{"id":329,"date":"2024-02-23T06:07:28","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T06:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/?p=329"},"modified":"2024-02-25T13:54:09","modified_gmt":"2024-02-25T13:54:09","slug":"modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html","title":{"rendered":"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #999999;\"><em>This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices of modern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for the future of humanity and the future of our planet.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\/#Introduction_The_Plot_Thickens\" >Introduction: The Plot Thickens<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\/#Pesticides_and_Herbicides_Poisoning_the_Planet\" >Pesticides and Herbicides: Poisoning the Planet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\/#Antibiotic_Use_in_Raising_Livestock_Are_We_Upsetting_the_Ecology_of_Microbial_Life\" >Antibiotic Use in Raising Livestock: Are We Upsetting the Ecology of Microbial Life?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\/#Recombinant_Bovine_Growth_Hormone_Is_There_Pus_in_Your_Milk\" >Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone:\u00a0 Is There Pus in Your Milk?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction_The_Plot_Thickens\"><\/span><strong>Introduction: The Plot Thickens<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>In my previous blog posting, I introduced you to the basics of the modern food processing industry, and how to be a real watchdog when it comes to your food.\u00a0 It would be nice if that was the sum total of all the corrupt and questionable stuff that our food supply has gone through in recent years, but unfortunately, these basics don\u2019t even begin to cover it; your food supply has undergone even deeper changes that are even more pernicious and insidious in nature, which pose perplexing philosophical problems, not only for our food supply, but also for our very relationship with our environment and the whole natural world in general.\u00a0 In other words, the plot thickens!\u00a0 Really, I wish that I didn\u2019t have to tell you about all this because, frankly, a lot of it is quite dark and depressing.\u00a0 But I would be remiss in my duty to educate you and warn you, dear reader, if I didn\u2019t lay out the fundamental problems here as clearly as I can, and also tell you what the heck you can do about it.\u00a0 I will start with the simpler and more basic stuff first, and then proceed to the more difficult and thorny issues later on.<\/p>\n<p>Hippocrates said that because of the process of Pepsis, or digestion and metabolism, every human being, and indeed every living organism, is absolutely dependent on its external or natural environment \u2013 in other words, we are absolutely dependent on Nature.\u00a0 Chief Seattle told us that we did not weave the web of Life that sustains us, that we are merely a strand within it; he also told us that whatever we do to our natural environment, we do to ourselves as well.\u00a0 Jesus told us to treat others \u2013 and that includes our natural environment \u2013 as we wish to be treated \u2013 that\u2019s the Golden Rule.\u00a0 All these laws of Nature, and of Life and health, point to a great transcendent Truth \u2013 that ultimately, there is no essential difference between ourselves and others, or ourselves, or the personal microcosm, and the outer world of Nature, or the universal macrocosm.\u00a0 As above, so below; as within, so without goes the old Hermetic maxim.\u00a0 Yet in modern agribusiness, we are constantly doing to the natural world around us what we would never think of doing to ourselves.<\/p>\n<p>Another thing that should never be underestimated is the almighty dollar, and our so-called \u201ccivilization\u2019s\u201d worshiping of the profit motive above all else.\u00a0 The proof of this is that there are corporate executives and business leaders who imagine that the very reason why God put them on this earth was to plot and scheme, and come up with ever more clever and ingenious ways to screw people out of their hard-earned money \u2013 that is, if they even believe in God at all.\u00a0 \u201cIn God We Trust\u201d is printed on the dollar bill, but do these words carry the subtle, implicit message that money itself has become our God?\u00a0 And beyond this, are there values in life that should be held above the profit motive \u2013 and if so, what the heck are they?\u00a0 Moses came down from the mountaintop and found the children of Israel worshiping a golden calf \u2013 is this what our modern world has come to?\u00a0 I believe that the true mission of those who grow, process and deliver our food to us should be to promote the overall health, nutrition and wellbeing of society, but sadly, too many in modern agribusiness no longer see it that way; they feel that after they have sold us their stuff, that their concern ends \u2013 after all, they\u2019ve made their money, and whatever the heck we have to deal with later on is our own problem, and not theirs.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pesticides_and_Herbicides_Poisoning_the_Planet\"><\/span><strong>Pesticides and Herbicides: Poisoning the Planet<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>To kill unwanted insect pests, modern farmers spray their crops with pesticides; to kill unwanted plants, or weeds, they spray their crops with herbicides.\u00a0 The only problem is that, long after the crops that were sprayed with them are harvested, the pesticides and herbicides are released into the environment to poison the food chain.\u00a0 The animals at the bottom end of the food chain don\u2019t suffer that much, but the higher up you go, the more the residues of these pesticides and herbicides accumulate \u2013 until finally, these animals wind up on our dinner plates.\u00a0 Here again, the moral is simple:\u00a0 You can\u2019t poison the crops you grow without also poisoning the larger world of Nature \u2013 and finally ourselves.\u00a0 Want to eat fresh fruits and vegetables that are relatively free of pesticide and herbicide residues?\u00a0 Buy organic!\u00a0 Not only do organic fruits and vegetables taste better, but they are also more nutritious and better for you.\u00a0 Bite into a conventionally grown orange, and you get a \u201cmedicine-y\u201d aftertaste; bite into an organic orange, and all you get is sweet and juicy \u2013 exactly the way that Nature intended!<\/p>\n<p>I remember when, at the end of the sixties, we finally landed a man on the moon.\u00a0 I was a high school student in Tokyo, Japan when this happened, and my father was a prominent US diplomat; Japanese people I had never even met were calling us up out of the blue to congratulate us on this great achievement, and I felt proud of my country.\u00a0 One iconic photo that came out of that whole era was the image of the earth rising, and with that iconic photo came a new global awareness of what was called spaceship earth \u2013 that fragile capsule of life orbiting through the vastness of empty space.\u00a0 We had to protect and be good stewards of our fragile planet, which was, and still is, our only home.\u00a0 The first Earth Day was declared and celebrated not long after that global awareness dawned, I believe \u2013 but before too long, it was back to business as usual for our profit driven food industry \u2013 and we went right back to poisoning the planet.\u00a0 Now, there are great billionaires and entrepreneurs who are trying to get us to Mars, and maybe even to colonize it and hopefully make it hospitable to life \u2013 but are they doing this just to give themselves a \u201cPlanet B\u201d after thoroughly trashing the Earth?<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Antibiotic_Use_in_Raising_Livestock_Are_We_Upsetting_the_Ecology_of_Microbial_Life\"><\/span><strong>Antibiotic Use in Raising Livestock: Are We Upsetting the Ecology of Microbial Life?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Then, there is the prophylactic and even routine use of antibiotics on a large scale in the raising, or factory farming, of livestock.\u00a0 The crowded, unsanitary factory farming of livestock under deplorable conditions has led to the routine use of low level antibiotics in the raising of livestock as a prophylaxis against widespread infection.\u00a0 But hold on a minute \u2013 it was also discovered that the routine addition of low level antibiotics to livestock feed enabled the farm animals to grow larger faster before they were sent off to market.\u00a0 And so, the routine use of antibiotics was increased still further in pursuit of greater and quicker profits and the almighty dollar.\u00a0 There\u2019s only one thing wrong with this lemming-like pursuit of profits and the financial bottom line:\u00a0 These same antibiotics also happen to be the single most potent weapons that modern medicine has in its arsenal against infectious disease, and the routine exposure of microbial life on these factory farms to constant, low levels of antibiotics has led to the appearance of microbial \u201csuperbugs\u201d, that are resistant or totally immune to multiple antibiotics.\u00a0 And because antibiotic use in the raising of livestock is steadily increasing the world over, the specter of a \u201csuperbug\u201d holocaust or apocalypse is looming ever larger.<\/p>\n<p>This questionable and controversial routine use of antibiotics in the factory farming of livestock is something that has caught the attention of the consumer, and it seems to be something that the vast majority of people know about \u2013 and so, many restaurants are touting, right out front: \u201cantibiotic free chicken!\u201d and things of that nature.\u00a0 I believe that if you did a survey of health food stores and even supermarkets, you would find that the words \u201cantibiotic free\u201d would come right after \u201corganic\u201d and \u201cnon-GMO\u201d in the sheer extent of their popularity and pervasiveness.\u00a0 Yet it is estimated that some 90 percent of soybeans, corn and cotton are genetically modified.\u00a0 It seems like people, and society in general, used to have a higher regard for the truth, but a recent presidential administration that saw the meteoric rise of \u201calternative facts\u201d has had a devastating effect on truthfulness in general, even to the point at which many in the mainstream media are proclaiming that we now live in a \u201cpost-truth\u201d world.\u00a0 What the heck is our world coming to?\u00a0 And so, I advise you, dear reader, to really do your homework to find out which food growers and suppliers are really dedicated to natural, organic agriculture and livestock raising \u2013 and which are merely spouting \u201calternative facts\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>So \u2013 just how bad is the excessive or routine use of antibiotics in the raising of livestock?\u00a0 This was the question that drove me to google up articles on the internet that would give me some concrete statistics that would enable my mind to wrap around the actual size and extent of the problem.\u00a0 After a while, I did finally succeed in finding an article that went beyond vague generalities to give me some actual statistics.\u00a0 The link to this article is below:<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.minnpost.com\/second-opinion\/2015\/03\/use-antibiotics-livestock-projected-soar-raising-serious-health-concerns-0\/?gad_source=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Use of antibiotics in livestock projected to soar, raising serious health concerns<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Anyway, the headline proclaims:\u00a0 <strong>Use of antibiotics in livestock projected to soar, raising serious health concerns.\u00a0 <\/strong>And I have highlighted some of the core statistics cited in this article below:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter mapping the use of antibiotics in 228 countries, the authors of a recent study estimate \u2013 conservatively \u2013 that some 63,000 <em>tons<\/em> of the drugs were fed to chicken, pigs and cattle in 2010.\u00a0 That\u2019s twice the amount of antibiotics used that year to treat people.\u00a0 (In the US, livestock consume about 80 percent of the antibiotics purchased each year.)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut the projected future demand for antibiotics makes even that huge annual tonnage of drugs look small.\u00a0 Using statistical modeling, the researchers estimate that the use of antibiotics in livestock will increase by a staggering 67 percent over the next 15 years, and in some countries \u2013 Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa \u2013 the use will almost double.<\/p>\n<p>Heck \u2013 15 years after 2010 makes 2025 \u2013 OMG, we\u2019re almost there already \u2013 like we\u2019re almost to an ecological apocalypse, folks!\u00a0 With all this widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics in our livestock, what could possibly go wrong???\u00a0 If the mad pursuit of the profit motive had not yet robbed us of the gift of reason, we would realize that our ability to fight off infectious microbes for our very survival is far more precious than any extra profits that might accrue from the routine use of antibiotics in livestock.\u00a0 And that\u2019s what this article focuses on, as do the vast majority of articles on the subject that I was able to find in my internet research.\u00a0 The specter of multiple antibiotic resistant superbugs is scary enough, but what about those of us who suffer from the hidden pandemic of candidiasis, or chronic, systemic yeast infection?\u00a0 This last demographic is unfortunately one that includes myself, and antibiotic use in livestock may be even more threatening for us, because antibiotics actually encourage or aggravate the overgrowth of yeast, mold and fungi in the body for those who suffer from, and whose immune resistance to these organisms, which antibiotics could never kill or inhibit, is a definite health issue.\u00a0 It seems like, concerning the looming specter of superbugs, and the hidden epidemic of candidiasis, or yeast and fungal infections, that another HUGE advantage of going vegetarian in our modern age might be to preserve some sane measure of control and autonomy over one\u2019s own inner ecology of microbial life.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recombinant_Bovine_Growth_Hormone_Is_There_Pus_in_Your_Milk\"><\/span><strong>Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone:\u00a0 Is There Pus in Your Milk?\u00a0 <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, or rBGH, is an artificial, or genetically engineered, Bovine Growth Hormone that is injected into cows in order to increase their milk production; estimates are that it raises milk production by about 20 percent.\u00a0 Because it has been genetically engineered, the rGBH molecule is not identical to natural Bovine Growth Hormone, but it is close enough to get the cow to respond by producing more milk.\u00a0 There\u2019s just one problem; certain scientists have noticed that the frequency of mastitis, or udder infections, increases when cows are injected with this hormone, with the result being increased pus content of the milk.\u00a0 Yukk!\u00a0 Pus in my milk???\u00a0 That\u2019s what it seems like, and the bad thing is that, because pus is also about the same color and opacity as milk, it\u2019s very hard to detect by visual inspection alone.\u00a0 Because cows injected with rBGH are more prone to mastitis or udder infections, they are treated with more antibiotics as well, the residues of which can also wind up in your milk.<\/p>\n<p>The dairy lobby is very powerful, and has convinced many people that milk is Nature\u2019s perfect food; this is actually far from the case, and there are plenty of potential drawbacks to milk and dairy products, which the dairy lobby somehow fails to mention.\u00a0 The search for the perfect food, and opinions as to exactly what that food is, or might be, is something that\u2019s almost as old as humanity itself.\u00a0 Many have put forth the theory that milk is Nature\u2019s perfect food, but cow\u2019s milk is undoubtedly the perfect food for suckling calves.\u00a0 Alternative milks like goat\u2019s milk may actually be more suitable for human consumption than cow\u2019s milk, and milk from other animals, like sheep, have also been used, with cheese being made out of all these milks.\u00a0 Cow\u2019s milk, being very cold and wet in its inherent nature and temperament, tends to produce a lot of phlegm, and a lot of wind or flatus in the gut as well.\u00a0 For certain other individuals, like those suffering from lactose intolerance, milk can be difficult or impossible to digest properly.\u00a0 In addition, milk that is pasteurized can render the protein content in milk a lot harder to digest, especially for those with slow, weak or frail digestions.\u00a0 Add to this the presence of artificial hormones and antibiotics, and milk presents us with a whole host of potential problems \u2013 not to mention that it is a very common food allergy.<\/p>\n<p>Agribusiness is indeed big business, because everyone on this planet needs to eat, and to get food to put on their plates every day.\u00a0 And so, there is the temptation by the big agribusiness companies to cut corners and use corrupt business practices to get products and substances that are of uncertain or questionable health and safety value approved.\u00a0 Such was the story when the agribusiness gene splicing giant Monsanto went north of the border and tried to get its Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, or rBGH, approved in Canada, and it made international headlines.\u00a0 Dr. Shiv Chopra of Health Canada blew the whistle on rBGH, and as a result, Canada finally banned it, but Dr. Chopra himself was a casualty of the scuffle, and wound up losing his job.\u00a0 But that\u2019s not the end of the story \u2013 giant international trade deals like the TPP, or Trans Pacific Partnership, bring additional problems and complications as countries that have banned rBGH and other risky agribusiness substances and practices, sign on to those trade deals.\u00a0 How do they ban things like rBGH in milk, which is accepted by other countries that are a party to these trade deals, from entering their own countries?\u00a0 The EU, or European Union, has also banned rBGH, and also faces similar problems in the face of international trade deals.\u00a0 Just follow the link below to read the rest of this sordid story:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/canadians.org\/analysis\/dr-shiv-chopra-speaks-against-tpp-bgh-milk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DR. SHIV CHOPRA SPEAKS AGAINST THE TPP &amp; BGH MILK<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hold on \u2013 there\u2019s yet another problem with rBGH \u2013 it raises the level of IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor 1), which poses other significant health and safety problems for both the cows that are injected with it as well as the humans that drink their milk.\u00a0 Higher levels of IGF-1 in the blood have been linked to reproductive abnormalities like a higher frequency of multiple births, as well as an increased risk for cancer, especially cancers of the breast and colon.\u00a0 The use of rBGH in dairy cows has also increased the problem of udder infections by 25 percent, leading to an increased use of antibiotics to treat those infections, which is quite worrisome in light of the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance in new \u201csuperbug\u201d microbes.\u00a0 This is my summary of a statement put out by the environmental group Food and Water Watch concerning rBGH; by contrast, the American Cancer Society\u2019s official statement is decidedly neutral and inconclusive regarding both the cancer and antibiotic resistance issues, and concludes by saying, \u201cThe American Cancer Society (ACS) has no formal position regarding rBGH.\u201d\u00a0 The statements of both organizations are quoted in the article cited above.\u00a0 After following the activities and statements of the American Cancer Society over the years, one question looms large in my mind:\u00a0 Are they for or against cancer?<\/p>\n<p>As I said previously, agribusiness is indeed big business, and putting food on one\u2019s plate is indeed a universal concern that no one can avoid.\u00a0 With so much money, and such high stakes involved, it\u2019s no wonder that powerful agribusiness giants like Monsanto are spending vast sums of money to influence the government agencies that regulate our food.\u00a0 Again, this is all done in the interests of the big agribusiness corporations and their right to distribute and market their products to the food consumer \u2013 which is us.\u00a0 After the food winds up on our plates, hey \u2013 that\u2019s our problem, not theirs.\u00a0 Looking at the position of organizations like the American Cancer Society versus others like Food and Water Watch, it\u2019s quite clear that the positions of these various groups are basically the result of how, and by whom, they are funded.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the agribusiness version of the Golden Rule is:\u00a0 He who has the gold makes the rules.\u00a0 Corporate giants like Monsanto have virtually unlimited sources of cash to fund them; groups and agencies defending the food consumer, on the other hand, are not very well funded.<\/p>\n<p>Monsanto, the producers of rBGH, are probably the world leaders in the genetically modified food industry; in the eyes of many health and natural food advocates, they are the devil incarnate.\u00a0 But just what makes them so bad, and what makes the whole GMO issue so explosive and controversial, and why are GMOs seen by so many as an existential threat to humanity, and to the whole ecosystem?\u00a0 I will be exploring the issue of GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, and the grave philosophical problems they pose, in the next installment of my blog, so stay tuned!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices of modern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for the future of humanity and the future of our planet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":330,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[385,395,397,388,398,390,394,399,396,393,391,387,44,14,392,386,389,400],"class_list":["post-329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-traditional-medicine","tag-agribusiness","tag-american-cancer-society","tag-antibiotic-resistance","tag-antibiotics","tag-candidiasis","tag-chief-seattle","tag-dr-shiv-chopra","tag-earth-rising","tag-food-and-water-watch","tag-gmos","tag-golden-rule","tag-herbicides","tag-hippocrates","tag-jesus","tag-monsanto","tag-pesticides","tag-rbgh","tag-spaceship-earth"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices ofmodern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for thefuture of humanity and the future of our planet.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices ofmodern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for thefuture of humanity and the future of our planet.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"GREEK MEDICINE&#039;S BLOG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-23T06:07:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-25T13:54:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81\"},\"headline\":\"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-23T06:07:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-25T13:54:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\"},\"wordCount\":3207,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"agribusiness\",\"American Cancer Society\",\"antibiotic resistance\",\"antibiotics\",\"candidiasis\",\"Chief Seattle\",\"Dr. Shiv Chopra\",\"earth rising\",\"Food and Water Watch\",\"GMOs\",\"Golden Rule\",\"herbicides\",\"Hippocrates\",\"Jesus\",\"Monsanto\",\"pesticides\",\"rBGH\",\"spaceship earth\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Traditional Medicine\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\",\"name\":\"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-23T06:07:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-25T13:54:09+00:00\",\"description\":\"This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices ofmodern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for thefuture of humanity and the future of our planet.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"Earthrise, taken on December 24, 1968 by Apollo 8 astronaut Ed Anders. Courtesy of Wikipedia.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/traditional-medicine\\\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"GREEK MEDICINE BLOG\",\"description\":\"Information and guidance on the theory and practice of Greek Medicine and Medical Astrology as a traditional system of natural healing.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81\",\"name\":\"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/David_Osborn.jpg\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/David_Osborn.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/David_Osborn.jpg\",\"width\":\"200\",\"height\":\"320\",\"caption\":\"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/David_Osborn.jpg\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.greekmedicine.net\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!","description":"This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices ofmodern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for thefuture of humanity and the future of our planet.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!","og_description":"This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices ofmodern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for thefuture of humanity and the future of our planet.","og_url":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html","og_site_name":"GREEK MEDICINE&#039;S BLOG","article_published_time":"2024-02-23T06:07:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-02-25T13:54:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":1000,"url":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac","Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html"},"author":{"name":"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac","@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81"},"headline":"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!","datePublished":"2024-02-23T06:07:28+00:00","dateModified":"2024-02-25T13:54:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html"},"wordCount":3207,"publisher":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81"},"image":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg","keywords":["agribusiness","American Cancer Society","antibiotic resistance","antibiotics","candidiasis","Chief Seattle","Dr. Shiv Chopra","earth rising","Food and Water Watch","GMOs","Golden Rule","herbicides","Hippocrates","Jesus","Monsanto","pesticides","rBGH","spaceship earth"],"articleSection":["Traditional Medicine"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html","url":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html","name":"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg","datePublished":"2024-02-23T06:07:28+00:00","dateModified":"2024-02-25T13:54:09+00:00","description":"This article introduces my readers to the more risky and questionable practices ofmodern agribusiness and the difficult and perplexing philosophical problems they pose for thefuture of humanity and the future of our planet.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/NASA-Apollo8-Dec24-Earthrise.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"caption":"Earthrise, taken on December 24, 1968 by Apollo 8 astronaut Ed Anders. Courtesy of Wikipedia."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/traditional-medicine\/modern-agribusiness-and-your-food-perplexing-philosophical-problems.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"MODERN AGRIBUSINESS AND YOUR FOOD: Perplexing Philosophical Problems!"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/#website","url":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/","name":"GREEK MEDICINE BLOG","description":"Information and guidance on the theory and practice of Greek Medicine and Medical Astrology as a traditional system of natural healing.","publisher":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2fd702786f67fa4f923f59cc508b9a81","name":"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/David_Osborn.jpg","url":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/David_Osborn.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/David_Osborn.jpg","width":"200","height":"320","caption":"David Osborn, MH - L.Ac"},"logo":{"@id":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/David_Osborn.jpg"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net"]}]}},"views":1523,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=329"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":341,"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329\/revisions\/341"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.greekmedicine.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}