This documentary film (1hr 49min) first aired on French television in March. Monsanto was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1901. It is the manufacturer of PCB's, Agent Orange, and makes the world's best selling herbicide, Roundup. The company may be the world's largest manufacturer of genetically-modified seeds. The growing worldwide food crisis and the power of large multi-national corporations like Monsanto are quite possibly not unrelated. To see this film go to
Monsanto
The World According to Monsanto
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Walter Winch will blog here regularly on the environment and hopes you’ll join in the discussion. Walter’s opinions are his own and don’t necessarily reflect views of The Kansas City Star.
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Uncritical, uneduicated thinking
French farmers have historically worked small farms and are threatened whenever US crops tend to blow them out of the market. So they invent dangers designed to prod the French government to distort the market and preserve inefficiencies.
The worldwide food crisis has many causes, with the mosty important one being the rapid increase in consumption by Chinsa, India and other developing economies. The use of biofuels (also subject to economic distortion, esp. in the US) diverts grain from fuel production.
Rather than uncritically present "documentaries" by parties with an axe to grind as fact, perhaps Mr. Winch should educate himself first. Of note is that Mr. Winchell has no formal education whatsoever in enviromental or biological sciences, but is more than willing to spout an opinion.
fact vs opinion
First of all the intro to the documentary Mr. Winch says it may have an impact. The choice of that helping verb suggests opinion not fact. You perceive it as fact. The blog is opinion. If one self educates himself on the environment and biology, is that less worthy than a degree? You do not like the documentary. Fine. Say so. You have other opinions Fine. Put them out there. But this constant personal attack on Mr. Winch demeans you as well and shows immaturity and an unwillingness to engage in adult conversation. I myself like this blog. I find some of its posts less than satisfactory, but they always make me think. Somehow the trendy word "haters" comes to mind with you gentlemen who dislike what Mr. Winch has to say. And these are my opinions not facts.
error
Sorry, he uses the adverbs: quite possibly. He does not use the helping verb, may. Regardless, opinion not fact is suggested by that word choice.
"uncritical"
Actually, a blog does present a writer's opinion. In terms of this film, I didn't make it. It is the producer's POV. If YOU don't agree with their viewpoint that's your right. I have in fact visited Monsanto's web site and have learned about all the things they're doing for the betterment of humankind. I've also read some articles about farmers that have been visited by Monsanto "employees." I suspect as well that Monsanto has a large collection of public relations types that react very quickly to any unfavorable opinion. I also suspect they let the politicians know where the money comes from. In terms of farm subsidies in Europe that's a story unto itself. Our own archaic farm subsidy program is also a story unto itself. This story is not going away.