Monday, March 9, 2009

The Future of Food

This movie is an eye opener. I know a LOT about food. But this movie was talking about something I had never even really thought of... What would happen if some company patented all the seeds for our food? It is scary stuff, let me tell you.

Basically the video takes you through the last 35 years of seed science. It talks about how seeds are germinated and the beginning of Genetically Modified seeds. It shows you actually farmers that were saving their seeds and using them to grow the next years crops all over the world. Mexico, Canada, and the United States especially. Then it explains about how GM seeds work, and how you can track GM seeds through their genes to find which farmer uses which brand and what pesticides that each selection is going to be able to withstand to make herbicide use very easy on farmers. Then it goes on to talk about how Monsanto has started suing the farmers that are close to areas where Monsanto seeds have been used because their crops have the Monsanto gene... but they never used Monsanto seed... their crops just happened to be pollinated by bees that flew in from Monsanto crop areas. Then they go on to interview everyone they can get their hands on that would have an opinion.

Fascinating stuff, I tell you... scary and fascinating.

What was the answer? Buy local, buy organic, grow your own when you can, save seeds, support people who grow their own and save seeds, support organic and local. Don said when the movie was over "Val, you like watching things that tell you you are doing it right." I had no idea that Don would be right, however. I honestly didn't really know what this movie was about except it concentrated on big agribusiness and Monsanto Seed Co and how they were evil and bad for the whole world.

I think the worst of it, is you can't even see Monsanto on anything you buy in the store. They don't market under that name, they have a hundred different companies that market and package for them. It makes it that much more important to know where our seeds come from, to know where our food comes from, and to develop a real relationship with the people who grow it. As much as I love CA for the oranges and the tomatoes I am currently eating to stay healthy in the winter, I will be very happy to switch back to my local growers when the season changes.

No comments: