As part of my Environmental Policy Masters program I am researching the industrial food system, conventional versus organic agriculture, and developed an interest in genetically modified organisms.
I attended the first Justice Begins With Seeds Conference to deepen my understanding of the issue. This feature highlights some of the activists I interviewed, and their concerns. I’m still unclear on what the impacts of GMOs are, especially on human health, but I wanted to give voice to the critics, who I think are often overlooked in the general media stories.
Hear particularly interesting segments from interviews and panels below, and find a list of GMO resources at the bottom of the page.
• Center for Food Safety Executive Director Andy Kimbrell talks about the travesty that is CAFOs -the inhumane treatment of animals, and the dangerous pathogens crated in these Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. Listen to the full interview to hear about CFS’ five pending lawsuits to block GMOs.
• Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund Associate Director Mari Margil talks about the “box of allowable activism” communities get stuck in in America.
• Pamm Larry talks about being a grandma and the “original instigator” of the genetically modified food labeling act.
• Attendees talk about why they honor seed and soil, and offer prayers and songs topachamama, at an evening Seed Exchange.
• Journalist Jeff Conant discusses four GMO story arks he finds in the media, and discuss alternative narratives.
• Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette author Jeffrey Smith talks about why he’s been fighting GMOs since 1996, and his Institute for Responsible Technology.
• Jeffrey Smith with the Institute for Responsible Technology, Andy Kimbrell with the Center for Food Safety and Dave Murphy from Food Democracy Now have a panel discussion about Growing the Non-GMO Uprising.
GMO Resources
Websites
• California Biosafety Alliance’s Justice Begins With Seeds Conference
• Center for Food Safety
• Institute for Responsible Technology
• Center for Environmental Law and Policy
• 2012 Ballot Labeling Initiative
• Non-GMO Shopping Guide
• Non-GMO Project
• Shop No GMO iPhone app
• Monsanto
Movies (haven’t seen them, don’t hate if they’re bad!)
• Future of Food
• The World According To Monsanto
• Food Inc