I work with many seed companies in Iowa - small and large.
I disagree that many hate Monsanto - when talking about those who work in the industry. If a smaller seed company wants to stay in business, they have to license/use traits developed by there/the large companies that develop them. The heads of companies may not love the stipulations of the technology/trait contracts but I do not see that hate boil over so that they hate the people that work there. Again, I'm talking about the people that do the day-to-day work of developing lines and traits for market. I do not see them get all hyped up about other companies. They pretty much came from the same programs at the same universities and know each other from 'way back'. They hire from each other's employees pools all the time. I never see anyone stand around an complain about the competition. They're too busy working.
Salesmen, that's where I may see the competition boil over and the bad mouthing of one another take root. But what do you expect - they're all fighting for marketshare.
Yep, many meetings. As with most seed companies. As with most jobs.
Yep, lots of safety requirements. As with many seed companies. But if you're going to get drug down by the fact that you have to wear safety glasses then you're going to get drug down in life by lots of little things. Monsanto is not the most over-the-top on safety. Another seed company has a no-cellphone-policy when driving, whether you're driving during work or off-the-clock time. Immediate fireable offense. I have a permanent visitors badge so I can get into buildings without an escort. Turns out, by having that badge I am subject to all their employee safety edicts. Someone called in my license plate because I was sitting in my car, talking on my phone, waiting for their employee so we could start a fumigation. Security went nuts - ordered me to return the badge. I'M NOT EVEN THEIR EMPLOYEE. Okay, you can have your badge. But your company is going to personally bring everything to my office that needs export certification. Viola. Badge reinstated. I'm now careful to not be on my phone on their property to avoid doing this again. And yes, they watch for safety offenses, like running stop signs on their campus, on the security cameras strung up everywhere.
