The problem with the "teetering" moment is these things have a way of sneaking up on you. Exponential growth in GMO crops would push this from an "in fifty years" thing to "in ten years" which is basically tomorrow.

I also doubt Monsanto and other big GMO organizations are going to give away anything ever unless they're forced to. Their answer to everything is "sue me" because they know they'll bury you.

I'm basically proposing a principle that could be cast into law. Plant a crop with IP attached to it, then you better clean up after yourself. Monsanto would probably lobby against such a law, but so what, screw them and pass it anyway.

I'm pretty sanguine about the teetering. Among other things, companies like Monsanto (and thus their competitors) like to do things like maintain big seed banks. So do academics and hobbyists.