This was a fantastic movie revealing (some of) the truth bbehind GMOs and agriculture. Aesthetically, it is a little outdated, but the information is spot on. Enjoy. 

* desertification, soil erosion, soil compaction, destruction of Biodiveristy, loss of natural enemies of pests

Marc Lappe (Center for Ethics and Toxins)

Norman Borlaug- Began Selective Breeding

- Rockefeller and The World Bank to assist poorer countries to develop broader food base

- Pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation

- Specific High- yield varieties of wheat rice and Maize. 

Vandana Shiva

-Giving poorer countries a couple varieties to grow in large quantity-> more food, not nutrition or culture. 

Peter Rosset ( Food First/ Institute for Food and development Policy)

Pesticides came from the defense industry in WW2

Ignacio Chapella ( Dep. of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, U.C, Berkeley)

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides, like DDT, Chlordicone,Chlordan were initially developed to have a half-life of “decades”- not just a few weeks. They were meant to be used in a mechanized fahion over large areas of land and with more use, year after year, they were thought to build up a barrier. But in reality they have terrible environmental consequences.  *** They concentrate up the food chain***

Industrial agriculture similar to War… just against weeds, not humans. WE DON’T HAVE TO DOMINATE NATURE…. 

Jason McKenney (Purisima Greens Farm)

According to a USDA STUDY: In one year, the average revenue for ONE acre on a large scale farm (larger than 2,000 acres) was $21.40. Smaller farms (10 Acres or less)  make about $1,960 per acre in one year.  Pursima makes about 15-16,000 per year. 

- Large farms plant in monoculture

Anuradha Mittal (Food First/ Institute for Food and Development Policy)

Subsidies Keep the prices low. We continually have surpluses.. 

- Cargill, ADM, Continental Grain, Dekalb, Asgrow

1999- Monsanto revealed it’s “beautiful Science” exhibit in Disney’s Epcot Center

The Biotech industry spends $50 million per year to convince consumers that biotech crops are safe. - WA Post 2000

Tony Juniper (Friends of the Earth)

Martina McGloughlin ( Director, Biotechnology Program, UC Davis)

Genetic Engineering: (out of reproductive context) Transgenic Manipulation has no precedent, not even in nature. 

FDA- Allowed the deregulation of these crops because ( in their POV) they  were equivalent of existing plants

“Substantial Equivalence Principle” - GMOs like conventional crops. 

Dan Glickman (US Department of Agriculture)

Karen Heisler ( EPA Agriculture Initiative Program)

“Coordinated Framework” between the 3 agencies. 

_____________________________

PEOPLE:
David W Beir

- Head of Government Affairs Greentech, Inc.

- Chief od Domestic Policy to Al Gore. / VP of the United States

Linda J Fisher

- Assistant Administrator EPA Office of Pollution Prevention

- VP of Government and Public Affairs Monsanto Corporation

Michael A Friedman, M.D.

- Commisioner U.S Food and Drug Administration

- Senior VP for Clinical Affairs G.D. Searle & Co. 

L. Val Giddings

- BioTechnology Regulator USDA

- VP for Food & Agriculture Biotechnology Industry Organization 

Marcia Hale  

- Assistant to the President Director for Intergovernmental Affairs

- Director for Intergovernmental Affairs Monsanto Corporation

Mickey Kantor

- Secretary U.S Department of Commerce

- Member, Board of Directors Monsanto Corporation

Josh King

- Director of Production White House Events

- Director of Global Communications Monsanto Corporation

Terry Medley

- Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA 

- Director of Regulatory and External Affairs Dupont Corporation

Margaret Miller

- Chem Lab Supervisor Monsanto Corporation

- Deputy Director of Human Food Safety USDA

Michael Phillips

- Agriculture Board Member NAtional Academy of Science

- Head of Regulatory Affairs, Biotechnology Industry Organization

William D. Ruckelshaus

- Chief Administrator US EPA

- Director Monsanto Corporation

Michael Taylor

- Legal Advisor USDA

- Head of Washington D.C Office Monsanto Corporation

Lidia Watrud

- Biotechnology Researcher Monsanto Corporation

- Ecology Division US EPA

Jack Watson

- Cheif of Staff under Prez. Jimmy Carter

- Attorney Monsanto Corporation

Clayton K Yeutter 

- Secretaty USDA

- Board Member Mycogen Corporation

Larry Zeph

- Biologist, Office of Prevention US EPA

- Regulatory Science Manager, Pioneer Hi- Bred International 

________________________________

California Seed Association

George Monbiot

GENETIC POLLUTION

- No way of controlling it.  Buffer zones— Dont work, 

Britt Bailey (Center for Ethics and Toxics)

Pollen can travel up to 4K 

Drift with conventional pesticides- No policy with Drift

Beth Burroughs ( Executive Director, The Edmonds Institute)

- Farmers suing farmers Organic v. GMO because of Drift. 

Bacillus Thuringiensis- exudes this toxin that kills insects. 

Feeding studies… 

Aventis- STARLINK CORN- approved for animal feed. (chryoprotein)

—— GOLDEN RICE—- Potential to get nutrion to developing countries. 

_____________________________________________________

Why is the world still Hungry?

Yields don’t mean that hunger will disappear. THis is an expensive technology that often needs machinery and chemicals.

*** of Those 800 million that are malnourished today—- 50-100 years ago— they used to grow their own food rather than purchase it. 

Ecological cycles will feed the world- not Genetic Engineering.