Neil Young

'Seeding Fear: The Story of Michael White vs. Monsanto' (documentary)

BY Alex HudsonPublished Jul 23, 2015

Neil Young just released his album The Monsanto Years, but his campaign against big corporations isn't over. He just executive produced a mini-documentary called Seeding Fear: The Story of Michael White vs. Monsanto.

The tearjerking 10-minute clip is about the GMO-specializing, absurdly litigious Monsanto and their tendency to sue independent farmers with allegations of patent infringement. It tells of the Alabama seed cleaner who faced off against the company in court, and it highlights the unfair intimidation techniques that Monsanto uses to crush its competition.

Seeding Fear was directed by Craig Jackson and is presented by Young's Shakey Films. Below, watch the clip and read a Facebook message from Young about GMO labelling.

As I write this, the dark act is up for a vote in the House of Representatives; representatives of the people. The dark act takes away the rights of those people to vote for or against things like GMO labeling in their states. It does seem ironic. If the act is passed, it will truly be a dark day for America. Monsanto is a corporation with great wealth, now controlling over 90% of soybean and corn growth in America. Family farms have been replaced by giant agri corp farms across this great vast country we call home. Farm aid and other organizations have been fighting the losing battle against this for 30 years now.

Dairy and meat farming is done in those white sheds you see from the freeway, no longer on the green pastures of home with the old farmhouses and barns. Those beautiful buildings now stand in ruin across the country. This has happened on our watch while the country slept, distracted by advertising and false information from the corporations. Monsanto and others simply pay the politicians for voting their way. This is because of "Citizens United", a legislation that has made it possible for corporations to have the same rights as people, while remaining immune to people's laws.

Both Democratic and Republican front runners are in bed with Monsanto, from Clinton to Bush, as many government branches are and have been for years. This presidential election could further cement the dominance of corporation's rights over people's rights in America. If you have a voice you have a choice. Use it.

On the human side, the film I would like you to see tells the story of a farming family in America, but the same thing is happening around the world. It is a story that takes 10 minutes of your time to see. It is a simple human one, telling the heartbreaking story of one man who fought the corporate behemoth Monsanto, and it illustrates why I was moved to write The Monsanto Years.

The film presents a rare opportunity to hear from the source as Mr. White is one of only four farmers who is still legally allowed to speak about his case as all the others have been effectively silenced. Thanks for reading this and I hope you look at this simple and powerful film, "Seeding Fear".

Neil Young
The Monsanto Years


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