The Future of Food
There is a revolution happening in the farm fields and on the dinner tables of America - a revolution that is transforming the very nature of the food we eat.
The Future of Food offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade.
From the prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, this film gives a voice to farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been negatively impacted by this new technology. The health implications, government policies and push towards globalization are all part of the reason why many people are alarmed by the introduction of genetically altered crops into our food supply.
Shot on location in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, The Future of Food examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world's food system. The film also explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today. (More at TheFutureOfFood.com.)
if you were born feet first, you briefly wore your mother as a hat.
In the September 2017 NG is this beautiful, hopeful story about how the Netherlands is feeding the world. Not from the top (corporations/government down but from the farmers and universities up. Together with vertical farming methods we all can eat well.
Here in Thailand, Monsanto has been trying desperately to get their hands on Hom Malee fragrant rice (jasmine rice) for GMO purposes and thus to own the patent. So far they have been unsuccessful but all it takes is some greedy and corrupt politicians here to quietly approve it. They are here implementing GMO corn and as far as I know, that's it.
This documentary highlights some of the serious problems associated with modern industrial agriculture. It also exposes many of Monsanto's nefarious business practices. Be aware when you watch it, however, that it has a very strong bias; and while industrial farming system is indeed problematic, it has has also brought about a number of great benefits. For example, it has allowed more than 90% of the population to move off of agricultural land and pursue jobs in the manufacturing and service sectors, which has contributed greatly to economic growth. The use of pesticides, like DDT, which is not harmful to humans, allows us to eat produce at much lower prices. Ask yourself, honestly, if you would buy an apple that had been gnawed on by insects or was inhabited by a worm.
This film advocates locally grown, organic agricultural products. Well, local is just fine if you live in California and you don't like drinking coffee or eating bananas. If you live in Minnesota, being a locavore is less feasible. Remember that organic production is not a cure all. It is extremely land intensive, which means that more land has to be converted to agricultural use.
Just remember to watch this documentary with a critical eye.
Tyler
I grew up in the country - my fruit did not need to be perfect. I have eaten and would eat an apple gnawed on by a worm - I would not eat an apple poisoned by inorganic man-made chemicals. Monsanto is an evil company - I say this by the fact of their actions towards the canola farmers, their introduction of genetically modified plants into wild populations, their move to secure the market of seed production, and their overall approach to life. They do not adhere to Jesus' words to "love your neighbor as yourself".
sorry but the folks that work in idustrial farming are slaves and most are undocumented workers who are treaded bad and who dont pay taxes and send money out of country to their families. as for food prices, they should be high because food is important, its the most important thing you will do in the day is choose to eat healthy or not.
sound like your with the FDA. all land or most of it should be used for food and it would be local, its how it used to be. People have recently been ill because of food, we have never had issues like this before, it all started when fast food and industry got involved and said bigger and faster is better, well sorry but look at how big and fat people are now! each one of us has to make some changes and eat and buy better food and make it a huge priority.
Undocumented workers in the United States DEFINITELY pay massive amounts of taxes.
It is sad that we are so disconnected from where food comes from that people would not eat an apple that has a wormhole, bruises or has been pecked at by birds. I am sure you would not like to eat a vegetable that has ever touched the ground or that has dirt on it either? Who is to say that the American culture now is definitely an improvement? eating bad food, stressful jobs, working long hours, living in cities. I am glad that we have science to improve our methods but we need to keep in mind the whole point of life - health and happiness not profit and world domination. We can genetically modify food now, but the first thing we do is make it possible to grow food in a chemical bath.
Although they have their place in society, corporations will never have the best interest of society at heart, even if it means ultimate self destruction because they can't see into the future past the next fiscal quarter.
Obviously Noah didn't watch the documentary. Or, if he did, he didn't listen to the words.
Are my rights not being infringed upon by not having the choice about what I choose to eat?
If it is my right not to eat food x because I choose not to is taken away, I believe it is an infringement upon my rights under the Charter of rights and freedoms (Canada). I am going to look into this and see what section it falls under and go from there.
Until then... What the hell am I going to eat if I don't want to eat this 'frankenfood' !!
Is it greed? Or to control over the farm industry? It’s actually simple, Monsanto is owned by a Jewish Family – it’s normal for Monsanto, JP Morgan, and Rockefellers to think that they are supreme over the rest of the world, it’s in their Talmud, they also distract the people from what they do and point the finger to Muslims that they are the cause of evil. Please I’m not anti-Semitic, I am Semitic myself.
This is wrong, wrong, wrong. I can assure you I SWEAR on my life and the life of my family that these values are not what the Talmud teaches.
I, as a Jew, would never point fingers at a Muslim. I am the sister of all people on the planet. Both Muslims and Jews are treated badly and stigmatized for their backgrounds and this wrong.
I have debated for a long time whether to make any public declaration regarding my religion because there are so many people on this website who would hate me for how I was born, hate my father for his religion, and equate me with terrible things that have no place in my personal or familiar belief system.
No Jew I have ever known or have ever met, nor myself has ever, ever, ever, professed to "be supreme over the rest of the world". That is just wrong. I bet you, like many people who hate Judaism, are not friends with anyone Jewish.
Please. Please..... I come to speak to you from a place of peace and love....reconsider your words
It is right of you to correct and question the actions of large corporations with thousands of members who are doing terrible things to people. I understand this. This is not a part of the Jewish way, but it does not surprise me that people are connecting the financial scandal with Judaism because we have been the scapegoats of the ignorant and the angry for over a thousand years.
Vlatko - if you even read this (and I will put a curse word in just so I assure that you will- F***- is this really the state of the world? Does this website, which I cherish so much, really hold so many people who hate what I am? Hate how I was born?
In almost every political discussion the hatred of Jews is seeped into the conversation.. every where I turn.. it makes me afraid... I was raised to love and respect all people of all skin colors and relgions..
I live in the USA and have even experienced terrible incidents of hate....my whole apartment was destroyed, pictures of my family shredded with knives, swastikas carved into my walls, glass broken everywhere...I've had letters written in red filled with hate sent to me.... Ive had men on buses scream that I should be dead in an oven and so much more I won't even repeat it... And I'm not even that religious!
This experience of being a minority has shaped me and made me want to fight for the rights of all minorities, my Muslim friends and students, undocumented workers, and the poor of the world. ...
When I was little I thought the world was different and that things were changing. I thought that people had reached a plane of consciousness where there gut reaction was not to blame the Jews. I know, partially through this website, and partially through my own experiences that this is not true.
I don't think people realize how much it hurts to see these comments, but they don't care...I think they like to cause me pain.. I don't know...
Beya, a lot of people confuse Jews with Imperial Zionists, dont feel bad.
Noah, all you have to do is google some of what "we" say is true and you would change your mind. Our seeds have been banned from countries, even mexico has banned it. YOU better wake up, it could be your children with cancer, miscarrages, Autism, and the list goes on and on.... many AMA Journal articles site the same problems. Do yourself a favor and READ... don't believe everything the Dr.s tell you. Oh and by the way, feeding people with food that has no nutritional value wont help anyone.... they will still starve to death..... :(
I have my own organic garden and will use the seeds from this year for my garden next year. You can not count on being able to be seeds forever. I'm sure there will come a time where that will no longer be possible since people will be eating their own food and not paying for the garbage at the store which will save us all a lot of money. I will be freezing, canning, and dehydrating so I have healthy food to eat this winter. Say no to G.M food.
wow noah, you have spoken like a truly ignorant person. thank you for letting everyone see what not to be like. ignorance may be work for you, who seems to also be in one of these "luxury" countries seeing as you are told the same lies as everyone else and are too uninspired and complacent to do any real research. the reason these "3rd world" countries are turning THEIR OWN NOSES (not the US organic lovers who have no say even in their own country) UP at GM crops is because they can see that as it might be a great short term fix, eventually the companies that sell them their food, which they will be dependent on completely (because they write LAWS against farmers planting crops that have no harmful properties or untested chemicals in them), will threaten things like sanctions or to pull out of the country and leave their people starving again unless they do as they tell them.
also who told you the FDA/USDA/EPA or any of these groups are out to protect the people more than win over political reps who make laws work in their favor or to gain a larger profit? the FDA and USDA have both been documented as firing employees that ask for things like additional testing on animal hormones and gm crops. the EPA is NOTORIOUS for doing whatever the hell they feel like without any research whatsoever and is viewed as a joke administration to most people here in the states. perhaps you are unaware of that too.
on top of the corporate thuggery these countries would have to deal with comes things that actually did get studied such as the production of pesticides in HUMAN DNA (from the intestines specifically) after being exposed to a diet with GM crops, particularly corn which is government subsidized and therefore in almost anything you buy at the grocery store. or things like both human and livestock infertility after a specific gene was introduced to GM crops in both diets. heres the script as we've seen it thus far.
USA: hey africans, would you like some food?
AFRICAN NATIONS: sure thatd be awesome.
USA: heres some GM stuff and you can only grow this if you want to grow anything at all. k?
AFRICAN NATIONS: oh but those crops have infertility drugs in them.. idk about that..
USA: we see that as a double win! <seriously what americans think :(
the end result= the people who are uninformed claim that those who deny starving people GM products are signing their death sentence, when actually the truth stands that we are simply not giving them an option to get f--ked over by american conglomerates that dont give a shit about anyone or anything but money, and stupid people like you who will defend those companies- until you one day (hopefullly) do some homework, open your eyes and see that the food in your grocery store poisons you slowly and gives your kids cancer, autism, mercury poisoning, flouride, and are killing you in a way thats more deep rooted than starvation and more easily fixed here as well. its embarrassing that people with your mindset even exist.
please get educated before you start slinging completely made up facts that only have your imagination as a citation. thanks.
Hi Noah Weston,
Guess what honey? Nature had a pretty great way of supporting hungry people...seeds that reproduce! What you don't understand, my friend, is that the people who are now starving are doing so because greedy corporations decided that instead of letting them grow their own, they would sell it to em instead! So that this wonderful Genetically Modified seed wouldn't produce, they put a suicide gene in it, so they could sell it to em again, (look it up sweetheart)! I know a fabulous idea! How about the USA lovin people GIVE these starving people seeds that will grow and reproduce, and refuse to take any money until everyone has sufficient crops? And...I have another idea! How about we DON'T have the luxury of eating whatever we want to? How about if we have what GROWS to eat? Maybe some wild and crazy ideas I know.
Seriously? so you guys really love to claim how you love your fellow man and want world peace,and to end hunger and all that lovey dovey "hippie" shit? what in the world is wrong with you ,You realize that those crops go through so much testing from different agentencies, before actully getting approved, yeah the FDA f@#$%^& sucks when it comes to telling the truth about marijuana and other so called dangerous drugs like acid,and try selling us their "approved pill form" substute is totally b@##$%^& i aggree there,but the FDA actully does put people who created those gentic crops through alot cause,they know people will eat that and they make sure our food supplys is not gonna harm us.The problem with this "documentry/propaganda flim" made by the organics food weridos is this. who people convinced quite a few poor starving AFRICAN countrys government from reciving free gentically inhanced crops,that COULD HAVE FED THEIR PEOPLE!! but no you organic deuces only want organic crops so you scared them into not accepting those crops.you know for someone like you'll who can get the luxury to live in a country and get to pick and choose what you want to stuff in your mouth and eat,your pretty damn selfish!.those in africa have no food whats so ever they dont get to walk down the beach and buy themselves a FREAKN "organic hotdog" when they choose. they lack food supplys and crops .these plants would help end hunger in third world countrys .your nothing but a bunch of ASSES
Take the subsidies away from you food industry and then perhaps the poor countries may have a chance to supply you with food while you give them a real chance to help themselves, instead to feed them you genetic shit, which is already causing havoc on the biodiversity of food and self regulating mechanisms. Is pretty arrogant to think you can reinvent a process that has been taking place for millions of years, considering science work mainly on evidence and not proven facts on how things really work, it is at least very irresponsible to assume this a a choice at all. As for food security, there are other issues and fields to tackle before using the subject as an excuse, suc as: food wastage on transport and distribution chain; overfeeding; use of prime agricultural land for other uses; large scale food production, which in itself is wasteful compared to small production and closer systems. I wish things were as simple as we would wish, and perhaps some of the people answering or posting their opinions may not have a fuller picture of the variables involved, but for sure their wishful believes are far better suited to the good sense such issue implies.
Noah, those people at the FDA used to be VPs at Monsanto, and the VPs at Monsanto used to be at the FDA... Wake up.... most documentaries are written by grad students and scientists trying to help people... people like you.... I hope if you have children you don't reap what you are sowing here... but you will, cause you will feed them that crap and give them vaccines with mercury and aluminum in them... then wonder why they aren't healthy.... just READ... Please...
noah, you should watch the film first. Open your eyes, both the government and the corporations will NEVER be of true public service. These institutions are working hand in hand for their own personal interests. The people in the government are not really working for the people, they are working for the owners of corporations...
To DeathSSghosT
I find it very saddening, how much the people of free United States have to suffer. You have hurricanes, floods, lots of gangs, so much poverty and prisoners, wars your goverment drafts your people to... those are the known things. But the less known things they don't like to tell in the news, how government accepts and even supports the other stuff. Medicinal industry is completely corrupted on your side of the river, I wouldn't eat your hamburgers for two reasons: the meat and GM food. The meat is produced from so many different individual animals, that the risk of diseases increases exponentially. Genetically manipulated food on the other hand, is not tested with appropriate tests too much, and the tests that have been made for it have been altered or buried. Your government subjects your people to bad and expensive medicine, and very unsafe food. On top of all that, they continue their destructive policy with hemp: it could be used for so many diseases if you legalized the medicinal use for real, not just for show. Then there was the Boystown incident, Mr. Lawrence King and co., people do not forget. Conspiracy of Silence document, gives human scum a whole new meaning.
DeathSSghosT, your last point is very valid. To stop all this nonsense, we just need to tell our people in charge to stop loaning your government money. For that end, we ought to vote only people who promise to address this as one important and upheld issue, and act accordingly.
If you question the validity of these documents, here's things to ask about them:
"Who made them?"
"Who funded the making?"
"Who benefits from a document with this type of knowledge?"
"What do the documents I've put the most trust in, say?"
Cigarettes are dangerous. Yet if they came out now and the big company said "it's good for your health! We have research on it!" and showed their research materials which would say the same, what would be the result? A lot of people you don't have to pay pension for. They wouldn't live that long.
@Bluesmanwalking
i just want to say that yes our govt is out of control and they would lock up 1mil of us if we didn't pay taxes. we already have the largest prison system in the world. we have more inmates total than china. not per capita, total. and as long as other countries keep loaning us money that you know deep down that your never getting back, then our govt will continue on the course that its on. i just want to add that the avg american citizen is a kind and giving person. we gave 500mil to haiti while most of us were still scrambling not to lose our house cuz we got our hrs cut. the avg american citizen gave that money, not our govt. they just flew the planes that were on their way to iraq with weapons. im just kidding about that but even we think our companies are going to far alot of time. what i am getting at is, stop your country from loaning my country money and things will change in a jiffy once the us govt cant pay that social security check.
Sad but True, the big majority of American people still believe everything their government tells them, that the US is god's gift to the world, when in reality the US is a cancer for the world. Open your eyes and ears and take a good long look around the world and realize how many countries are destroyed and dead people there are because of your greed & selfishness. Aren't those 2 major sins in your ferry tale bible ? Maybe you should be a little more humble and less arrogant.
It's time that your Constitution be read and respected, your forefather must be flipping in their graves. It's actually the only thing that you have left, that unites you all and that can help you against your psychopath government and those corporations. Start by demanding your boys back from Iraq, Afghanistan and where ever you're not supposed to be. Put on trial for murder, crimes against humanity and treason, the Bush family and their inbreeds Cheney, Rumsfeld and Israel. Have you already forgotten the lies of 911 ? Stop paying your taxes. Do you think they will put 1 million people in jail for not paying their taxes ?
I remember when the US was the envy of the world, when the US was looked up to, when US was Loved. I miss that US personally. Sorry, but that's how i feel today.
Julia, these people have sold their souls to the great god of profit. I too wonder what they think when they sit around their dinner table and look at their children. Do they ever think what sort of world they are creating for their grandchildren? The move to patent every life form that may have some commercial value is scary stuff. So if my non-patent crop is fertilised by pollen blown in the wind from a patented plant, can I be forced to pay royalties as my produce has genetic material from the patented plants? Essentially this is a move by huge powerful corporations, such as Monsanto, to control and own the worlds food supply.
I agree with you Julia, Homo sapiens might be the most intellient organim on the planet but also the most destructive. How to take one beautiful, blue planet and totally screw it up.
Very interesting documentary
GM food is clearly against nature and sustainability.
Governments have the obligation to create laws that protect harmony in nature, including its genetic diversity. Patents on live stock, crops, genes, everything that is produced by nature should be abolished. Nobody has the right over life!! Patents for technology and other non-existent in nature as life forms inventions are fine. But not patents on life!!
I'm wondering what kind of inners selves those GM firms' managers have!! They are also humans, aren't they? Don't they care about their children and their future?!? ... It's amazing how out of all species in the world the human kind is the most destructive..intentionally!!
It's great that documentaries like these raise consumer consciousness and provoke public opinion. I hope that would result in stronger pressure on governments to protect biodiversity as it is in nature. The whole world is talking about sustainability... well, it has to be practiced not only spoken about. Sustainability is a strength of nature not humans, and we should abide by it. I.e. people should respect the way nature promotes sustainability. It is wiser than all of us together, so let's not mess up with it.
Love and respect for nature = happy life now and tomorrow!!