that )roduction costs on the #'avr 0avr turned out to +e too high and its easy to see why Monsanto shut down 0tar$s division in 2001. 6arge,sca'e !arms growing soy or cotton, or corn destined !or catt'e !eed or corn syru) were ha))y to )'ant :M grain that cou'd resist +ig doses o! her+icide. But the rest o! the )roduce ais'e was a no,go. #urthermore, genetica''y modi!ying consumer cro)s )roved to +e ine!!icient and e-)ensive. 0tar$ estimates that adding a new gene ta$es rough'y 10 years and B100 mi''ion to go !rom a )roduct conce)t to regu'atory a))rova'. And inserting genes one at a time doesnt necessari'y )roduce the $inds o! traits that re'y on the inter, actions o! severa' genes. ?e'' +e!ore their veggie +usiness went $a)ut, Monsanto $new it cou'dnt 9ust genetica''y modi!y its way to +etter )roduce8 it had to +reed great vegeta+'es to +egin with. As 0tar$ )hrases a com)any mantra: "2he +est gene in the wor'd doesnt !i- dogshit germ)'asm.% ?hat doesJ (ross+reeding. 0tar$ had an advantage here: *n the )rocess o! 'earning how to engineer chemica' and )est resistance into corn, researchers at Monsanto had 'earned to read and understand )'ant genomes to te'' the di!!erence +etween the dogshit germ)'asm and the go'd. And they had some ni!ty techno'ogy that a''owed them to )redict whether a given cross wou'd yie'd the traits they wanted. 2he $ey was a techni7ue ca''ed genetic mar$ing. *t ma)s the )arts o! a genome that might +e associated with a given trait, even i! that trait arises !rom mu'ti)'e genes wor$ing in concert. 3esearchers identi!y and cross )'ants with traits they 'i$e and then run mi''ions o! sam)'es !rom the hy+rid 9ust +its o! 'ea!, rea''y through a machine that can read more than 200,000 sam)'es )er wee$ and ma) a'' the genes in a )articu'ar region o! the )'ants chromosomes. Me'orange =me'on> 6aunched ?inter 2011 Avai'a+i'ity /ecem+er through A)ri' 2rait 2astes u) to K0 )ercent sweeter than canta'ou)e grown in winter Method (ross+reeding canta'ou)e and 5uro)ean heritage me'ons with a gene !or a !ruity and !'ora' aroma 3egion :rown Ari.ona, (entra' America Price BK )er me'on 2hey had more toys too. *n 200G, Monsanto deve'o)ed a machine ca''ed a seed chi))er that 7uic$'y sorts and shaves o!! wide'y varying sam)'es o! soy+ean germ)'asm !rom seeds. 2he seed chi))er 'ets researchers scan tiny genetic variations, 9ust a sing'e nuc'eotide, to !igure out i! they'' resu't in )'ants with the traits they want without having to ta$e the time to 'et a seed grow into a )'ant. Monsanto com)uter mode's can actua''y )redict inheritance )atterns, meaning they can te'' which desired traits wi'' success!u''y +e )assed on. *ts +reeding K

without +reeding, )'ant se- in si'ico. *n the rea' wor'd, the odds o! stac$ing 20 di!!erent characteristics into a sing'e )'ant are one in 2 tri''ion. *n nature, it can ta$e a mi''ennium. Monsanto can do it in 9ust a !ew years. And this a'' ha))ens without any genetic engineering. &o+ody inserts a sing'e gene into a sing'e genome. =2hey cou'd, and in !act sometimes do, 'oo$ at their crosses +y engineering a )'ant as a $ind o! +eta test. But those arent intended to 'eave the 'a+.> 0tar$ and his co''eagues rea'i.ed that they cou'd use these techno'ogies to identi!y a cross that wou'd have high'y desira+'e traits and grow the way they wanted. And they cou'd actua''y charge more !or it a'' the +ene!its o! a :M@ with none o! the stigma. "?e didnt have those too's the !irst time around in vegeta+'es,% 0tar$ says. A'so in 200C, Monsanto +ought the wor'ds 'argest vegeta+'e seed com)any, 0eminis. 2hin$ o! it as a who'esa'e su))'ier o! germ)'asm. *t turned out 0eminis came with another +ene!it: something in the )i)e'ine that 0tar$ cou'd turn into his divisions !irst test )roduct. A decade )rior, swash+uc$'ing )'ant scientists had discovered on the 'imestone c'i!!s o! western 0ici'y a strain o! Brassica villosa, ancestor o! modern +rocco'i. 2han$s to a gene ca''ed MYB28, this weedy atavist )roduced e'evated 'eve's o! g'ucora)hanin. 0tar$s team +red !urther enhancements to that antio-idant,increasing com)ound into a more !ami'iar,'oo$ing )'ant good o'd +rocco'i. *n 2010 Monsanto started test,mar$eting the new cro), ca''ing it Bene!ort;. 2he strategy was coming together: enhanced )remium veggies !or an e'ite +uyer. Bene!ort; +rocco'i came in a +ag o! ready,to,coo$ !'orets so convenientL 'a+e'ed with a +ar gra)h te'egra)hing how its antio-idant 'eve's stac$ed u) against regu'ar +rocco'i and cau'i!'ower. *t so'd, +ut Monsanto researchers $new that !uture veggies wou'd need a more com)e''ing hoo$. 5very+ody a'ready $nows that theyre su))osed to eat their +rocco'i. 5verMi'd =onion> 6aunched #a'' 2010 Avai'a+i'ity 0e)tem+er through March 2rait Mi'd and sweet, 'ess tear,inducing Method 0e'ecting !or individua' )'ants that have 'ower 'eve's o! )yruvate, which a!!ects )ungency, and 'achrymatory !actor 3egion grown Paci!ic &orthwest Price B0.70 to B2 )er )ound 0tar$s grou) had one 'ast ang'e: !'avor. *n )roduce, !'avor comes !rom a com+ination o! co'or, te-ture, taste =which is to say, genera''y, sweetness or 'ac$ o! +itterness>, and aroma. But the traits that create those varia+'es are com)'icated and sometimes nono+vious. #or e-am)'e, Monsanto created an onion the 5verMi'd with reduced 'eve's o! a chemica' ca''ed 'achrymatory !actor, the stu!! that ma$es you cry. 2hat wasnt too hard. But ma$ing a sweet winter version o! a canta'ou)e too$ more e!!ort. 0tar$s team !irst !ound genes that he')ed a #rench me'on $ee) !rom s)oi'ing a!ter harvest. 2hrough cross+reeding, they 'earned to $ee) those genes turned on. &ow !armers cou'd harvest the me'on ri)e, and it stayed ri)e 'onger with !u'' aroma. But the researchers didnt sto) there they a'so made sure the !ruit had the gene !or citron, a mo'ecu'e associated with !ruity and !'ora' aromas. 2hey ca''ed the !ina' )roduct the Me'orange. #iguring out these re'ationshi)s ta$es )'ace at a so)histicated sensory and genetics 'a+ )erched amid hundreds o! acres o! e-)erimenta' !arm'and in the rura', sun,scorched outs$irts o! ?ood'and, a !arming town in (a'i!ornias ag +e't. ?hite,coated scientists hover amid tu+s !u'' o! !ruits and vegeta+'es in a 'a+, )ro+ing them with the intensity o! !orensic investigators. Penetrometers measure s7uishiness. *nstruments ca''ed Bri- meters trac$ sugar content. :as s)ectrogra)hs, 'i7uid chromatogra)hs, and magnetic resonance imagers iso'ate s)eci!ic aromatic mo'ecu'es and their concentrations. 5ventua''y vo'unteers eat the e-)erimenta' !oods and give !eed+ac$. *n one tasting session, sensory scientist (how,Ming 6ee )asses out !ive )'astic cu)s !i''ed with +ite,si.e s7uares o! canta'ou)e, harvested !rom outside 4

and +rought in !rom a store, to a do.en me'on growers and distri+utors. 5ach cu) is 'a+e'ed with a three,digit code. 0core sheets have two co'umns: "0weetM#'avor!u'% and "Duicy.% #rescada ='ettuce> 6aunched 0)ring 2012 Avai'a+i'ity Aear,round 2rait (ris) 'eaves with a 'onger she'! 'i!e, )'us 14G )ercent more !o'ate and 74 )ercent more vitamin ( than ordinary ice+erg 'ettuce Method (rossing ice+erg 'ettuce with romaine 'ettuce 3egion grown Ari.ona, (a'i!ornia Price B2.2C to B2.C0 )er )ound A!ter sam)'ing each +atch and writing down their assessments, the )artici)ants )unch their scores into devices that connect to 6ees 'a)to), which )'ots the rooms genera' sentiment on a screen a'ong a !our,7uadrant grid ranging !rom 'ow to high !'avor on one a-is and 'ow to high 9uiciness on the other. &one o! the me'ons manage to crac$ the u))er corner o! the !ar right 7uadrant, the s'ot Monsanto ho)es to !i'': a sweet, 9uicy, crowd, )'easing me'on. *n the ad9oining !ie'ds a !ew hours 'ater, Monsanto +reeders De!! Mi''s and :reg 2o''a conduct a di!!erent $ind o! taste test. 2here they s'ice o)en a c'assic canta'ou)e and their own Me'orange !or com)arison. 2o''as assessment o! the conventiona' variety is scathing. "*ts tastes more 'i$e a carrot,% he says. Mi''s agrees: "*ts !irm. *ts sweet, +ut thats a+out it. *ts !'at.% * ta$e +ites o! +oth too. (om)ared with the standard canta'ou)e, the Me'orange tastes su)ercharged8 its vi+rant, !ruity, and u'trasweet. * want seconds. "2hats the shtic$,% Mi''s says. @! course, sweeter !ruit isnt necessari'y +etter !ruit, and its )erha)s no sur)rise that critics o! Monsanto are unconvinced that this )ush toward non,:M )roducts re)resents good cor)orate citi.enshi). 2hey 7uestion whether these new !ruits and vegeta+'es wi'' actua''y +e as hea'thy as their untwea$ed counter)arts. *n 201K, !or e-am)'e, consumer,traits researchers )rototy)ed their 0ummer 0'ice waterme'on, designed with a more a))'e'i$e te-ture =to cut down on the dreaded waterme'on,9uice,dri))ing,down,your,chin )henomenon that has scarred so many chi'dhoods>. But the denser te-ture made it taste 'ess sweet. 0o 0tar$s team is +reeding in a higher sugar content. *s that unhea'thyJ &o one rea''y $nows, +ut its certain'y true that the 'aw doesnt re7uire Monsanto to account !or )otentia' 'ong,term e!!ects. =2he #/A considers a'' additive,!ree, conventiona''y +red )roduce to +e sa!e.> &o+ody has ever tin$ered with sugar 'eve's the way Monsanto is attem)ting8 its essentia''y an e-)eriment, says 3o+ert 6ustig, a )ediatric endocrino'ogist and )resident o! the *nstitute !or 3es)onsi+'e &utrition. "2he on'y resu't they care a+out is )ro!it.% Monsanto, o! course, denies that charge. Ma$e !ruit taste +etter and )eo)'e wi'' eat more o! it. "2hats good !or society and, 'ets !ace it, good !or +usiness,% 0tar$ says. Monsanto is sti'' Monsanto. 2he com)any en!orces stringent contracts !or !armers who +uy its )roduce seeds. Dust as with 3oundu) 3eady soy+eans, Monsanto )rohi+its regrowing seeds !rom the new cro)s. 2he com)any maintains e-c'usion c'auses with growers i! harvests dont meet the standards o! !irmness, sweetness, or scent )ending strict 7ua'ity,assurance chec$s. "2he goa' is to get the )roducts recogni.ed +y the consumer, trusted, and )urchased,% 0tar$ says. "2hats what * rea''y want. * want to grow sa'es.% But he gets coy a+out the com)anys 'onger,term agenda. "*m not sure we ever rea''y )ro9ected what $ind o! mar$et share we'' have,% he says. 2he vegeta+'e division c'eared BI21 mi''ion in revenue in 201K, a signi!icant )otentia' growth area !or a B14 +i''ion,a,year com)any that 'eans heavi'y on revenue !rom +iotech corn and soy. More te''ing is the com)anys steady stream o! ac7uisitions, which suggests a continuing commitment to the )roduce ais'e. *t owns a greenhouse in the :uatema'an mountains, where the dry, warm air a''ows three or !our growth cyc'es a year great !or research. *n 200I Monsanto +ought /e 3uiter, one o! the wor'ds +iggest greenhouse seed com)anies, and in 201K it )ic$ed u) ('imate (or)oration, a +ig,data weather com)any that C

can )rovide inte' on what !ie'd traits might +e needed to survive g'o+a' warming in a given region. Mar$ :u''ey, an ana'yst at B:( #inancia', says the com)any is !o''owing the "virtuous cyc'e% a))roach8 it s)ends heavi'y on mar$eting and )ours much o! the )roceeds +ac$ into 3N/. 2he new cro)s $ee) coming. *n 2012 Monsanto de+uted Per!ormance 0eries Brocco'i, a conventiona''y +red 'ine that stands ta''er, ena+'ing chea)er, !aster mechanica' harvesting as o))osed to hand)ic$ing. Breeders are a'so growing waterme'ons with the green,and,white,stri)ed rind )atterns !ami'iar to <0 consumers +ut a'so the tiger,stri)ed variety !avored in 0)ain and the ova' 9ade version 'oved +y Austra'ians. "*ts su))osed to remind you o! where you grew u),% says Mi''s, the Monsanto me'on +reeder. 2hat suggests the division )'ans to +e a )'ayer in the tri''ion,do''ar g'o+a' )roduce mar$et. #or his )art, 0tar$ ho)es that when Monsantos a!!i'iation with some o! its +est se''ers +ecomes more wide'y $nown, the com)any might win +ac$ some trust. "2here isnt a re)utation si'ver +u''et, +ut it he')s,% he says. *n that +asement dining room at Monsanto head7uarters, he wa-es rha)sodic a+out the 'ettuce 'ong a!ter he has c'eaned his )'ate. /uring a recent tri) to 1o''and, where #rescada is gaining )o)u'arity, 0tar$ saw !o'$s )ee'ing 'eaves straight o!! the heads and munching them without dressing, 'i$e e-tra,'arge )otato chi)s. "Peo)'e 9ust ate it 'i$e a snac$, which was not the intent, +ut O% 0tar$ trai's o!! and 'oo$s around the room. 1is na)$in is sti'' on his 'a). 1es savoring the )otentia'. * (ant Be'ieve *ts &ot :M@ Agricu'ture giant Monsanto may +e +est $nown !or genetic modi!ication 'i$e creating corn that resists the e!!ects o! Monsantos weed $i''er 3oundu). But when it comes to !ruits and vegeta+'es you +uy in the store, genetic modi!ication is o!! the menu. Monsanto thin$s no one wi'' +uy #ran$en!oods, so the com)any is twea$ing its e!!orts continuing to ma) the genetic +asis o! a )'ants desira+'e traits +ut using that data to +reed new custom,designed strains the way agronomists have !or mi''ennia. 1eres how it wor$s and how the resu'ts di!!er !rom :M@ cro)s. 2han$s to this cross +etween high and 'ow tech, a new era o! su)er,)roduce may +e u)on us. Hictoria 2ang 2he @'d ?ay *denti!y )'ants with recogni.a+'e, desira+'e traits. (ross+reed those )'ants together. :row the o!!s)ring. ?ait to see i! the traits show u). 3e)eat as necessary. 2he :enetic Modi!ication ?ay *denti!y )'ants or other organisms with recogni.a+'e, desira+'e traits. *so'ate the genes that mani!est those traits. <se en.ymes to c'i) out those genes and )aste them into the genomes o! other )'ants, or in9ect them using a "gene gun% =!or rea'> or +y )iggy+ac$ing them on a +acteria or virus. :row the )'ant with the inserted gene. *! the gene has success!u''y incor)orated into the )'ant, you'' have a nove' )henoty)e. 2he &ew Monsanto ?ay *denti!y )'ants with recogni.a+'e, desira+'e traits. (ross+reed the )'ants. 0i!t through the o!!s)ring genome !or $nown mar$ers !or desira+'e traits. :row on'y the )'ants with those mar$ers. G