London 1553 Carolyn Steel: How food shapes our cities
http://www.ted.com/talks/carolyn_steel_how_food_shapes_our_cities.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/carolyn_steel_how_food_shapes_our_cities.html
Slide 3
London 1611
Slide 4
Grains ship in by the river
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This was where fish was bought on Fridays
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Meat Market All Food was brought in from land outside of the
city
Slide 7
Painting from London during this time period.
Slide 8
The introduction of rail lines enabled food to be shipped in
from far away.
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London 2012
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Now We Have This What does our system depend upon?
Slide 12
Methods Used in Food Production Process
Slide 13
Other Agricultural Technologies Irrigation Old and New The
Roman Aqueducts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTMrfyAt6Mo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN1v5FYkTLQ&NR=1 Modern
Irrigation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j120rdlLDDU&feature=related
Intensive Dairy Farming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDo5c-ksmRs
Aquaculture: Aquaculture: Harvesting of fish in control
environments. Fish are grown in large tanks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Xxypp39Sg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uvozt7rME4 Hydroponics:
Hydroponics: the growing of crops without the use of soil. The
medium used is water. Mostly done in greenhouses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHBhyqowSEchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHBhyqowSEc
Aquaponics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8M2Gp8Dqnohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8M2Gp8Dqno
Agribusiness: companies like Kraft Foods own all aspects of making
a product like cheese. From the diary farm, the farm that grows the
food for the cows, the processing and packaging plants. Rainmaking:
production of rain by artificial means now generally disregarded,
though it is probable that rainmaking increases rainfall from
clouds suitable for natural rainfall. Interest spurred by drought
and the need for irrigation water.
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2714955.htm Topography: The
Banaue Rice Terraces http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNSYtaHIhR8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNSYtaHIhR8
Slide 14
Few places in the world are PERFECT for farming Only 9% of the
earth is cultivated. One fear is the expansion of cities. Cities
tend to locate near cultivated land. Once city starts to grow,
valuable farmland is lost. Burlington, Toronto, Niagara Most of the
time there is some deficiency in one or more of the factors
mentioned. Farmers must work at overcoming them.
Slide 15
MP4 video of southern Ontario food system
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Slide 17
Canada: Every year, an estimated 11 to 13 million Canadians
suffer from illnesses caused by food-borne illness. The most common
symptoms may include the following: stomach cramps, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, fever. United States: We estimate that
foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses,
325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States
each year. Three pathogens, Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma,
are responsible for 1,500 deaths each year, more than 75% of those
caused by known pathogens, while unknown agents account for the
remaining 62 million illnesses, 265,000 hospitalizations, and 3,200
deaths. Overall, foodborne diseases appear to cause more illnesses
but fewer deaths than previously estimated.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627714/pdf/10511517.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627714/pdf/10511517.pdf
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Swine and Avian
Viruses (Viruses transferred between animals and humans):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a4fzxS_ipg Food Illnesses in Canada
and the U.S.A.
Slide 18
Political and Corporate Control Economy Controlling Prices
Economy Controlling Prices The developed world controls the economy
and trade and make it difficult for the developing world to
compete. Tariffs: Tax placed on imported goods to allow the
domestic goods to compete (E.g.The Ivory Coast and Cocoa).
Subsidize: Governments in developed countries give money to their
farmers to keep the prices of certain products down. Outcome: more
competitive in the world market. Aid: The developed countries will
aid the developing countries in food supplies, but the aid is
sometimes connected to some other kind of favour (cheaper minerals,
military base in country).
Slide 19
Absentee landlords: In many countries the rich own the land and
they either leave the land alone or they rent it out to peasant
farmers. Venezuela land reform program Land Holdings: The U.S.S.R.
had a system (Collective farming) where the government owned the
land and the farmers worked there much like a factory. This system
was a disaster since the farmer had no incentive to improve the
land. Infrastructure: Usually governments fund this program. The
developing world lacks electricity, roads, trucks, railways,
storage facilities and distribution networks (difficult to
distribute).
Slide 20
Communist Countries: set the price for food there is no
incentive for the farmer to improve his/her output. Capitalist
Countries: Price is dependent on Supply and Demand. Rich countries
can manipulate this and in turn control the price by storing the
surplus food, destroying the surplus or government paying farmers
NOT to grow more. Why not give extra food as aid to starving
people. Meat is a major part of the developed worlds diet. A lot of
grains are given to animals to beef them up. The Animals Save the
Planet - Gassy Cows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIforUNXrUQ
Slide 21
America Revealed: Food Machine
http://video.pbs.org/video/2214315175/
Slide 22
DID YOU KNOW: Diversity Facts Apples: There are more than 7,500
known varieties of apples. Different varieties are bred for various
tastes and uses, including in cooking, fresh eating and cider
production. But just 100 of them are grown commercially Beans:
There are 40,000 varieties of beans Wheat: There are about 200,000
varieties of bread type wheats and yet only a few genetic lines of
wheat feed the world. Corn: There are thousands of strains of corn,
with more than 200 varieties of sweet corn alone. Potatoes:
According to Washington State Uniersity there are 575 different
varieties of potatoes. Rice: 200,000-400,000 varieties of rice
Slide 23
Why Care about Diversity There is no such thing as a best type
of variety. Todays best variety might be tomorrows lunch for an
insect, pest, or disease. Maybe the varieties that we do not
appreciate have resistance to disease, pests or even climate
change. Perhaps it has one unique trait. Diversity gives us
options. Options to feed a growing population and options to help
us combat drought and famine. We are loosing diversity (possible
extinction) to political, economic and environmental factors.
Example: Seed banks are susceptible to natural disasters, war, lack
of funding. Cary Fowler: One seed at a time, protecting the future
of food
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/cary_fowler_one_seed_at_a_time_protecting_the_future_of_food.html
Jonathan Drori: Why we're storing billions of seeds
http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_drori_why_we_re_storing_billions_of_seeds.html
Slide 24
Conventional Plant Breeding to GMO
Slide 25
Conventional Plant Breeding -Humans have been breeding plants
for around 10,000 years. -The basic goal of breeding was to improve
certain plant characteristics. -For example wheat, a common cereal
crop, has been bred to produce more and larger seeds than its wild
ancestor, and to fight off infections. -Basically, plant breeders
would interbreed related plants (closely or distantly related) to
create new varieties with desirable qualities. Breed different
types of wheat in search of the best qualities. -Example: A mildew
resistant pea may be breed with a high yielding pea plant (a plant
that produces a lot of peas) with the goal having a high yielding
pea plant that is mildew resistant. -The new plant would then be
breed again with the high yieling parent to ensure that the progeny
was most like the high yieling parent (Backcrossing) -Progeny: A
descendant or the descendants of a person, animal, or plant;
offspring: "the progeny of mixed marriages".
Slide 26
Slide 27
Slide 28
Introduction to Modern Day Biology In the mid-19th century
Gregor Mendel showed using pea plants that traits are inherited in
a predictable way. A Century later (mid 1900s) Watson, Crick, and
Franklin suggested a model for the structure of DNA, which proved
to be correct by Avery and colleagues in 1943. The inherited
material, genes, was the DNA. From this discovery new techniques
started springing up to manipulate, duplicate and sequence DNA.
Knowing the sequence of an organisms genetic material leads to an
understanding of how the cells work. Using DNA sequencing
technology, breeders can select the plant that has a favorable gene
and leave unwanted DNA.
Slide 29
Slide 30
Generating a Transgenic Plant Towards the end of the 20th
century scientists were able to move pieces of DNA between
organisms. Plant biologists inserted genes that could impart
resistance to common pests that plagued them. This has become very
contoversial but this is how it is done. Step 1 select a gene of
awesome that you want your plant to express. For example: Monsantos
Roundup Ready Corn contains a gene of awesome that imparts
resistance to the herbicide glyphosphate (chemical used in
Roundup). This allows farmers to use Roundup to control weeds in
their fields without killing the crop. The idea is that if a
glyphosate-resistant enzyme from bacteria could be transferred to
plants it might make the plants resistant to the herbicide. The C4
strain of Agrobacterium sp. is a species of bacteria that was found
growing at a factory that made glyphosate. The EPSP synthase enzyme
from this bacterium (C4 EPSP synthase) was almost completely
insensitive to glyphosate. Step 2 Once you have your gene of
awesome you need to put it into a plasmid. This circle of DNA will
contain at least one other gene (a genetic marker), used to make
sure it works. The gene called GUS is mainly used because when it
is incontact with a chemical it turns a plant blue Step 3 Then you
need to get your plasmid into a plant cell. This is done in many
ways including the use of a gene gun. Step 4 After growing the
cells into seedlings, the GUS marker can then be used to select the
seedlings that contain the gene of awesome. The new transgenic
plants are then grown
Slide 31
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GMO Products
Slide 33
Possible Problems With GMO Diversity Loss Potentially become
invasive Using just one species it might become susceptible to
disease (potato famine). Companies may select the best of the
progeny which will give them the highest yield, the most money, and
aesthetically the nicest looking. Nutrients could be compromised
for higher yield. Genetic alteration to increase the yield might be
at the expense of a product which is less nutritious. Potential of
a gene to produce a protein that someone is allergic to. Gene can
impact other genes in the seed. I.E. Could change the seed into
something invasive.
Slide 34
Synthetic DNA The strange new craft of making life from scratch
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17436365 Craig Venter
& Synthetic Life Debate - BBC Newsnight & BBC America
Reports http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6yV7NHxA0o
Slide 35
Multinational Organization: A corporation that has its
facilities and other assets in at least one country other than its
home country. 2010 Financials
Slide 36
Slide 37
Fertilizers: any substance such as manure or a mixture of
nitrates used to make soil more fertile. Chemical Fertilizers: are
chemical products designed to help restore or add nutrients to the
soil. Positive aspects are the increase in yield and its assistance
in providing nutrients to soil that may not be available. Negative
aspect are chemical accessing water table, accessing the plant and
diminishing soil fertility. Pesticides and Herbicides: any
substance intended to prevent, destroy or control pests in the
production process (mice/rats/weeds). Issue: most insecticides harm
non- target species, air, water and soil. Agriculture
Definitions
Slide 38
Fertilizer use can lead to diminishing returns. You have to add
the right amount of fertilizer for optimal yields. Pests and
Fertilizer use FertilizerTotal YieldIncrease (kg)(bushels)(bushels)
11010 22111 33211 44210 551 9 659 8 In this case the point of
diminishing returns is at 4 pounds of fertilizer.
Slide 39
Sources:
http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/pages/monsanto-history.aspx
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/sweeten-edulcor/saccharin-eng.php
History 1901 -John F. Queeny founds the original Monsanto. -The
first product the company produced was called saccharine.
-Saccharin is a non-nutritive sweetener used around the world. -It
has not been allowed in Canada as a food additive since the 1970s.
-In the 1970s, studies raised concerns that saccharin could be
carcinogenic in laboratory rats. -More recent studies have revealed
that the carcinogenic effect of saccharin in rats is not relevant
to humans. -In 2006, a letter was sent to stakeholders informing
them of the results of Health Canada's evaluation and the intention
to propose regulatory changes to allow saccharin to be used as a
food additive. -If saccharin is relisted as an approved food
additive, commercial products will have to include saccharin in
their ingredient list.
Slide 40
History 1945 -The original Monsanto produces and markets
agricultural chemicals, including 2,4D. -2,4D is a synthetic auxin
widely used as a weedkiller -2,4-D is a component of Agent Orange
(2,4-D and 2,4,5-T TCDD). 2,4,5-T TCDD is a dioxin that has been
shown to cause cancer. -2,4,5-T is no longer on the market. -Agent
Orange was manufactured for the U.S. Department of Defense
primarily by Monsanto Corporation and Dow Chemical. The Goal was to
defoliate forest and force migration of peasant farmers to major
cities. -Estimated 20,000,000 US gallons (75,700,000 l) of chemical
herbicides was dumped in parts of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia -The
U.S. military sprayed tons of Agent Orange on Vietnam and was also
allowed to test it at CFB Gagetown in the summers of 1966 and '67.
(U.S government)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/12/16/bc-agentorange.html
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pest/part/protect-proteger/use-utiliser/_24d/24d-faq-eng.php
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/2,4-d
http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/factsheet/pesticide/fs14.2_4-d.cfm
Slide 41
2,4D -Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
has determined that 2,4-D meets Canada's strict health and safety
standards. -2,4-D can be used safely as a herbicide when used
according to label directions. -Some Physician groups say 2,4-D can
cause cancer in children. Health Canada says that no other
international regulatory body considers 2,4-D to be a human
carcinogen. -The annual use of 2,4-D in New York State was
estimated to be 141,665 pounds, making it the seventh most used
herbicide in this state. 2,4-D's primary use in agriculture is to
control weeds in wheat and corn fields. In addition, it is used in
home lawns and gardens, to control broad-leaf weeds like
dandelions. The EPA has estimated that 12 to 28 million pounds of
2,4-D is used each year in non-agricultural settings.
Slide 42
History 1964 -Ramrod herbicide is introduced -For control of
annual grasses and certain broadleaf weeds in sorghum and selected
vegetable crops. -Ramrod may be used for short-term pre-emergence
control in maize, sorghum and selected vegetable crops such as
beetroot, sweetcorn, direct seeded onions, transplanted broccoli,
brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, and Chinese cabbage.
-Rated Toxicity category III: Slightly toxic and Slightly
irritating, -Ramrod toxicology report:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/cleared_reviews/csr_PC-019101_26-Mar-79_002.pdfRamrod
toxicology report:
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/cleared_reviews/csr_PC-019101_26-Mar-79_002.pdf
(Refer to page 3-5)
http://search.nufarm.com.au/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=931&function=GetProduct&ProductID=944892&Details=Y&CompanyID=509228
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/monsanto-found-liable-for-weedkiller-poisoning-in-france/2012/02/13/gIQAp2WcBR_blog.html
Slide 43
History 1968 -Lasso herbicide introduced to begin the trend
toward reduced-tillage farming. -Lasso (alachlor) are used to
control annual grasses and certain broadleaf weeds such as redroot
pigweed, common lambsquarters and common ragweed. -A Special Review
of all pesticide products containing the active ingredient alachlor
was initiated on January 9, 1985. The EPA determined that alachlor
produces tumors in laboratory rats and mice and that humans can be
exposed to alachlor through consumption of treated crops,
consumption of water, or contact during handling. -Alachlor (Lasso)
Herbicide Profile
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/herb-growthreg/24-d-butylate/alachlor/herb-prof-alachlor.htmlAlachlor
(Lasso) Herbicide Profile
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/herb-growthreg/24-d-butylate/alachlor/herb-prof-alachlor.html
-As a result of the Special Review and the reregistration process,
the following label changes have been made. Lasso will no longer be
approved for use with potato crops or in aerial applications.
-Lasso has been banned in France since 2007. It was also withdrawn
from sale earlier in Belgium, Canada, the UK and some other
countries. -US firm Monsanto 'guilty' in France poisoning case
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17024494US firm Monsanto
'guilty' in France poisoning case
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17024494
Slide 44
History 1976 -Roundup herbicide is commercialized in the U.S..
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup -GMO crops have
resistance to glyphosate so that weeds can be controlled -The
toxicity of glyphosate itself is very low. -Roundup is a very
popular herbicide due to the low toxicity to non-target organisms
Without a surfactant, however, glyphosates effectiveness as a
herbicide is drastically decreased.
Source:http://www.trentu.ca/biology/berrill/Research/Roundup_Poster.htm
-While glyphosate alone has low toxicity, the formulation of
glyphosate with the surfactant polyoxyethylene amine (POEA), which
is widely used, is significantly more toxic. -Some concern has been
expressed over the possibility that glyphosate could react with
nitrite in the diet to form N-nitrosophosphonomethyl glycine
(NPMG), a putative (commonly put forth or accepted as true)
carcinogen. Source:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/glyphosate/index-eng.phphttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/glyphosate/index-eng.php
-Glyphosate can be an effective tool in weed control programmes and
is relatively less harmful than many of the products. There is
nevertheless evidence of toxic effects on the environmental,
indirect environmental damage and resistance in some target weed
species. Source:
http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/glyphosa.htmhttp://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/glyphosa.htm
-Fish and aquatic invertebrates are more sensitive to glyphosate
and its formulations. -The toxicity of glyphosate to mammals and
birds is generally relatively low. -The Forestry Commission
believes that glyphosate and other herbicides commonly affect
hedgerow trees causing die-back. -There is also concern that the
genes which display glyphosate resistance may be transferred to
non- crop species including weeds.
Slide 45
Inert: A substance that does not react chemically; unable to
move or act. Many of these ingredients aid in the penetration of
herbicide into the plant cell. polyethoxylated tallowamine
surfactant (POEA)
Slide 46
History 1982 -Scientists working for the original Monsanto are
the first to genetically modify a plant cell. 1987 -The original
Monsanto conducts the first U.S. field trials of plants with
biotechnology traits. The first genetically modified crops of
tobacco and tomatoes were tested in the United States -In 1992, the
FDA ruled that GMOs are not dangerous and do not require special
regulation. -One estimate stated that by 2001 more than 50 million
acres of American farmland had been planted to genetically modified
crops, most of it corn, soybeans, cotton and potatoes engineered to
withstand herbicides.
Slide 47
History 1994 -The first biotechnology product to win regulatory
approval, Posilac, bovine somatotropin (Bst) for dairy cows, goes
on sale in the U.S. -Prior to 1980, Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH)
could only be obtained from cows. However, through genetic
engineering scientists were able to get bacteria to produce BGH.
-When injecting a hormone into an animal or a human, it affects
other hormones and it can have multiple effects which no one really
knows. -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993 ruled
that it was not harmful and could be injected into cows to improve
their milk production. -According to a new study, if U.S. farmers
injected their dairy cows with bovine growth hormone, it would take
just 843,000 cows to produce the same amount of milk as one million
untreated animals. -Pros: Savings on animal food, reducing global
warming impact (methane) and an increase in milk production.
Slide 48
-Cons: Some studies have linked it with a risk of mastitis
(udder infection) in cows. -Bovine growth hormone is also known to
stimulate the production of insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1) by
the liver; some studies have shown that high levels of IGF1 in the
bloodstream may heighten the risk of prostate and breast cancers as
well as a woman's chance of conceiving twins. -As a result of
consumer concerns, farmers in Australia, Canada, the EU and New
Zealand do not inject their cows with bovine growth hormone.
Source:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-bovine-growth-hormone-slow-global-warming
-Many U.S. dairy farmers have pledged not to use the growth
hormone. Kraft Foods and Wal-Mart have announced plans to shift to
dairy products that do not contain artificial hormones. -Monsanto
sold its POSILAC bovine somatotropin brand and related business to
Eli Lilly and Company (Oct. 2 nd, 2008).
Slide 49
Ganmaa Davaasambuu, a Mongolia-trained medical doctor, a
Japan-trained Ph.D. in environmental health, and a current fellow
at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study: 'The milk we drink
today may not be nature's perfect food.' (Staff photo Stephanie
Mitchell/Harvard News Office) Hormones in milk can be dangerous
From The Harvard Jounal
Slide 50
History 1994 - Present Day GMO Product Line AlfalfaAlfalfa:
Genuity Roundup Ready Fewer weeds means it provides high- quality
forage and hay. CanolaCanola: Genuity offers the Roundup Ready This
trait is a tool for farmers to help manage weeds and increase yield
potential CornCorn: Monsantos corn traits help farmers get the most
yield out of every acre of corn, while using as few inputs as
possible. CottonCotton: Cotton growers are benefiting from
second-generation and stacked trait technologies, which provide
more levels of protection. SorghumSorghum: Sorghum is an efficient
crop in the conversion of solar energy and more drought-tolerant
than other crops such as corn and soybeans. SoybeansSoybeans:
Whether its a higher yielding soybean with weed control (Roundup
Ready) or a soybean plant that helps reduce trans-fatty acids,
Monsanto has a lot to offer soybean farmers. SugarbeetsSugarbeets:
Fewer herbicide applications, increased yields and more sugar
content all make Genuity Roundup Ready sugarbeets attractive to
many farmers. WheatWheat: Since acquiring the WestBred brand in
2009, Monsanto has initiated an intensive effort to incorporate
breakthrough breeding technologies
Slide 51
History 1994 - Present Day Acquisition: 1996:Agracetus and
purchases an interest in Calgene (bio research firms) 1997:
Holden's Foundation Seeds L.L.C. and Corn States Hybrid Service
L.L.C., a supplier of high quality seed 1998: DeKalb Genetics Corp.
Was the U.S. leader in hybrid corn seed 2000: The original Monsanto
merges and changes its name to Pharmacia (Pharmacia eventually
becomes a subsidiary of Pfizer). A new Monsanto Company, based on
the agricultural division of Pharmacia is created. 2004: Monsanto's
ASI subsidiary acquires Channel Bio Corp. 3 rd largest seed
supplier in the U.S. 2005: Monsanto's ASI subsidiary acquires four
companies that are the shareowners of the CORE Group - including
Fontanelle Hybrids, Stewart Seeds, Trelay Seeds, Stone Seeds and
Specialty Hybrids. 2005: Monsanto's ASI subsidiary acquires NC+
Hybrids, Inc. Conventional and biotech lines of seeds. 2005:
Monsanto acquires the Stoneville cotton business, including its
NexGen cotton seed brand. 2005: Monsanto acquires Seminis Inc. a
global leader in the vegetable and fruit seed industry. It supplies
more than 3,500 seed varieties to commercial fruit and vegetable
growers and in more than 150 countries worldwide. 2006: Monsanto
and Dow AgroSciences LLC sign a global agreement cross-licensing
intellectual property, product licenses in corn and soybeans,
cotton technologies, and enabling technologies. These companies
will offer a seed that combines eight different herbicide tolerance
and insect-protection genes into top-performing hybrids. 2006:
Monsantos ASI subsidiary acquires Diener Seeds, Sieben Hybrids,
Kruger Seed Company, Trisler Seed Farms, Gold Country Seed, Inc.,
Heritage Seeds and Campbell Seed. 2007: Monsanto and BASF announce
a long-term joint research and development in plant biotechnology.
They will focus on the development of high-yielding crops that are
more tolerant to conditions like drought. 2007: Monsanto acquires
Delta&Pine Land Company and got rid of Stoneville&NexGen
cotton. Cotton Seed Producers 2007: Monsanto and Bayer CropScience
AG announce a series of long-term business and licensing agreements
related to key agricultural technologies such as; herbicide,
insecticide, fungicide, seed treatment or canola seed, 2008:
Monsanto acquires De Ruiter Seeds Group, De Ruiter Seeds is one of
the worlds top breeding companies. 2008: Monsanto acquires Semillas
Cristiani Burkard, a privately-held seed company in Guatemala City
2008: Monsanto acquires Aly Participacoes Ltda., operates sugarcane
and breeding technology in Brazil.
Slide 52
Slide 53
Chemicals Produced
Slide 54
NOVA/Frontline Harvest of Fear 1/12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NsI0ba9dNg&feature=relmfu
FULL (EXTENDED) INTERVIEW: Vandana Shiva
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3d9k23UyQQ Dr.Vandana Shiva named
by Forbes as one of the 7 most- influential women in the world. The
article called Dr.Shiva a "leading thinker of our time," and argues
that women must be front and center in order to solve the issue of
food security
Slide 57
WHY THERE AND WHO/WHAT PUT IT THERE? Monsanto identified a
problem: Farmers Saving Seed & Worked to Make it illegal To
Save Seed That They Produce. They helped created the patenting of
life treaty that was then taken back to the U.S. government where
it was then imposed on the world. U.S.A. Refer to History of Seed
Patents in the U.S.A. (Next Slide) WTO (Some refer to the WTO as a
Parliament, Court and Government all in one) Member states are
required to uphold the following patent protection. Article 27.3(b)
deals with patentability or non-patentability of plant and animal
inventions, and the protection of plant varieties. Broadly
speaking, it allows governments to exclude some kinds of inventions
from patenting, ie, plants, animals and essentially biological
processes. However, plant varieties have to be eligible for
protection either through patent protection or a system created
specifically for a unique purpose, or a combination of the
two.
Members of the WTO 154 Members as of April 12,2012
Slide 60
WTO 30 Observing Governments as of April 12,2012
Slide 61
WHY CARE? -Loss of Seed Diversity to farmer planting GMO seeds
-Do we truly know the long term impact of GMOs. The pace at which
we have create, marketed and sold these products is only within the
last 20 30 years. Long term testing has not been done. -Trust is
key if you are going to allow organizations to alter seed and put
pesticides on plants: Monsanto guilty in 'false ad' row and 1996
false advertisingMonsanto guilty in 'false ad' row 1996 false
advertising -Patents, like copyrights, are a form of intellectual
property protection. When farmers purchase Monsanto seed, they
agree not to save and replant seeds produced from the crops they
grow from Monsanto. -Climate change is forcing food diversity (i.e.
global warming). Loss of seed diversity -Monsanto seed could lead
to the loss of seed diversity on a massive scale. -The GMO process
combines the traits of other species to create a benefitial plant.
Diversity allows for this process. -Are there health related
impacts with consuming GMOs or the herbicides/Pesticides?
-Environmental impact (herbicide/Pesticides impact on the natural
world fish, water, plants, animals, soil, insects)
Slide 62
-Herbicides are not known to directly cause genetic mutations
in weeds that lead to resistance. However, herbicide resistant
biotypes may already exist in native weed populations. When a
herbicide is applied over and over again, some of these biotypes
survive, mature and produce seed. (Source: Monsanto Website)
-Control of a corporation over the very thing that allows us to
survive (Ethics/Morals) -Corporations responsibility to increase
profitability. More money can be made in seed than in chemicals
(biotechnology) -Farmers required to buy seed each year instead of
saving seed like they have been doing for thousands of years
-Ultimately if they have control over the food supply they have
control over price. -Address the famines and starvation that take
place in drought stricken countries -Increasing population needs to
be fed -With future water challenges this technology might be able
to address water shortages by creating seeds that need little water
or soil nutrients. WHY CARE?
Slide 63
Slide 64
NZ food bill to make growing food a government privilege rather
than a human right The God-given human right to freely cultivate
food is under attack in New Zealand (NZ) as special interest groups
and others are currently attempting to push a "food security" bill
through the nation's parliament that will strip individuals of
their right to grow food, save seeds, and even share the fruits of
their labor with friends and family members.
http://www.naturalnews.com/034337_New_Zealand_food_freedom_human_rights.html#ixzz1sblHKoYs
Slide 65
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? ? TEDxFruitvale - Gerardo
Reyes-Chavez - Making Corporations Pay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6fly-p3hu0
Slide 66
Paul Root Wolpe: It's time to question bio-engineering
http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_root_wolpe_it_s_time_to_question_bio_engineering.html
Janine Benyus: Biomimicry in action
http://www.ted.com/talks/janine_benyus_biomimicry_in_action.html In
Japan, when a train enters a tunnel it would create a sonic boom,
disturbing the surrounding area. In nature, when a Kingfisher dives
quickly into the water, there is no disturbance. By elongating the
nose of the train to emulate the shape of the Kingfisher's beak,
the sonic boom was eliminated. Mark Bittman on what's wrong with
what we eat
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_what_we_eat.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/mark_bittman_on_what_s_wrong_with_what_we_eat.html