Tuesday January 22: The World According To Monsanto part one

Updated: NOTE: THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE NOT LATER THAN SATURDAY JANUARY 26 AT 8:00 PM
Greetings, one and all, and welcome back!

Today, we are going to continue our section on agriculture with a closer look at what some are calling the "next agricultural revolution". This involves the creation, use and marketing of GMO foods -- Genetically Modified Organism type foods.

In a nutshell, GMOs attempt to do in the laboratory -- by splicing up the DNA of the various foods we eat-- in a few years what it has taken humanity thousands of years previously.

What you will need to do:

I have acquired a copy of the documentary "The World According To Monsanto", which deals directly with this topic. Monsanto is one of the world's leading companies engaged in the creation of GMO foods. I would like you watch this film, and while you are watching, search for the answers to the following questions. Email your results to me with the answers in the main body of the email and your name plus the word "GMO Monsanto" in the subject line

cheers,
Mr. L

PS the woman who created this film has --  at least in my view -- a French accent that is still easy to understand, as well as being extremely pleasant

PPS -- There is a link to a place where you can watch this same documentary online HERE  


0) The first couple of people you see in this film are arguing over whether a product they have is "biodegradable".... what exactly does that mean? Why is it a good thing? And why would a company claim that their product has this good quality if it weren't true?

1) one of the first people you see is an Iowa farmer, talking about a special product that he's growing that was developed by Monsanto. What was the product and what was so great about it?

2) How was this product made... what had to happen to make it happen?

3) The company that makes it is the subject of the film, Monsanto. The Iowa farmer seems to have an opinion about them.. what do you suppose it is?

4) According to the film, what does Monsanto claim to be on its own website? What do they say they are trying to do?

5) What is their best selling product, and what does it do?

6) Does anyone you know in your family or neighborhood use this product?

7) We are trying to discover more about GMOs.... how many of the different types of GMOs are owned by Monsanto?

8) Why has Monsanto made changes to these different plants and other organisms? What are they trying to make these species compatible with?

9) Why the heck is it such a big deal if Monsanto is creating all these GMO's?

10) What kind of company was Monsanto originally?

11) List three of the products made by Monsanto in their original role

12) What eventually happened to these earlier products?

13) What is the significance of Anniston, Alabama for Monsanto and its history?

14) How far back did Monsanto know there were health hazards for some of its products?

15) When these problems became public knowledge, what was the response of government agencies that were supposed to oversee companies like Monsanto?

16) Eventually, Monsanto was sued and lost in court. In 2001, they were ordered to pay a pretty sizable settlement.. what was the approximate amount?

17) Compared to the amount of money Monsanto made that year, how big a percentage was this settlement?

18) Were any of the leaders of Monsanto at that time ever held personally responsible?

19) What connection does this film make between Monsanto's past legal and ethical difficulties and its current claim that its biggest product is "biodegradable"?

20) Do they still make this claim for this product? Why or why not?

21)  What other possible health concerns are there for this product?

22) True or false: these concerns were kept hidden at first because of their relation to Monsanto's development of GMOs

23) there are many people who find good in what Monsanto is developing... please list at least two of their reasons

24) Describe -- using at least three complete sentences -- how Monsanto genetically engineers plants to be able to work with their most important product

25) If these plants can be changed so much, how do we know if they are actually good for us?

26) What has happened to people -- even high ranking people in the U.S. government -- when they asked questions similar to number 25 above?

27) The U.S. government demands that if you add something to a food like an artificial color, its considered an "additive". Why do they consider it different when a company like Monsanto introduces DNA from a bacteria into a plant? Why is that not considered an additive?

28) In the 1980s when Monsanto first began experimenting with GMOs, Leaders at the highest levels of government cleared the way for Monsanto move ahead with its plans. What does the film say motivated these government leaders to do so?

29) Another product created by Monsanto is "Bovine growth hormone". What is it, what does it do and why are some people critical of its use?


30) Does Bgh change the way milk tastes? Does it change whether or not milk from Bgh cows is healthy?

31) Governments from several different countries have banned the use of Bgh... tell me which of those countries is closest to us and why it is significant that THIS country in particular banned it?

32) There are people in America who also want it banned... please list at least two reasons they give for doing so. 

33) The documentary refers to a "revolving door" involving Monsanto executives. What do they mean by this, and why would this seem to be just a little bit "sketchy"?

34) The FDA -- Food and Drug Administration -- is an agency of the U.S. government. What do they say about the safety of GMO foods?