Monsanto 1, Common Sense 0 … For Now
Hats off to Derry Brownfield, a Missouri radio broadcaster who spoke truth to Monsanto’s power and, as a result, lost his access to the broadcast studio in a company he co-founded.
The Corporate Crime Reporter tells the story in great detail, but here’s the tale in a nutshell:
Thirty-five years ago, Brownfield and Clyde Lear established Learfield Communications, now one of the top college sports radio broadcasters in the U.S. Lear bought out Brownfield in 1985, but Brownfield continued to broadcast for the company from its studios, eventually hosting a daily show called The Common Sense Coalition. On that show, he recently started assailing Monsanto, the multinational king of genetically modified crops and a company known for going after farmers who knowingly or unknowingly grow Monsanto-patented crops.
On his April 16 showApril 16 show, Brownfield characterized Monsanto’s aggressive nature as goonish and Mafia-like. He also said the mainstream, big-money media rarely takes on the issue, pointing out — presciently, it turns out — “The multinationals hate me, like the devil hates holy water, because people that tell the truth aren’t welcome on these major networks.”
Big problem, as Monsanto is an advertiser on Learfield Communications broadcasts.
The sales executives weren’t happy. The news executives weren’t happy. Brownfield’s former founding partner Lear asked him to lighten up. Brownfield said no.
And so it is that Brownfield’s last broadcast from Learfield’s studios will take place at the middle of this month. Lear says he will help his old partner build an Internet broadcast studio in Brownfield’s home, but that Learfield Communications will no longer have any connection to Brownfield’s show.
Brownfield told the Corporate Crime Reporter he couldn’t comment on the matter until the end of the month.
Bet he’ll have a heck of a lot to say after that, though.
I’ll say this now: the guy’s got a lot of guts. And I’ll bet there are plenty of farmers who quietly agree with him.
One of the reasons I recently moved to Mendocino county is that they recently banned the production and sale of GMO crops. So essentially, no Monsanto allowed. It’s great having so much locally-grown organic food available… hopefully more places follow suit! They’re truly one of the world’s most evil corporations.