Livestock breeding in the hands of corporations

Susanne gura

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Scarcely noticed by the general public, the global livestock industry is going through a rapid process of concentration. Company takeovers and co-operation agreements proliferate and technology is changing fast. Patents are flying out for genetic material, and other proprietary strategies are being vigorously pursued. In a process that bears an uncanny resemblance to what has happened to the global seed market, the breeding sector – now renamed “livestock genetics” – is becoming the nerve centre of the industry and extending its control over livestock farming. Quick to seize the opportunity, agro-giants such as Monsanto are moving in.