Farmageddon

Last Thursday, SLI hosted an event onsite: dinner and a movie.

Everyone gathered around 5:30 for a potluck by the pond.  We had some homemade pasta, veggie stirfry, fresh salad, chips, salsa, fruit, and of course, a few brewskies.  It was very warm that night, but much cooler sitting under the canopy of weeping willows on the dock.  After grubbing, we headed to the classroom yurt above the organic garden to watch Farmageddon.

I think I can speak for all the interns when I say that we're fairly well informed about our food industry - from the benefits of local, organic food and farming (earth friendly, sustainable, more nutritious, happy cows,  ...) to the downsides of agribusiness (how much time do you have?).  But, we were all surprised to learn what we did from the documentary.

The gist:  USDA trying to make all food "safe" to the public by applying the same rules and regulations to Foster Farms as it does to Betty Sue's Family Farms.  Not possible, fair or practical.  It went further to show how small farmers all across the country are being put out of business and even persecuted for not adhering to such standards and even so when they are adhering.  That was the scariest part.  I was simultaneously surprised and not surprised.  Big business in cahoots w/ the government = doing lots of shady ish to good people who do not fit their paradigm.  I wont get all political on you ... (too late?) but it's definitely eye opening and worth watching.  The focus was largely on raw milk and raw milk products, so if that's an interest of yours, do not miss this film.

Thanks to Bob Banner for sharing this movie with us.  Also ... if you think this is something that happens elsewhere and not to your local farmer .... check out this blog that shows this kind of prosecution is going on right in our backyard - in Willits, CA.