Monsanto should patent their modification of the word "Fact"

While I was working on my review of the movie Food, Inc. I happened upon Monsanto's "Fact Site" about the movie and thought I'd address some of their "Facts."  I highly recommend you watch the movie and judge for yourself, but until then here is Monsanto's position on the film...

"Food, Inc. is a one-sided, biased film that the creators claim will “lift the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer." Unfortunately, Food, Inc. is counter-productive to the serious dialogue surrounding the critical topic of our nation’s food supply.

"Throughout this film, Food, Inc.:

• Demonizes American farmers and the agriculture system responsible for feeding over 300 million people in the United States.
• Presents an unrealistic view of how to feed a growing nation while ignoring the practical demands of the American consumer and the fundamental needs of consumers around the world.
• Disregards the fact that multiple agriculture systems should – and do – coexist.  "

My take on their claims...

"Food, Inc. demonizes American farmers." Not once in the movie do they vilify, demonize or wag their finger at a single farmer.  They interview a number of farmers and illustrate how corporations like Monsanto, Perdue and Cargill have systematically victimized and bullied farmers large and small.  They go on to say "The film, Food. Inc, suggests the food supply is dominated by corporate farms." Also not true, the film suggests that corporations, like Monsanto dominate the food supply, in a large part because of the dominion they hold over family farms.

"Food, Inc. presents an unrealistic view of how to feed a growing nation." Monsanto would like everyone to believe that there is a shortage of food but that simply isn't the case.  In fact we produce enough food to put it in our car's gas tanks, have the most obese people in the world and be one of the largest agricultural exporters in the world.  Furthermore, sustainable agriculture does not mean every farm has to be a tiny backyard garden.  Large commercial farms can farm sustainably and efficiently without GMOs.

"Food, Inc. disregards the fact that multiple agriculture systems should – and do – coexist." The film doesn't dispute this at all.  What the film does, is shed light on a few of these systems and says that the public should have the right to see where their food comes from and ultimately either choose or shape the systems that feed them.  Unfortunately these companies don't want us to see how their systems operate, probably because they are afraid that, as consumers, if we knew what we were really eating and how it came to our plate we'd opt for other systems.

When all is said and done the only "fact" I found on the site was this one "Food, Inc. is one-sided."  Absolutely, the film is one sided, or at least they don't convey Monsanto's (or the other Corporations mentioned) side, but they also don't proport to present both sides.  Just because something is one sided doesn't mean it's not true.

The movie opens today in LA, NY and San Fransisco so if you are in the area go see it and judge for yourself.