I have just completed viewing a DVD movie entitled, “Food, Inc.”, which anyone can find at their local video rental store. I recommend that you do. You will be appalled at some of the meat and plant production practices we now have in the United States and even world wide. If you could, you might even quit eating anything purchased from the local grocery store and certainly from any fast food restaurants.
In the meat industry — and I include poultry, beef, pork, and now even farm raised fish — the conditions under which our meat is produced you would not believe. Most animals live in dark, body to body crowded conditions, and in an environment contaminated by their own feces. To prevent disease, many are given in the feed regular and ongoing doses of antibiotics which wind up in the meat we consume. Disease outbreaks in humans are becoming more common such as E-coli bacterial disease which sometimes winds up in either meat and even now on vegetable crops. During the Bush years…… yea, the wonderful George Bush…. the number of inspections done by the USDA fell precipitously. We are less safe now than any time in history.
But let me get to Monsanto, evil ones in my opinion. This is a company that has genetically modified several major crops such as corn and soy beans plus others. The United States Supreme Court has said that living things can be patented, so Monsanto had done just that. Guess who was once the attorney for Monsanto? Now Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas, a Bush appointee to the Court. Gotta problem with that? There are others with direct ties to Monsanto that have nicely looked after the company’s interests. Clearly, Monsanto and maybe a couple of other giant companies are trying to lock up the world’s seed supply.
In several cases, Monsanto has sued farmers who want to save corn seeds for planting the next year. The problem is that Monsanto corn in the next farmer’s field has cross pollinated with non-Monsanto (non-GMO) corn in a given farmer’s field thereby making it now GMO corn and falling under the patent rights. This is true even if the non-Monsanto farmer did nothing at all and even did not want his corn contaminated with Monsanto pollen. What a crock. I would say to Monsanto to keep their damn corn out of my field. Apparently the courts don’t see it this way. This is a clear case of the giant squashing the little guy who wants to be left alone to grow what he wants without obligation to the company store. More details are given in the film, so take a look. Many cases appear to have been settled out of court because the little guys simply do not have enough money to challenge the battery of lawyers trotted out by Monsanto. Again, what a crock.
I don’t approach this arena from ignorance. I hold a doctorate in genetics from Purdue University and was even involved as a graduate student with a professor and graduate student group that did work on moving human growth hormone genes into catfish DNA. Even then, in my mind a lot of questions arose concerning safety. I still have many questions. Personally, I do not think that sufficient research has been done concerning safety and I strongly believe that the consumer has a right to know if a product they buy from the grocery shelf contains genetically modified ingredients or if antibiotics and/or growth hormones were used to produce the food item. Obviously, the agri-giants are against this.
Decide for your self. This video mentions several companies, shows production methods for all sorts of food items, and makes the case we are headed down a path to disaster. Do your homework and then you decide.
January 2nd, 2010 at 10:20 pm You Said it !!! Damn good article and I too emphasize the importance on viewing this informative documentary….quite an eye opener. Be prepared to feel Angry and sad…furious perhaps and suprised….but do know it is all so true and even worse. Do what you can for your self and your family by going to local organic/free ranging farmers, or order where I do for the best assortment of quality, organic, free ranging, meats, cheeses, fish and more USWellness Meats (www.uswellnessmeats.com) you can order through my site or just say you were sent by Coach Kieba. I did my research when going from vegetarian to my Retro Raw movement and USWellness is my choice for Optimal health. watch the movie…..then Act, or go and hide and continue supporting companies shown in this film.
January 16th, 2010 at 11:11 am Well what can I say Grass fed makes sense, fast production and souping up food with additives etc doesn’t !! The natural ways the best!!! Sadly where I live convenience is coming first .. explosion of fast food .. cook chill restuarant cooked food rules the day especially for the young. Grass fed animals abound but the expense forces the poorer to go cheap preserved dosed meat and food.. the rest sold world wide !! In the long term our health will suffer its a shame !! I wonder is this all part of wider conspiracy to weaken (reduce it by seven eighths) the world population and to profit from their addiction to convenience… just like the global warming, swine scams??? Anyways keep up the good work as they say!! Paul friend of Kiebs:-)