> Monsanto, which has just paid out $2.4 million to US farmers, settling one of many lawsuits it’s been involved in worldwide, is also facing accusations that its seeds are to blame for a spike in suicides by India farmers.
> The accusations have not transformed into legal action so far, but criticism of Monsanto has been mounting, blaming the giant company for contributing to over 290,000 suicides by Indian farmers over the last 20 years.
> Farmers in India are having doubts that genetically modified cotton is providing much benefit after a whitefly attack ravaged their fields.
> The whitefly attack on the Bt cotton variety in Punjab and Haryana reportedly contributed to the suicides of at least 3 farmers around the city of Bhatinda and tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets to demand state aid. [1]
So no, actually, we are most certainly free to reject genetically modified crops.
(For instance, Roundup Ready crops get planted because farmers prefer the risk profile, not from lack of other seed)