Worldwide protests decry Monsanto, GMOs

LOS ANGELES—Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday as part of a global series of marches against seed giant Monsanto Co. and genetically modified foods.

Organizers said the March Against Monsanto demonstrations were being held in roughly 300 cities in more than 44 countries this weekend. The event — a social media-generated call to action against genetically modified foods and the multinational corporations that produce them — marked the first such global, unified protest for this cause, organizers said.

Starting in downtown’s Pershing Square, a colorful crowd marched toward City Hall, where they rallied for most of the afternoon. Many carried large posters with messages such as “Label GMOs, it’s our right to know” and “Don’t let corporate greed dictate your health.” One adult protester arrived in a cow-print onesie and a sign that said, “Happy cows do not eat GMOs.”

Monsanto, a multinational company based in St. Louis, told the Associated Press that it respects people’s rights to express their opinions on the topic, but that it stands by the seeds it sells. The seeds help farmers produce more from their land while conserving resources such as water and energy, Monsanto said.

The debate over genetically engineered food has been going on since the crops became widespread in the mid-1990s.

In 1992, the FDA concluded that there was no difference between genetically engineered and non-engineered plants.

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate rejected 71 to 27 an amendment to the 2013 farm bill that would let states require labels on food or beverages made with genetically modified ingredients. Many at Saturday’s rally in L.A. said the Senate’s action added political urgency to their cause.