A Primer on Pesticide Propaganda I

This series has long been in the works since Host Jon Steinman attended the CropLife Canada conference back in September 2007.

Since the recent streak of municipal pesticide bans were put into place across Canada, the pesticide industry has been on the defense. Represented by trade association CropLife Canada, the public relations strategies being used by the industry were front and centre at the Saskatoon conference. But what about in the media?

On this multi-part series, Deconstructing Dinner explores the messages coming from industry and Canada's regulatory bodies; it will examine research on the pesticide and cancer connections; it will dig deep into the care that agricultural migrant workers receive when working within our borders; and it will challenge one of the most frequently used arguments - "Without pesticides, the world would go hungry!".

Part I
As part of his conference media package, Jon Steinman received a DVD produced by seed and pesticide manufacturer Syngenta Crop Protection Canada. Titled, "A Primer on Pesticides", this production will provide the basis for this Part I of a multi-part series A Primer on Pesticide Propaganda.

Using historical recordings on pesticides, Steinman explores the history of pesticide use throughout North America and makes the connections between war and agriculture. The underlying ideology of being at war against nature is placed into a critical light with Steinman's deconstructing of the many "enemy" weeds that are destroyed by chemicals every day. As is discovered, some of those pesky weeds are actually far more nutritious and resilient than most of what makes up the dominant food supply!

Voices

Donna Houghton - Toxicologist Syngenta Crop Protection Canada (Guelph, ON)

Robert Wright - Field Development Manager - Eastern Canada Syngenta Crop Protection Canada (Guelph, ON)

Marian Stypa - Regulatory and Biological Development Syngenta Crop Protection Canada (Guelph, ON)

Nancy Tout - Lead Scientist Dietary Safety Assessment Syngenta Crop Protection Canada (Guelph, ON)

Lorne Hepworth, President, CropLife Canada (Toronto, ON) - CropLife Canada is the trade association representing the manufacturers, developers and distributors of plant science innovations — pest control products and plant biotechnology — for use in agriculture, urban and public health settings.

Other Featured Audio

Death to Weeds (1947) - A short film produced by Dow Chemical to promote the use of their pesticide 2,4-D.