Seeds of Freedom

“Seeds of Freedom, a film produced by The Gaia Foundation and the African Biodiversity Network, in collaboration with MELCA Ethiopia, Navdanya International, and GRAIN, offers a thought-provoking glimpse into the state of the global food supply, as crop seeds are being increasingly monopolized by trans-national biotech corporations.

“The story of seed has become one of loss, control, dependence and debt. It’s been written by those who want to make vast profit from our food system, no matter what the true cost.

It’s time to change the story.” ~ Seeds of Freedom

Seeds of Freedom, narrated by Jeremy Irons, details how seeds, which have been the heart of traditional farming and natural biodiversity since the beginning of agriculture, are being transformed into an expensive, patented commodity used to monopolize the global food system
Historically, farmers have stored, traded and shared choice seed from one season to the next. With the introduction of patented genetically engineered seeds, this practice is no longer permitted. Doing so exposes the farmer to costly fines and lawsuits for patent infringement
At present, there are six categories of genetically engineered crops that are either in development, or have already been approved for commercialization
GE crops have not lived up to the hype. Numerous studies have concluded they do not provide greater yields. On the contrary, they oftentimes produce lower yields than their non-GE counterparts. They also have not reduced herbicide use. Instead, use of broad-spectrum herbicides is estimated to triple as herbicide-resistant crops continue to be planted around the globe

In terms of food crops, the most common genetically engineered varieties are:

Corn
Soy
Canola
Sugarbeet

How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Foods

Until GE foods are labeled, your BEST strategy is to simply buy certified 100% Organic products whenever possible, as these do not permit genetically engineered ingredients, or buy whole fresh produce and meat from local farmers.

The majority of the genetically engineered ingredients you’re exposed to are via processed foods, so by cooking from scratch with whole foods, you can be sure you’re not inadvertently consuming something laced with altered ingredients. When you do purchase processed food, avoid products containing anything related to corn or soy that are not 100 percent organic, as most foods containing these two non-organic ingredients are about 90 percent likely to contain genetically engineered ingredients, as well as toxic herbicide residues.”

by Dr. Mercola