New York, January 30 (RHC)-- At least 11 people have been arrested in a protest outside the annual shareholders meeting of the agribusiness giant Monsanto.

A number of protesters, several of whom were Monsanto shareholders, endured cold temperatures in Creve Coeur, Missouri as they pushed the biotech company to work with the federal government towards efforts to label food featuring genetically-modified organisms (GMO).

Inside the meeting, activist shareholders presented resolutions calling for the completion of a report accounting for the environmental and social impacts of GMO production. Both measures were voted down.

Outside the meeting, activists were placed in handcuffs after carrying out a sit-in. One of the organizers of the protest said: "Monsanto is fighting democratic efforts to label genetically modified food. We’re here at the Monsanto shareholders meeting to let Monsanto know they can’t go around the country fighting Americans’ right to know what they’re eating. We have a right to know. We need to label GMO food."

Monsanto won a key victory earlier this month after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by organic farmers seeking to prevent the company from suing if crops are inadvertently contaminated with its genetically modified seeds. Monsanto has pursued more than 800 patent cases against farmers for allegedly using its seeds without paying.