Food Inc., documentary "shines a light on the dark underbelly of the American food industry"

[JohnyCanuck]

Run time: 89:59 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVFKEWL6DVU   Posted on YouTube: March 23, 2011 By YouTube Member: harishs2486 Views on YouTube: 52662   Posted on DU: July 22, 2011 By DU Member: JohnyCanuck Views on DU: 465

 

Documentary filmmaker Robert Kenner uses reports by FAST FOOD NATION author Eric Schlosser and THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA author Michael Pollan as a springboard to exploring where the food we purchase really comes from, and what it means for the health of future generations. By exposing the comfortable relationships between business and government, Kenner gradually shines light on the dark underbelly of the American food industry.

[JohnyCanuck]

1. "Comfortable relationships between business and government"

I'll say. Check out the conflict of interest (their denials to the contrary notwithstanding) that was inherent in the FDA's approval process for Monsanto's controversial Bovine Growth Hormone product.

Labeling Issues, Revolving Doors, rBGH, Bribery and Monsanto

Another example of the Government-industry revolving door is Margaret Miller, "In order for the FDA to determine if Monsanto's growth hormones were safe or not, Monsanto was required to submit a scientific report on that topic. Margaret Miller, one of Monsanto's researchers put the report together. Shortly before the report submission, Miller left Monsanto and was hired by the FDA . Her first job for the FDA was to determine whether or not to approve the report she wrote for Monsanto. In short, Monsanto approved its own report. Assisting Miller was another former Monsanto researcher, Susan Sechen" <22>. Here <23> you can read Robert Cohen's testimony before FDA on the subject of rBGH including the disclosure that, while at the FDA and in response to increasing sickness in cows on the stuff, Miller increased the amount of antibiotics that farmers can legally give cows by 100 times. See also <24>. "Remarkably the GAO determined in a 1994 investigation that these officials' former association with the Monsanto corporation did not pose a conflict of interest. But for those concerned about the health and environmental hazards of genetic engineering, the revolving door between the biotechnology industry and federal regulating agencies is a serious cause for concern" <25>.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Labeling_Issues%2C_Revolving_Doors%2C_rBGH%2C_Bribery_and_Monsanto