Edible Education 101 with Paul Shapiro and Gary Hirshberg Video Lecture | Edible Education: Understand Food & its production - Personal Skills

- GOOD EVENING.
WELCOME TO EDIBLE EDUCATION 101.
I AM WILL ROSENZWEIG.
I AM PLEASED TO HAVE OUR
FEARLESS LEADER ALICE WATERS
HERE.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROGRAM
TONIGHT.
REGRETTABLY ERIC SCHLOSSER IS
NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT.
AS FATE PLAYED OUT GARY
HIRSHBERG WHO IS A GOOD FRIEND
OF ERIC'S WAS GOING TO COME
TONIGHT TO LISTEN TO ERIC SPEAK.
THEY BOTH APPEARED IN THE "FOOD
INC." MOVIE.
WHEN WE HEARD THIS NEWS FROMMER
LICK ALICE AND I JUMPED INTO
MOTION AND WE ARE GRATEFUL GARY
HAS TRANSFORMED HIMSELF FROM A
GUEST TO A FEATURED SPEAKER.
HE WILL BE JOINING US.
AND PAUL SHAPIRO IS HERE AS WELL
FROM THE AMERICAN HUMANE
SOCIETY.
IT IS A VERY INTERESTING
PROGRAM.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED A COUPLE
OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
FIRST -- CAN WE TURN THE VOLUME
DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT OR DO I
HAVE TO DO THAT UP HERE?
QUICK SHOUT OUT FOR THREE
OUTSTANDING PAPERS THIS WEEK.
I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD
COME DOWN AND MEET ALICE.
KELLY BENNETT, WHERE ARE YOU?
ARE YOU HERE TONIGHT?
LATICIA LEWIS BAPTIST ISN'T HERE
AND JONAS MAGUSKI.
JONAS, GOOD JOB.
LET'S HAVE A HAND FOR THESE
EXCELLENT PAPERS.
(APPLAUSE)
- WE ASSIGNED A PAPER THAT WAS
BASICALLY SAID SOMETHING LIKE
YOUR AUNT JUST LEFT YOU 250,000
IN HER WILL AND IS ENCOURAGING
YOU TO OPEN A RESTAURANT THAT
CAN SERVE FOOD IN AN INNOVATIVE
WAY THAT MEETS SOME ASPIRATIONS
AROUND HEALTH AND
SUSTAINABILITY.
THE ASSIGNMENT ASKED YOU TO
DECLARE AND DEFINE AND
ARTICULATE THREE VALUES THAT YOU
THINK WILL MAKE THE RESTAURANT A
SUCCESS AND PICK ONE SIMPLE DISH
ON THE MENU AFTER YOU DESCRIBE
THE RESTAURANT IN VIVID DETAIL
AND TRACE IT, ORIGIN,
PREPARATION, BASICALLY BRING
TRANSPARENCY TO IT.
IT WAS A CHALLENGING ASSIGNMENT.
WE GOT REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK.
IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK I WOULD
SAY FOOD SAFETY IS SORT OF TOP
OF THE NEWS THIS WEEK.
TWO PEOPLE REGRETTABLY DIED IN
NEW YORK EATING RAW MILK CHEESE.
A SECOND FEDERAL LAWSUIT HAS
BEEN FILED AGAINST THE SOY NUT
BUTTER COMPANY WHERE 16 PEOPLE
HAVE GOTTEN SICK AND EIGHT HAVE
BEEN SERIOUSLY HOSPITALIZED.
THERE ARE 10 PEOPLE CURRENTLY
SICK IN OREGON WITH E COLI.
JUST SIGNALS WE WANT YOU TO PAY
ATTENTION TO.
YOU WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT
WITH THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT WORK TO
PROTECT THE WELL-BEING OF
CONSUMERS, THE FDA, USDA, EPA,
LOTS OF AGENCIES THAT TOUCH AND
INTERACT WITH OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
THIS IS QUICK ICLICKER ROLL-CALL
HERE.
AGAGA IS A REFLEX FARMER'S
EXPERIENCE WHEN USING FERTILIZER
IN THE FIELD.
B, A LAW THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM
SAYING BAD THINGS ABOUT THE EGG
INDUSTRY.
AND C, IS A RULE THAT PIVOTS
UNDER COVER EMPLOYMENT IN THE
AGRICULTURE BUSINESS?
GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
OKAY.
LET'S DO A SHOW OF HANDS THEN.
WHO THINKS IT'S A GAG REFLEX?
WHO THINKS IT'S A LAW THAT KEEPS
PEOPLE FROM SAYING BAD THINGS,
AND C, WHO THINK IT IS A RULE
THAT PROHIBITS -- C FOR ALL OF
YOU THAT READ THE PAPER.
ONE MORE THING.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF ALICE AND
BOB KINARD ONE OF THE LEGENDARY
FARMERS IN SONOMA COUNTY.
A DEAR SPIRIT IN THE WORLD OF
GARDENING AND FARMING.
HE'S MY GARDENING MENTOR, TOO.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF
BOB AND ALICE IN A FIELD.
HOW MANY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN
A HALF DAY VISIT TO THE FARM
AFTER FINALS SOMETIME IN MAY.
PUT THEM UP HIGH.
LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 75 PEOPLE.
HERE'S THE TOUGH QUESTION IN
CASE WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR THE
FINANCING.
HOW MANY WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY
FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION?
WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON
ORGANIZING A FIELD TRIP.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A CROWNING
COMPONENT TO EDIBLE EDUCATION
101.
MAYBE WE CAN EVEN FIND A DATE
WHEN ALICE CAN GO WITH US.
WE ARE GOING TO RETURN TO OUR
FAVORITE SUBJECT HERE AT EDIBLE
ED THIS WEEK, TRANSPARENCY.
THIS WEEK WE ARE GOING TO BE
LOOKING INTO HOW ENTREPRENEUR
SHIP AND ACTIVISM COME TOGETHER
TO CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY IN
THE WORLD AND PAUL IS GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THE WORLD OF
TRANSPARENCY IN THE ANIMAL
KINGDOM.
AS I SAID EARLIER, I AM GRATEFUL
TO HAVE GARY HIRSHBERG HERE.
HE'S A HERO OF MINE.
I MET GARY ABOUT 28 YEARS AGO AT
A SOCIAL VENTURE NETWORK
MEETING.
GARY HAD STARTED A COMPANY
CALLED STONYFIELD FARMS AND WAS
VERY CLEAR ABOUT HIS INTENT.
HE CAME FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL
MOVEMENT.
HE WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
A VERY RESPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL
SORT OF RESEARCHER AND ACTIVISM
ORGANIZATION ON THE EAST COAST.
BUT OUT OF NECESSITY HE FELT HE
NEEDED TO MOVE INTO THE WORLD OF
ENTREPRENEUR SHIP TO MAKE CHANGE
IN THE WORLD.
I WANT TO KIND OF KICKOFF GARY'S
INTRO BY SHOWING YOU A QUICK
VIDEO.
LAST WEEK WHEN GARY GOT THE CALL
NOT ONLY THAT HE WAS GOING TO
COME TO CLASS BUT HE WAS GOING
TO SPEAK, WE WERE ACTUALLY
STANDING IN THE ANAHEIM
CONVENTION CENTER WHY -- WHERE
THIS CLIP FROM "FOOD INC."
STARTS.
LET ME -- I COULD USE A LITTLE
HELP HERE.
MAKE SURE THE AUDIO IS WORKING
ON THAT.
LET'S SEE IF IT WORKS.
- THIS IS OUR NEW ORGAN YOU CAN
LINE OF POPCORN.
- THE BEST SOY MILK IN THE
ENTIRE WORLD.
- WHEN I FIRST STARTED IT WAS
THE SIZE OF THIS COL -- COLUMN
RIGHT HERE.
- ORGANIC HAS BEEN GROWING OVER
20 PERCENT ANNUALLY.
IT IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING
SEGMENTS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET RID OF
CAPITALISM.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET RID OF
IT IN THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO
REVERSE GLOBAL WARMING AND
TOXIFICATION OF OUR FOOD, AIR
AND WATER.
WE MUST BE MORE URGENT.
IF WE ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT GOOD
AND SAFE WE ARE ONLY GOING TO
BUY FOOD FROM THE MOST PERFECT
SYSTEM WITHIN 100 MAILS OF US.
WE ARE NEVER GOING TO GET THERE.
- WITH THAT WORD WE ARE LUCKY
TONIGHT TO HAVE ONE OF THE
OUTSTANDING LEADERS IN ORGANIC
FOOD.
HE HAS RECENTLY SERVED AS THE
CHAIRMAN OF JUST LABEL IT
CAMPAIGN.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU PLEASE
WELCOME GARY HIRSHBERG.
YOU WANT ME TO PUT THAT UP?
- THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU, WILL.
NOW IT IS ON.
SO I HAVE BEEN PLANNING THIS
SPEECH FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS --
NO, THAT'S NOT OBVIOUSLY TRUE.
BUT I -- I WILL COME BACK WHEN
WE ARE RICK IS HERE.
HE'S AN ABSOLUTE TREAT.
I AM HERE TO BE WITH PAUL, ONE
OF THE MOST RESPECTED
ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON BEHALF
OF A GOOD SYSTEM IN THE WORLD.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING YOU
AS WELL.
THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS
INTERSECTION OF BUSINESS AND
ACTIVISM BY USING THE EXAMPLE OF
THE GMO LABELLING THAT IS STILL
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AS YOU HEAR
MANY PEOPLE FEEL LIKE IT WAS
LOST ALREADY.
I WANTED TO START BY TELLING MY
LITTLE STORY.
WILL GOT IT GOING.
I WAS RUNNING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
RESEARCH INSTITUTE ON CAPE COD
BACK IN THE 1970s.
RONALD REAGAN CAME IN AND
SLASHED ALL FUNDING FOR ORGANIC
RESEARCH LEAVING US ALL IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY, ORGANIC
ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT ANY SOURCE OF
REVENUE.
OF COURSE THE WHOLE SAFETY NET
FOR OUR SOCIETY WAS ALSO PULLED
OUT AS FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR LOW
INCOME PEOPLE AND HEALTHCARE AND
SO ON WAS ALSO DRIED UP VERY
FAST.
THIS MAY SOUND FAMILIAR.
FRANKLY, AT THIS MOMENT I LONG
FOR RONALD REAGAN.
I WISH WE HAD HIM COMPARED TO
WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT TOPIC.
IT FORCED A LOT OF US RETHINK
WHAT WE WERE DOING.
MY PARTNER AND I WERE ON THE
BOARD OF A ORGANIC FARMING
SCHOOL AND WE THOUGHT WE BETTER
COME UP WITH ANOTHER MEANS OF
SUPPORT.
WE WOULD EAT YOGURT AT EVERY
BOARD MEETING AND WE DECIDED TO
MAKE MORE OF IT.
WE SUPPORT AVERAGE 90 COWS PER
FARM AND LITERALLY 7 MILLION
CHEMICAL FREE AGRICULTURE.
WE ARE PART OF A MOVEMENT THAT
HAS BECOME AN INDUSTRY.
YOU COULDN'T USE THE WORDS
ORGANIC.
NO SUPPLY AND NO DEMAND.
NO ONE KNEW WHAT WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
THE FOOD SYSTEM IN THE 70'S AND
80'S.
WE KNOW THAT TODAY.
THERE'S A FEW OTHER PIECES OF
NEWS THIS WEEK THAT I AM GOING
TO ELUDE TO IN A MOMENT.
IT IS A VERY INTERESTING TIME
FOR US TO BE TALKING AS I WILL
EXPLAIN IN A SECOND.
NONETHELESS WE GOT THIS WHOLE
INDUSTRY EMERGED OUT OF A NEED
FOR A MORE JUST AND SENSIBLE
SYSTEM A SYSTEM THAT DID NOT
EXIST AS WE LIVED IN THE 20TH
CENTURY WITH A FOUNDATION OF
MYTHS.
IF YOU LOOK BACK AT COMMERCE AS
WE CAME IN THE 20TH CENTURY,
COMMERCE WAS BUILT ON SEVERAL
FOUNDATIONAL MYTHS, AMONG THEM
THAT THE EARTH WAS A SUBSIDIARY
OF OUR ECONOMICS, IT IS THERE
FOR THE TAKING AND DUMPING.
THE EXACT RECIPROCAL IS TRUE.
ALL ECONOMIES HAVE BEEN MADE
POSSIBLE BY A BOUNTIFUL EARTH
BUT IN OUR SORT OF PEA BRAINS WE
ARE SLOW TO EVOLVE AS HUMANS.
WE HAVE THIS RATIONAL APPROACH
TO AN HE CAN -- HE CAN LOGIC
SYSTEM.
WE HAVE THE MYTH OF WASTE, THE
IDEA THAT WE COULD ALLOW
OURSELVES TO PRODUCE THINGS THAT
TOXIFY AND DISRUPT ECOSYSTEMS
LITERALLY KILL OFF SPECIES AND
THAT IS SOMEHOW A TOLERABLE
BEHAVIOR.
WE HAVE A MYTHOLOGICAL PLACE
WHERE WE SEND OUR WASTE.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS EVIDENCE THERE
IS NO SUCH THING AS A WAY.
IF IT IS GOING UP IN THE
ATMOSPHERE, IT HAS AN IMPACT.
THE FINAL AND SORT OF UMBRELLA
MYTH IS THE MYTH OF
EXTERNALITIES.
THE IDEA THAT WE CAN -- IN
BUSINESS WE DON'T ACCOUNT FOR
THE DIRECT CONSEQUENCES OF
DEPLETION, DETOXIFICATION,
DESELECTION OF WEALTHY VERSES
CORE, THE EXPLOITATION OF THOSE
WITHOUT ALL OF THOSE ARE DIRECT
CONSEQUENCES OF OUR FOOD.
AS BUSINESS PEOPLE WE ARE NOT
FORCED BY ANY MEASURE TO MEASURE
THOSE IN HOW WE DEFINE OUR
BUSINESSES.
THE ORGANIC INDUSTRY REALLY
EMERGED AS A ONE-ANSWER TO ALL
OF THAT BY SAYING, LOOK, IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
EXTERNALITIES, FOR HOW WE TREAT
ANIMALS AND HOW WE TREAT THE
PLANET, FOR MINIMIZING WASTE.
ORGANIC BOILS DOWN TO SEEING
OURSELVES IN PART BEING A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EARTH.
IN ORGANICS WE ARE REBUILDING
TOPSOILS.
WE HAVE TO TAKE CARBON OUT OF
THE ATMOSPHERE, FIX IT AND PUT
IT BACK INTO SOIL.
IN FACT, WE HAVE.
I AM INVOLVED WITH FARMS, I HAVE
BEEN INVOLVED WITH OBVIOUSLY
HUNDREDS OF THEM THAT HAVE NOW
STARTED IN LITERALLY SAND PITS,
AREAS, ONE FARM I AM INVOLVED
WITH IN NEW HAMPSHIRE IS A TURF
FARM FOR 25 YEARS.
IT MEANS EVERY TIME YOU TAKE A
LAYER OF TURF UP YOU TAKE
TOPSOIL AND EXPORT IT.
BY THE TIME MEG AND I, MY WIFE,
GOT INVOLVED WITH IT IT WAS LIKE
A SAND PIT.
THERE WAS NO TOPSOIL.
SAND WAS BLOWING IN OUR FACES.
WE HELPED TO PUT A DIVERSIFIED
ORGANIC FARMER ON 600 ACRES.
IN FOUR YEARS THE SOIL HAS
TURNED BLACK USING HOGS AND
CHICKENS TO REVERT LIES AND
NITROGEN FIXING CROPS.
ORGANICS CAN DO THAT.
IT CANNOT ONLY LESSEN OUR
NEGATIVE IMPACT BUT IT CAN BE
RESTORATIVE.
ORGANICS BY 2011 IN MY CAREER
AND ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND
THE WORLD HAVE BEEN GROWING 20
PERCENT ANNUALLY AS I SAID IN
THE FILM.
THE GREAT NEWS AT THAT TIME IT
WAS AROUND A $30 BILLION SECTOR
REPRESENTING ABOUT 3 AND A HALF,
4 PERCENT OF U.S. FOOD.
TODAY IT IS UP OVER 40 PERCENT.
40 BILLION, UP OVER 5 OR 6
PERCENT.
WE WERE REALLY ENJOYING.
MANY OF US POLITICALLY THOUGHT
WITH THE ILLUSION WITH AN
AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND
EMINENT WOMAN PRESIDENT, WE HAD
THE ILLUSION WE SOMEHOW HAD
ARRIVED.
WE, TOO, IN THE ORGANIC WORLD
FELT THE WIND IN OUR BACKS AND
THIS IS THE WAY THE FOOD
INDUSTRY IS GOING.
I HAVE NO DOUBT IT IS.
THE PROBLEM IS WE ARE ABOUT 5
PERCENT OF U.S. FOOD.
WE ARE ABOUT 1 PERCENT OF U.S.
AGRICULTURE.
IN 2011 I HAD THIS EPIPHANY.
I HAD BEEN GROWING OUR LITTLE
COMPANY FROM THE THEN 7 COWS WE
GREW FROM 1-7 IN THE FIRST YEAR.
A MAJOR GROWTH YEAR.
WE HAD BEEN REALLY PROUD OF THIS
GROWTH RATE.
AT THE SAME TIME I NOTED THAT
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED ALFALFA
GOT APPROVED FOR USE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
TIME DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO GO INTO
ALL OF THE DETAILS I WANT.
ALFALFA IS PRIMARILY USED FOR
FEED.
THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED
ALFALFA -- THIS IS THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, SUPPOSEDLY THE
GOOD GUYS HAD APPROVED.
IT WAS ENGINEERED TO DO WHAT?
ENGINEERED TO WITH STAND
GLYPHOSATES, ROUNDUP.
IT WAS A GLYPHOSATE RESISTANT
ALFALFA.
NO ONE WAS CALLING FOR A
GLYPHOSATE RESISTANT ALFALFA.
I WONDERED ALLOWED AS AN
OBSERVER OF ALL OF THIS, WHY?
WHY WAS THIS CROP BEING
INTRODUCED AND WHY DID IT SAIL
THROUGH AND GET RUBBER STAMPED
ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL WHEN THE
GOOD GUYS WERE ON THE WATCH?
IT TURNS OUT WHAT I LEARNED
CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER.
WHAT I LEARNED IS THAT THIS CROP
WAS ONE IN A LONG STRING OF
CROPS ENGINEERED TO ENABLE
GREATER USE OF THIS VERY, VERY
PROFITABLE CHEMICAL.
IT IS NOW THE MOST USED
AGROCHEMICAL ON THE PLANET.
GLYPHOSATE IS -- WAS INTRODUCED
IN THIS COUNTRY IN 1996.
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS
THAT ARE RESISTANT TO GLYPHOSATE
WERE INTRODUCED IN 96.
AT THAT TIME IT GREW TO OVER A
HALF A BILLION POUNDS.
IT IS -- HALF A MILLION POUNDS.
IT IS NOW WELL OVER A BILLION
FOUND.
WHEN GLYPHOSATE WAS ACTUALLY
INTRODUCED IN 94 SOMETHING IN
THE ORDER OF 2 MILLION TONS HAVE
BEEN APPLIED TO U.S. FIELDS.
TWO-THIRDS OF THE VOLUME HAS
BEEN SPRAYED IN THE LAST 10
YEARS.
IT IS AN HERBICIDE.
IT IS MEANT TO ADDRESS THE
PROBLEM WITH WEEDS COMPETING
WITH CROPS.
GLYPHOSATE IS NOW ROUGHLY .8
POUNDS, ALMOST A POUND FOR EVERY
ACRE OF CULTIVATED CROPLAND IN
THE U.S. AND HALF A POUND
WORLDWIDE.
WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT?
THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN
2011 WHEN I WAS BECOMING AWARE
OF THIS REPORTED EVEN THEN,
DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR 70
TO 100 PERCENT OF THE RAIN WATER
IN OUR AG LAND MAINLY CROPLAND
IN THE U.S. CONTAINED
GLYPHOSATES IN THE RAIN WATER.
WHEN WE SPRAYED IT BROUGHT IT
INTO THE RAIN WATER.
IF YOUR DRINKING WATER, IF YOU
ARE PLAYING ON A SOCCER FIELD IN
IOWA, YOU ARE GETTING GLYPHOSATE
ON YOUR SKIN, THE LARGEST ORGAN
ON YOUR BODY.
WHAT WAS REALLY STUNNING TO ME
ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING WAS NOT
ONLY THE APPROVAL OF THE NEW
CROP, BUT WHEN I STARTED TO LOOK
AT IT AS PROUD AS I WAS OF
ORGANIC'S GROWTH RATES AT 20
PERCENT ANNUALLY GLYPHOSATES HAD
BEEN GROWING 30 PERCENT
ANNUALLY.
IN THE TIME SINCE 2011 IT HAS
BEEN GROWING CLOSE TO 40 PERCENT
ANNUALLY.
YOU CAN IMAGINE WHEN YOU ARE
OVER USING LIKE WITH
ANTIBIOTICS, AND I AM SURE PAUL
WILL SPEAK ABOUT ANTIBIOTICS,
WHEN YOU OVER USE A USEFUL THING
YOU CAN MAKE IT USELESS, AND
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE WOULD BE
THE EQUIVALENT HERE.
IT WILL LED TO A WHOLE
GENERATION OF RESISTANT WEEDS.
WEEDS THAT IN NATURE, NATURE
DOESN'T WAIT AROUND TO DO FOCUS
GROUPS.
IT MUTATES QUICKLY.
IN A SHORT PERIOD SINCE 1996
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS
WERE INTRODUCED AND FARMERS WERE
ABLE TO PUT MORE AND MORE
GLYPHOSATE ON.
WHEN THE CROP IS RESISTANT YOU
CAN PUT AS MUCH GLYPHOSATE ON AS
YOU WANT WITHOUT ADVERSELY
EFFECTING YOUR CROPS.
FARMERS HAD THE LAZY FREE RIDE
TO DEAL WITH THE WEEDS.
THE WEEDS SAID NO WAY, I AM NOT
GOING TO STAND FOR THIS THEY
BEGAN TO EVOLVE.
I WAS TESTIFYING ABOUT THIS IN
ARKANSAS AT A STATE HEARING, AND
A FARMER WHO IT A FOREARM ABOUT
THE DIAMETER OF MY THIGH GOT UP
AND HE SAID, YEAH, I GOT PIG
WEED IN MY SOY FIELD THAT'S THE
DIAMETER OF MY WRIST.
I AM TALKING ABOUT LIKE THIS.
HE SAID IT IS 12 FEET TALL.
IT WILL STOP MY COMBINE IN ITS
TRACKS.
HE SAID IT'S ALL OVER MY FIELD
AND IT IS NOW RESISTANT TO
SPRAY.
THE ONLY WAY I CAN TAKE IT DOWN
IS WITH A CHAIN SAW.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S AN ADDED COST
TO THE FARMER.
TURNS OUT RESISTANT SUPER WEEDS
ARE ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
SOME 90 MILLION ACRES ARE
COVERED NOW WITH THESE WEEDS.
IN OUR WISDOM AS WE HAVE EVOLVED
NOW THESE WEEDS THAT ARE
RESISTANT TO AN OVER USED
HERBICIDE WE HAVE DEVELOPED
STRONGER HERBICIDES.
WE HAVE GONE BACK TO SOMETHING
USED IN VIETNAM TO DEFOLIATE.
WE HAVE A LONG MULTI
GENERATIONAL LEGACY OF OVER
USING SOMETHING CALLED 24D YOU
MAY KNOW IT AS AGENT ORANGE
WHERE WE HAVE MULTIPLE
GENERATIONS, GENERATIONAL
IMPACTS OF BIRTH DEFECTS AND
CANCERS AND FERTILITY PROBLEMS
AND ALL MANNER OF HEALTH ISSUES
BECAUSE OF OVER USING THAT
PARTICULAR CHEMICAL.
NOW IN OUR WISDOM WHAT WE HAVE
DONE TO DEAL WITH RESISTANT
WEEDS, FARMERS HAVE BEEN
RECOMMENDED FOR THE LAST FOUR OR
FIVE YEARS TO USE A SOLUTION, A
10 PERCENT SOLUTION OF 24D AND
THAT WILL OVER COME THE
RESISTANCE.
WE HAVE NOW 24D RESISTANT WEEDS.
A WEED SCIENTIST FRIEND OF MINE,
IF YOU DON'T LIKE ME HAVE THE
AMERICAN WEED SCIENCE JOURNAL ON
YOUR BEDSIDE, I WILL TELL YOU
THIS GUY DAVE MARTINSON ONE OF
THE HEROS OUT THERE SAID INDIANA
NORTH TO SOUTHEAST TO WEST THERE
WERE 24D RESISTANT WEEDS OUT
THERE EVEN BEFORE PLANTING
SEASON.
WE HAVE THE SAME PLANT SYSTEM IN
OUR MINDS AS HUMANS, WE IMPOSE
THESE SIMPLE SINGLE BARRIER
SOLUTIONS AND WE GET FEEDBACK
FROM NATURE THAT SAYS, THAT
DOESN'T WORK.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER WAYS.
I WON'T GET INTO IT.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO IN Q AND A.
THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF
SOLUTIONS.
THE FARM I JUST MENTIONED IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE IS HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE
WITH NO RESOURCE TO HERBICIDES.
I MENTION THIS WEEK.
WHAT DO WE HAVE GOING?
FIRST OF ALL LAST WEEK 100 WINES
WERE TESTED FOR GLYPHOSATES IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
10 PERCENT WERE ORGANIC.
ALL 100 WERE FOUND WITH TRACES
OF GLYPHOSATE IN THEM.
NO ONE USES GLYPHOSATE ON
GRAPES.
IT IS ENDEMIC IN THE
ENVIRONMENT.
YES THERE ARE WEED CONTROLS DONE
OF THE PATHWAYS.
IT WAS IN 10 OF 10 ORGANIC
GRAPES AT MUCH LOWER LEVELS BUT
NONETHELESS PRESENT.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS YOU
SHOULD UNDERSTAND -- I TAKE IT
FOR GRANTED THAT YOU DO
UNDERSTAND THIS.
LET ME UNDER SCORE THE WHO THREE
YEARS AGO FOUND GLYPHOSATES TO
BE A PROBABLE CARCINOGEN.
THE CANCER PANEL WHEN OBAMA TOOK
OFFICE SHOWED 41 PERCENT OF
AMERICANS ALIVE AT THAT TIME
WERE GOING TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH
CANCER IN OUR LIFETIME.
WHAT IS STRIKING ABOUT THAT
STUDY, FIRST OF ALL IT WAS TWICE
THE NUMBER WHEN RONALD REAGAN
TOOK PRESIDENT.
IT WAS 20 PERCENT IN 1981.
IT HAD GONE TO 41 PERCENT.
WHO KNOWS WHAT THE NUMBER IS
TODAY.
WHAT IS ALSO STRIKING IS THESE
ONCOLOGISTS POINTED TO ONE
SINGLE THING AS THE PRIMARY
CAUSE OF THIS INCREDIBLE RATE OF
CANCER GROWTH AND THAT'S
INADVERTENT EXPOSURE TO
CHEMICALS IN OUR EVERY DAY
BEHAVIOR.
IF YOU ARE PREGNANT IN THE
MIDWEST, IF YOU ARE PLAY PICK UP
A SOCCER BALL YOU GO TO A
RESTAURANT AND DON'T WASH YOUR
HANDS, YOU HAVE GLYPHOSATE ON
YOU.
THE FARMERS SELL THE SEEDS THAT
ARE VERY -- THEY BUY THE SEEDS
THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND BUY
THE GLYPHOSATE THAT IS ALMOST A
REQUIREMENT OF THE SEEDS WHICH
IS ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE AND
ESSENTIALLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE
FOOD SYSTEM.
WE HAVE THE EXAMPLE OF THE
GRAPES.
CALIFORNIA IS THE FIRST STATE,
AND THIS HAPPENED YESTERDAY, TO
NOW REQUIRE THEM TO LABEL
ROUNDUP AS A CARCINOGEN.
CONGRATULATIONS, CALIFORNIA.
(APPLAUSE)
ONCE AGAIN, UNIQUE IN THE
COUNTRY, CERTAINLY, IF NOT THE
WORLD.
YESTERDAY IN BLOOMBERG WE HAD A
REPORT THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY OFFICIAL WHO
WAS IN CHARGE OF EVALUATING THE
CANCER RISK OF MONSANTO WAS
CAUGHT ALLEGEDLY WAS CAUGHT
BRAGGING.
THIS IS ON TAPE.
TO COMPANY EXECUTIVES THAT HE
DESERVED A MEDAL IF WE COULD
KILL ANOTHER AGENCY'S
INVESTIGATION INTO MONSANTO.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE KNOW WE HAVE
HAD A CORPORATE COUP IN AMERICA.
I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT'S
WHAT THE ELECTION IS.
THE REACH OF MONSANTO, THE REACH
OF DOW AND DUPONT INTO OUR
POLICY GOES WAY BACK BEFORE THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAVE ACTUAL OBJECTIVES
TESTIMONY TO THE FACT THAT AN
AGENCY, A REGULATOR WAS WORKING
IN CONCERT TO TRY TO STOP THE
ANALYSIS THAT LED TO THE CANCER
FINDING BY THE WHO.
FINALLY ON THE NOT SO GOOD SIDE
IN EUROPE THE EUROPEAN CHEMICAL
AGENCY DETERMINED THAT
GLYPHOSATE IS NOT GOING TO BE
CLASSIFIED AS A CARCINOGEN.
THEY WERE LOBBIED AT THE EU INTO
ONLY MEASURING THE HAZARDOUS
PROPERTIES OF THE SUBSTANCE AND
NOT THE LIKELIHOOD OF EXPOSURE.
I SPENT 15 MINUTES TELLING YOU
THE LIKELIHOOD OF EXPOSURE IN
THIS COUNTRY IS 100 PERCENT.
I AM NOT THE MOST DEPRESSING GUY
ON EARTH AND I WILL MOVE YOU
THROUGH THIS.
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE
GRAVITY.
GMO'S -- IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
GMO'S.
THERE'S NO PROVEN YIELD
INCREASES.
GMO'S HAVE BEEN USED 90 PERCENT
OF THEM AS AN ENABLER OF
INCREASED HERBICIDE USE, PERIOD,
END OF STORY.
THIS IS WHY WE AS -- BY THE WAY,
THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT POINT
ABOUT 2011 WHEN I DISCOVERED THE
ALFALFA, I NOTED IT WAS GETTING
APPROVED WITH ZERO CITIZEN
INPUT.
WE HAD AN APPROVAL PROCESS AT
THE REGULATORY LEVEL WITH YOU
AND I NOT INVOLVED.
MY PERSONAL STORY IT WASN'T
ENOUGH TO KEEP BUILDING A
WONDERFUL COMPANY IN THE 5
PERCENT NICHE.
IT WAS TIME TO ADDRESS POLICY.
I WAS SHOCKED, FRANKLY, BY THE
LACK OF ACTIVISM.
FOR SURE THERE WERE SEVERAL
INCREDIBLE GROUPS.
CONSUMERS UNION PUBLISHED AN
AMAZING TEXT SHOWING -- CALLED
FAILURE TO YIELD, SHOWING IN THE
YEAR SINCE THE FIRST CROPS WERE
INTRODUCED THERE HAD BEEN NO
PROVEN YIELD INCREASES.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THERE WAS A
LONG, LONG ROSTER OF GENETICALLY
ENGINEERED CROPS STILL IN THE
PIPELINE TO BE APPROVED AND MANY
HAVE BEEN SINCE.
WHEN I RECOGNIZE AND MANY
RECOGNIZE, THAT'S WHY WE STARTED
JUST LABEL IT, WE HAVE THE RIGHT
TO KNOW AND CHOOSE AS CITIZENS
WHETHER OR NOT TO REPORT THIS.
WE WERE GOING TO BE LEFT OUT OF
THE WHOLE EQUATION.
SO WE STARTED JUST LABEL IT, WE
PULLED TOGETHER A LARGE NUMBER
OF ORGANIC AND NON-GMO COMPANIES
AND ACTIVIST GROUPS AND WITH THE
CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY GOT
1.3 MILLION PEOPLE TO SIGN A
PETITION TO THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT DEMANDING MANDATORY
LABELLING OF GENETICALLY
ENGINEERED FOODS.
I NEED TO PAUSE AND TELL YOU
EVEN BY THAT TIME 64 NATIONS
AROUND THE WORLD HAD THE RIGHT
TO LABEL.
REALLY PROGRESSIVE COUNTRIES
LIKE RUSSIA AND CHINA AND SAUDI
ARABIA GAVE THEIR CITIZENS THE
RIGHT TO -- WOMEN CAN'T DRIVE IN
SAUDI ARABIA BUT THE A RIGHT TO
KNOW WHETHER THEIR FOODS CONTAIN
GMO'S.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT HERE STRANGE
AS THAT MAY SEEM.
IT IS NOT SO STRANGE WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN SPENT
TO BLOCK LABELLING IN THIS SORT
OF ELABORATE AND SOPHISTICATED
EFFORT TO PREVENT OUR RIGHT TO
KNOW.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE KEY
WORD, PROFIT.
THE CHEMICALS ARE PROFITABLE,
THE COMBINATION IS UBER
PROFITABLE.
THEY USE AS PART OF THE COST
THEY USE A SIGNIFICANT
PERCENTAGE TO SPEND ON LOBBYING
EFFORTS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY
HAVE ELECTIONS THESE DAYS.
WE HAVE SALES.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
MY OWN STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
742,000 VOTERS, THE ELECTION FOR
SENATE THIS LAST CYCLE WAS
$142 MILLION WAS SPENT.
IT DIDN'T COME FROM INSIDE OUR
STATE.
YOU HAVE THE MEGA INTERESTS
FIGHTING TO BUY WHOEVER IT IS
AND THIS IS THE NET RESULT.
WE PETITIONED THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, IGNORED OUR PETITION
AND THEREFORE A WHOLE SERIES OF
STATE EFFORTS BEGAN.
MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNEW IN
CALIFORNIA YOU HAVE PROP 37
WHICH IS AN EFFORT TO GET
MANDATORY LABELLING DONE AT THE
STATE LEVEL WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT NOT BEING RESPONSIVE.
IT FAILED.
IT GOT WITHIN 1.2 PERCENTAGE
POINTS FROM THAT.
55 MILLION AGAINST LABELLING TO
5 MILLION FOR LABELLING.
THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE
PLAYING FIELD.
REFERENDUM 542 IN WASHINGTON
ALMOST PASSED.
LOST BY 800 VOTES.
PROBABLY DIDN'T LOSE BECAUSE
VOTE WERE THROWN OUT.
I AM SORRY.
IN OREGON IT WAS 800 VOTES.
AROUND THE STATE EFFORT AFTER
EFFORT WAS EMERGING.
IT PASSED IN VERMONT, IT PASSED
BECAUSE IT PASSED AT THE
LEGISLATIVE LEVEL NOT AS A
CITIZEN REFERENDUM SO THE MONEY
WASN'T AS EFFECTIVE THERE.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOOK ON
SEEING THIS MEGA TREND AND
PUSHED BY THE MONSANTOS AND DOWS
AND DUPONT WHO FELT THEIR
BUSINESS MODELS WERE BEING
THREATENED, PUT TOGETHER AN
ACT -- INCIDENTALLY THE NEW HEAD
OF THE CIA MIKE POMPEII YO
CALLED IT THE DARK ACT.
DENYING AMERICANS THE RIGHT TO
KNOW.
THIS IS AN EFFORT TO STOP STATES
FROM ACTING UP.
YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES IN HISTORY
STATES HAVE HAD HAD TO TAKE BACK
WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
DOESN'T WORK, EVEN WHEN RIGHT TO
VOTE BEGAN IN THE STATE.
THEY THOUGHT THEY BETTER PUT AN
END, SQUELCH THE FIRE.
THE DARK ACT FAILED.
JUST LABEL IT AND OTHERS WERE
AVALANCHING CONGRESS.
LAST YEAR MORE COMMENTS DURING
AN ELECTION YEAR, MORE COMMENTS
ON GMO LABELLING THAN ANY OTHER
ISSUE AT EVERY OFFICE BOTH
REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT ON
CITIZENS TO TRY TO HAVE AN
IMPACT.
THE DARK ACT STARTED COMING UP.
FINALLY IT WENT THROUGH.
IT WAS AN IMPERFECT BILL BUT IT
HAD AT LEAST GOTTEN RID OF THE
MORE EGREGIOUS ASPECTS.
THE REASON IT WENT THROUGH IT
REQUIRED MANDATORY LABELLING NOT
VOLUNTARY LABELLING STARTING IN
JULY OF 2018.
IT IS AN IMPERFECT BILL.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS.
I WILL GET TO THAT.
I WANT TO GET TO THE POINT OF
ALL OF THIS.
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS THIS
BILL REQUIRES THE USDA TO
UNDERGO A PROCESS OF EVALUATING
WHAT SHOULD BE THE CODE, WHAT
SHOULD BE THE RULE?
HOW SHOULD COMPANIES BE ALLOWED
TO LABEL?
THE LAW, THE IMPERFECT PART OF
THIS, WE WERE PUSHING FOR TWO
SIMPLE WORDS ON THE INGREDIENT
LABEL, CONTAINS GENETICALLY
ENGINEERED SOY OR GENETICALLY
ENGINEERED WHATEVER.
THE INDUSTRY PUSH WHEN THEY
REALIZED THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE
TO FACE UP TO STATE BY STATE
REGULATIONS, AGREE TO A FEDERAL
MANDATORY STANDARD BECAUSE WE
HAD GOTTEN THAT THROUGH, THEY
STARTED PUSHING THIS RIDICULOUS
IDEA OF USING A QR CODE AS A WAY
OF IDENTIFYING, WHICH IS
OBVIOUSLY A WAY TO HIDING.
IF IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM
TALKING ABOUT GO TO JUST LABEL
IT WEB SITE WITH GWYNETH PALTROW
WITH A MOM TRYING TO WALK DOWN
THE AISLE TO GET HER SCANNER TO
SEE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T HAVE A
CELL PHONE?
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S NOT
INTERNET SERVICE WHERE YOU ARE
IN THE STORE, ET CETERA.
THERE ARE A ZILLION REASONS IT
IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.
NOT TO MENTION NO ONE USES QR
CODES.
I FORGOT TO SAY THE OBVIOUS.
WE ARE HARD AT WORK PRESSING ON
THE USDA EVEN NOW EVEN IN THIS
WORLD WHERE IT HAS OBVIOUSLY
GONE OVER BOARD IN TERMS OF THE
IRRATIONALITY OF THE FEDERAL
PROCESS.
WE ARE PUSHING TO MAKE SURE ONE
OF THE REQUIREMENTS THE
COALITION GOT INTO THE BILL IS
THEY HAD TO DO A STUDY ON THE
ATTITUDE OF QR CODES.
90 PERCENT OF PEOPLE SAID THEY
ARE NOT GOING TO USE IT.
WE GOT THE STUDY FUNDED.
TO CUT TO THE QUICK ON THIS I
WANT TO SAY THERE'S A BUNCH OF
ISSUES AND A BUNCH OF WORK.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED GO TO JUST
LABEL IT.ORG.
THIS IS NOT DEAD.
IT IS VERY MUCH ALIVE.
THERE'S A CHANCE OF GETTING
MANDATORY -- WE KNOW WHAT WILL
HAPPEN.
COMPANIES WILL MOVE AWAY FROM
GMO'S.
I HAVE YET TO MEET A CONSUMER
WHO WANTS MORE GLYPHOSATE IN
THEIR FOOD.
MAYBE THERE'S SOMEBODY OUT
THERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS WE
HAVE TO ALIGN WITH OTHER
NATION'S STANDARDS.
WE HAVE TO DEFINE THE SIZE OF
THE WORDING AND MARGINALIZE OR
NARROW THE USE OF THIS QR CODE.
FRANKLY WE HAVE TO PRESS ON
COMPANIES TO EMBARRASS THEM NOT
TO USE THE DAMN THING.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THERE ARE HEROS
OUT THERE.
CAMPBELLS, DANON, M&M MARS THEY
ARE GOING TO REFUSE IT.
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO THE QR
CODE.
IT WILL BE THERE PLAIN AS CAN
BE.
DENISE MORRISON FROM CAMPBELLS
THEY HAVE SEEN IT.
THEY HAVE DONE IT.
THERE ARE OTHERS WHO WILL COMPLY
WITH THE VERMONT BILL THAT WILL
TAKE EFFECT JULY 1ST UNTIL THIS
BILL GETS SIGNED.
THERE'S LOTS OF ISSUES, LOTS OF
NAVIGATION TO GET THIS THING
DONE.
IT IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL THAT
ONCE AGAIN WE CITIZENS SPEAK UP.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A COMMENT
PERIOD.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY
TO TESTIFY TO SAY THE QR CODE IS
BS.
JUST GIVE ME THE STRAIGHT DOPE.
WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT
HERE IN MY FINAL MINUTES, THERE
HAVE BEEN SOBER LEARNING FOR ME
IN THIS PROCESS.
AS WILL DISCOVERED, I STARTED AS
AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST, WENT
INTO BUSINESS, BUILT THIS
COMPANY, WAS PART AND AM PART OF
A RAPIDLY GROWING SECTOR, THEN
HAVE GONE BACK TO WORKING AS AN
ACTIVIST AS I CONTINUE IN MY
BUSINESS CAREER.
I WANT TO SUGGEST TO YOU THAT
THERE'S A FASCINATING EXAMPLE,
AND YOU WILL HEAR ANOTHER ONE IN
JUST A FEW MOMENTS OF THE
INTERSECTION OF ACTIVISM AND
COMMERCE.
KNOWING MANY OF YOU ARE LOOKING
AHEAD TO YOUR CAREERS IN
BUSINESS, I THINK IT IS WORTH
SPENDING A COUPLE MINUTES
LOOKING AT THAT.
FOR ME IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY
EYE OPENING.
I HAVE A FOOT IN BOTH WORLDS.
LET ME ALSO BE SURE I AM CLEAR
THAT YOU UNDERSTAND JUST HOW
CRITICAL IT IS THAT WE
UNDERSTAND THIS INTERSECTION
RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IS GOING ON IN DC IS NOT
JUST AN IRRATIONAL SYSTEM.
THERE'S AN OVERT AND CONVERT --
CONCERTED CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION.
YOU HAVE AGENCY HEADS THAT WANT
TO DISMANTLE 30 AND 40 YEARS OF
HARD WON RIGHTS.
MY OWN GOVERNOR IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
IS PETITIONING THE EPA CHIEF IS
NOT PROTECTOR OF THE
ENVIRONMENT, HE HAS BEEN TRYING
TO UNDO THE EPA, TO FREE NEW
HAMPSHIRE FOR BEING ACCOUNTABLE
FOR CLEAN WATER REGULATIONS.
THERE'S A CONCERTED EFFORT TO DO
EVERYTHING THAT HAS BUILT THIS
GOOD FOOD MOVEMENT.
JUST AS WE THOUGHT WE HAVE
ARRIVED SOMEWHERE UNDER THE
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WE ALL HAVE
GOTTEN A WAKE-UP CALL.
YOU HEARD EFFORTS TO STOP CARBON
POLLUTION REGULATIONS.
THEY ARE PROPOSING TO WITHDRAW
RULES THAT IS DESIGNED TO
PROTECT ALL OF OUR DRINKING
WATER, ALL OF OUR FARM WORKERS,
ALL OF US.
THIS IS MORE THAN ABOUT
LABELLING.
BUT LABELLING, THE RIGHT OF US
TO USE A MARKETPLACE TO EXPRESS
OUR CHOICE, OUR OPINIONS, IT IS
ACTUALLY AN INCREDIBLY POIGNANT
ISSUE HERE.
WE MAKE A BIG DEAL WITH ABOUT
THE ELECTIONS WE VOTE EVERY 2 OR
4 YEARS BUT WE VOTE EVERY TIME
WE SHOP OR GO TO A RESTAURANT OR
A STORE.
WHETHER YOU GO TO A FARMER'S
MARKET OR SUPERMARKET YOU ARE
EXPRESSING A CHOICE.
THOSE MARKET FORCES ARE THE MOST
POWERFUL FORCES TO BE HARNESSED.
YET DURING OUR BATTLE, I HAVE TO
TELL YOU THAT THE COALITION THAT
WE HAVE BUILT HAS ACTUALLY KIND
OF FALLEN APART, SADLY.
IT NEEDS TO BE REBUILT AND WE
ARE REBUILDING IT RIGHT NOW
CONCERTEDLY.
WHY DID IT FALL APART?
WITH THE VERY FEW MINUTES
REMAINING LET ME SUMMARIZE A
COUPLE OF KEY REASONS.
LET ME GIVE YOU A QUICK ANALOGY
SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I AM
COMING FROM.
I COACHED SOCCER FOR 18 YEARS.
I HAVE BOYS AND I HAVE GIRLS.
YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE MY SEXISM
BUT I COME AT THIS FROM
EXPERIENCE.
MY BOYS TEAMS, IT WAS REALLY
SIMPLE.
YOU HAD TO REMIND THEM THEY HAD
TEAMMATES.
THERE WAS NO PROBLEM.
THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHERE THE GOAL
WAS AND EACH INDIVIDUAL LITTLE
GUY FULL OF TESTOSTERONE WAS
GOING TO GO ALL OF THE WAY DOWN
THE FIELD AGAINST ALL OF THE
OTHER 11 OPPONENTS ALL BY
HIMSELF FORGET THE TEAMMATES
HELL OR HIGH WATER.
THE GIRLS I HAD TO REMIND THEM
THERE WAS A GOAL.
IT WAS ABOUT THE PROCESS, WHO
TOUCHED THE BALL, WHAT DID SHE
SAY TO ME LAST NIGHT?
SHOULD I PASS TO HER.
BY THE WAY, THE GIRLS WERE FAR
BETTER AT BEING A TEAM THAN THE
BOYS.
IT WAS BRILLIANT IF I COULD GET
THEM CLICKING TOGETHER NO ONE
COULD TOUCH THEM.
INSTEAD OF 11 INDIVIDUALS THEY
WERE A UNIT.
WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU IS THERE
ARE TWO DIFFERENT CULTURAL
PHENOMENON AT PLAY HERE.
UNTIL MY EXPERIENCE I DISCOVERED
THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT CULTURAL
PHENOMENON IN THE WORLD OF
ACTIVISM AND BUSINESS.
WE MUST FIND A WAY TO PULL THEM
TOGETHER.
I ASSUME YOU ARE TAKING THIS
COURSE BECAUSE YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN BEING AN ACTIVIST
BUSINESS PERSON.
WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED, LIKE THE
SOCCER ANALOGY WE SPEAK
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
ACTIVISTS ARE REALLY BIG AT
SIZZLE AND NUMBERS, AND AS I
MENTIONED, WE GOT MORE NUMBERS
ON THESE SENATOR'S BACKS THAN
ANY OTHER TOPIC OR ISSUE LAST
YEAR THANKS TO THE PASSION,
THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF
COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF ACTIVIST
ORGANIZATIONS.
THE PROBLEM WAS, WHEN THE
SENATORS GOT ALL OF THIS
PRESSURE, THERE WASN'T A SET OF
SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM AS
TO WHAT TO DO.
ON THE ONE HAND THEY HAD
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OF LOBBYING AND OPPONENTS
TELLING THEM NO MANDATORY, NO
LABELLING.
YOU HAVE TO USE THE QR CODE.
ON THE OTHER HAND THEY NEEDED
SOLUTIONS.
OTHERS OF US NOTABLY PRIMARILY
THE BUSINESS FOLKS WERE IN THERE
TALKING TO THEM AND PARSING AND
WORKING ON THE SOLUTIONS TO ALL
OF THE ZILLIONS OF ISSUES THAT
WERE NECESSARY TO BUILD A BILL.
I GOT ATTACKED AS SELLING OUT
BECAUSE I WAS IN THERE TALKING
AND WORKING ON THIS STUFF.
I WAS LITERALLY ACCUSED OF
TRADING AWAY THE RIGHTS OF
ACTIVISTS, OF ALL OF US WHO
WANTED LABELLING.
IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE FROM THE
LEFT -- FROM MY SIDE.
I HAD MORE DIFFICULTIES THAN
FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
THE OTHER SIDE JUST WANT TO MAKE
MONEY AND SLAM US.
ON MY SIDE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT WHEN FRIENDS OF
MINE WHO I BROUGHT IN TO
MEETINGS AND COULD SEE THAT WE
WERE NEGOTIATING ON THIS WERE
ACCUSING ME OF SELLING OUT
BECAUSE I WAS PART OF THE
PROCESS.
I AM NOT SAYING THIS IS GENERIC,
BOY GIRL, I AM EXAGGERATING IT
TO MAKE A POINT.
CLEARLY I AM EXAGGERATING THIS.
THERE WAS A FUND AMMAL DISTRUST
OF STAYING OUTSIDE AND GOING IN.
THE ACTIVIST GROUPS WHY DID THEY
ABANDON THE CAUSE?
THEY DON'T TRUST THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND PROBABLY WITH
SOME GOOD REASON, RIGHT?
WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THAT
THEY WANTED THE STATE
REGULATIONS.
WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS WHEN
WE LOST VERMONT, IT GOT
PREEMPTED BY THE FEDERAL LAW,
AND THE QR CODE WAS ATTACHED,
AND MANY THROW UP THEIR HANDS
PUT UP THE WORD THAT WE LOST.
THERE WAS THIS CIRCULAR FIRING
SQUAD ON THE LEFT THAT WAS A
STEP BACK FOR US AT A TIME WHEN
WE WANT TO BE DOUBLING OUR
EFFORTS AS NEVER BEFORE.
NOW FOR GIVE THE PUN WE ARE INTO
THE WEEDS OF GETTING THINGS
DONE.
IN MY EXPERIENCE THE ACTIVIST
WHO BROUGHT SO MUCH PASSION AND
ENERGY TO THIS THING
UNFORTUNATELY WERE ALL ABOUT THE
PERFECT BEING THE ENEMY OF THE
GOOD.
THE QR CODE WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL
FACET OF THIS THING.
BELIEVE ME, IT'S A JOKE.
I AM OPPOSED TO IT, TOO.
NONETHELESS, GETTING A MANDATORY
BUILDING BILL AND THE ABILITY TO
PRESSURE COMPANIES TO EMBARRASS
THEM NOT TO USE IT IS BETTER
THAN A VOLUNTARY BILL WHERE THEY
WOULD HAVE A REQUIREMENT AT ALL.
AGAIN THIS WAS A DIFFICULT
COMING TOGETHER.
BUSINESS FOLKS HAVE THE OTHER
PROBLEM WHICH IS THAT WE ARE
OFTEN VERY BOTTOM LINE FOCUSED
AND FORGET THE WHOLE SYSTEM IN
WHICH WE ARE WORKING.
I WILL CONCLUDE BY SAYING THIS.
THE INTERSECTION IN NATURE --
THERE'S A METAPHOR I THINK YOU
WILL APPRECIATE.
I FIND IT REALLY USEFUL IN
EXPLAINING THIS.
IT IS CALLED THE EEK CO TONE.
LET ME REMIND YOU.
IT IS THE PLACE WHERE TWO
ECOSYSTEMS COME.
THINK OF THE SALT MARSH IT IS
NEITHER TERRESTRIAL OTHER
AQUATIC.
IT IS LAND TRYING TO TAKE OVER
THE WATER AND WATER TRYING TO
TAKE OVER THE LAND.
WHAT HAPPENS, IT IS THE MOST
DYNAMIC PLACE OF NUTRIENT
EXCHANGE RUNOFF FROM THE LAND,
NUTRIENTS DRIFTING IN FROM THE
SEA.
MOST SPECIES ARE BREAD IN THE
ECOTONE.
YOU GET SUN, GRASS FOR ANIMALS
TO EAT, YOU HAVE WOODS FOR
PROTECTION.
THE ANIMALS ARE HANGING OUT THEY
DON'T WANT TO BE OUT IN THE OPEN
BECAUSE THEY WILL BE -- PREYED
UPON.
THERE'S A LOT MORE MANURE AND A
LOT MORE ON THE EDGE.
WE ARE ON THE EDGE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS AN ECOTONE.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A SYSTEM, A
TRULY DEMOCRATIC MARKETPLACE
WHERE WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW
AND THE RIGHTS TO CHOOSE?
ALL WE ARE ASKING FOR IS TWO
SIMPLE WORDS.
ALL WE WANT IS THE SAME RIGHTS
AS THE RUSSIANS HAVE, RIGHT?
THIS IS NOT THAT COMPLICATED.
IT IS A ECOTONE BETWEEN THE
ACTIVISTS WHO WANT IT ALL AND
BUSINESS WHO WANTS TO ENJOY
COMMERCE TO MOVE US FROM 5
PERCENT ORGANIC TO 10, 20, 30,
50.
ALL FOOD, BEFORE WORLD WAR I WAS
ORGANIC.
ALL FOOD.
WE THINK IT IS LIKE THIS RADICAL
THING.
WHAT IS RADICAL IS USING
CHEMICALS IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
PEOPLE SAY ORGANIC ISN'T PROVEN.
I SAY IT IS THE CHEMICALS THAT
ARE NOT PROVEN.
ALL WE WANT IS TO BRING BACK
RATIONALITY AND CREATE KINDS OF
JOBS AND COMMERCE AND SAFETY FOR
FARM WORKERS AND ANIMALS AND
HUMANS THAT IS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO JIVE.
IN THE END I GO BACK TO
SOMETHING I SAID EARLIER, 41
PERCENT IN 2008, 41 PERCENT OF
US ALMOST 1 IN 2 ARE GOING TO BE
DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER IN OUR
LIFETIME JUDGED NOT BY A GROUP
OF ECOLOGISTS, BY ONCOLOGISTS,
THE PRIMARY CAUSE BEING
INADVERTENT TENT EXPOSURE TO
CHEMICALS IN OUR EVERYDAY USE.
I WOULD BET YOU THAT NUMBER IS
UP OVER 50 PERCENT RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT A RISE
IN THIS STUFF.
THIS IS THE MANDATE OF THE HOUR.
WE HAVE LOTS OF MANDATES OF THE
HOUR.
THE BIGGEST -- THE NEXUS, THE
HOPEFUL OPPORTUNITY IS THE PLACE
WHERE ACTIVISM AND COMMERCE
COMES TOGETHER IS IN NUMBERS OF
US.
BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
THE POWDER OF ONE.
WE CAN NEVER HAVE THE MONEY
OTHERS HAVE.
WE GOT OUT SPENT COUNTLESS
NUMBERS TO ONE.
YET WE MANAGED TO GET A BILL IN
THERE.
NOT A PERFECT BILL, BUT IT'S
SOMETHING TO WORK WITH.
I TELL YOU, THE POWER OF MY
ACTIVIST COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS
AND MY ORGANIZATION TO BRING
SCIENCE TO PEOPLE AND TO GET
PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES HAS
ABSOLUTELY BEEN REALIZED IN THIS
EXPERIENCE.
IT WAS THE MOST EMPOWERING THING
I HAVE EVER SEEN TO HAVE THE
SENATORS FROM AG STATES GETTING
HAMMERED, HAMMERED BY THEIR
CONSTITUENTS TO ALLOW FOR
MANDATORY LABELLING.
BY THE WAY, THE VERY SAME
NUMBERS TO BE BUYING AND
PATRONIZING AND SUPPORTING US.
IT IS CALLED MARKET SHARE.
THIS IS WHERE WE COME TOGETHER.
I WILL LEAVE ON THIS POINT.
GANDHI SAID THIS BEST ANY ONE
WHO THINKS THEY ARE TOO SMALL TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE HAS NEVER BEEN
IN BED WITH A MOSQUITO --
ACTUALLY IT WAS THE DALAI LAMA
WHO SAID THAT.
I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU ORGANIC
HAS NEVER BEEN SET OUT TO BE
FOOD FOR THE ELITE, FOR THE 5
PERCENT.
10,000 REASONS TO EAT ORGANIC
FOOD.
THERE ARE ONE REASON MANY CAN'T
IT IS UNAFFORDABLE.
IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE.
THE GAP BETWEEN ORGANIC AND
CONVENTIONAL IS TOO GREAT.
THE ONLY REASON I KNOW TO BRING
IT DOWN IS SCALE.
GET MORE ACRES, MORE FARMERS,
MORE CONSUMERS, MORE OF US
SUPPORTING A SYSTEM AND MAKING
IT A PART OF EVERY DAY COMMERCE.
WE HAVE THE MEANS.
IT IS US.
THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO
TEST THAT RESOLVE.
CAN WE PULL TOGETHER?
I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU EVERY
SINGLE DAY WE ARE GOING TO SEE
ANOTHER FLAIR GO UP, OBAMA
TAPPED MY E-MAILS OR WHATEVER
THE HECK IT IS THIS WEEK, AND
PART OF IT IS A STRATEGY TO KEEP
US FOCUSED ON OUR INDIVIDUAL
ISSUES.
THE ISSUE THAT BRINGS US
TOGETHER IS OUR RIGHTS, OUR
RIGHTS TO KNOW, OUR RIGHTS TO
HAVE A SAFE FOOD SYSTEM, AND WE
CAN DO THIS.
WE HAVE PROVEN WE CAN DO IT.
WE GOT IT A LONG WAY, BUT WE
HAVEN'T BUILT A DEEP ENOUGH
FOUNDATION.
IT TESTED US AND IN THE CASE OF
LABELLING WE FELL APART A
LITTLE.
WE HAVE TO REBUILD IT.
I AM OBVIOUSLY EXCITED TO TALK
TO YOU MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE Q
AND A AFTER WE HEAR FROM PAUL.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME OUT.
(APPLAUSE)
- LET'S GIVE EVERYBODY A SECOND
TO STAND UP.
STRETCH FOR A SECOND.
I JUST WANTED YOU
TO TAKE THAT
IN.
THIS WAS A VERY POWERFUL AND
MOVING PRESENTATION BY GARY.
WE NEVER LET YOU DOWN HERE AT
EDIBLE ED.
WE PACK EVERY NIGHT FULL WITH
REALLY POTENT CONTENT AND
IMPORTANT SPEECHES.
WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK AND
TALK WITH GARY A LITTLE BIT,
CIRCLE BACK.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ROUHANI
OUR GRADUATE INSTRUCTOR TO COME
UP AND INTRODUCE PAUL.
IT WAS ROUHANI'S INPUT ON THE
SYLLABUS TO MAKE SURE THIS TOPIC
AROUND ANIMAL WELFARE AND POLICY
WAS HIGHLIGHTED.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE FOR ROUHANI TO
INTRODUCE PAUL.
THANKS, ROUHANI.
(APPLAUSE)
- HI EVERYONE.
I AM REALLY EXCITED FOR TONIGHT
AS I THINK THIS IS AN EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT IS LARGELY
NOT TALKED ABOUT, ANIMAL
WELFARE.
IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND BECAUSE
OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WE SEE
CONTROL AND WHY.
PAUL IS A LEADER IN FARM ANIMAL
PROTECTION.
EVERYBODY WELCOME PAUL SHAPIRO.
(APPLAUSE)
- THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ARE,
ROUHANI AND UC BERKELEY.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE ON STAGE
WITH GARY AND HEAR HIS
PRESENTATION AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY WHAT HE HAS DONE IN
HIS LIFE.
MANY PEOPLE SEE A PROBLEM, THEY
LAMENT IT, CURSE IT AND CONDEMN
IT.
THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE THAT GO
OUT AND TACKLE IT.
PLEASE GIVE IT UP FOR GARY
AGAIN.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE LAST YEAR
OR TWO IN NEWS ABOUT ANIMALS AND
THE HUMAN ANIMAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH THEM, SOME OF THE FIRST
THINGS THAT COME TO MIND MIGHT
BE, EVERYBODY REMEMBER HARAMBE?
THE LOWLAND GORILLA IN THE
CINCINNATI ZOO WHO WHEN A YOUNG
UNFORTUNATE BOY FELL INTO HIS
ENCLOSURE, HE APPEARED TO BE
TRYING TO HELP HIM BUT THINGS
DIDN'T WORK OUT SO WELL FOR
HARAM BEE.
WE KNOW THE END OF THE STORY, HE
WAS SHOT AND KILLED.
OR THINK ABOUT MAYBE A STORY
LIKE CECIL THE LION.
YOU REMEMBER TWO YEARS AGO CECIL
WAS HANGING OUT IN A NATIONAL
REFUGE WHEN AN AMERICAN HUNTER
WHO TRAVELLED ALL OF THE WAY
ACROSS THE WORLD TO AFRICA SHOT
AND KILLED CECIL THIS
CHARISMATIC ANIMAL ONE OF THE
FEW LIONS IN IT THE CONTINENT OF
AFRICA WHO HAD A NAME GIVEN TO
HIM BY HUMANS GENERATING OUTRAGE
ALL OVER THE WORLD.
KEEP IN MIND LIONS ARE KILLED
EVERY DAY.
THOUSANDS OF LIONS ARE HUNTED
EVERY YEAR.
THIS ONE LION PUT A FACE TO
AMERICAN SAFARI GOERS AND
CONSEQUENTLY EVERYBODY KNEW
ABOUT CECIL THE LION.
OR THE RINGLING BROTHERS AFTER
ALLEGATIONS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY
NOW THEY ARE GOING UNDER AFTER
THAT ANNOUNCEMENT OR SEA WORLD
GOING TO STOP THE ACROBATIC SHOW
WITH WHALES.
THERE'S NO SHORTAGE ABOUT
STORIES ABOUT ANIMALS AND THE
ANIMAL HUMAN RELATIONSHIP WHEN
WE TURN ON THE NEWS.
IF YOU WERE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT
HAS BEEN THE DOMINANT STORY IN
THE HUMAN ANIMAL RELATIONSHIP
OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, I
THINK IT WOULD BE FAR MORE
INTRIGUING TO LOOK AT WHAT HAS
HAPPENED WITH THE CHICKEN.
MOST NOTABLY CHICKENS WERE USED
IN THE EGG INDUSTRY.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN
TO A COMMERCIAL EGG FACTORY?
ABOUT ONE PERCENT OF THE HANDS
IN THE ROOM ARE GOING UP.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE LIKE TO THINK
ABOUT OLD MCDONALD'S FARM WHEN
PEOPLE THINK ABOUT CHICKENS
BEING RAISED FOR EGGS.
UNFORTUNATELY LITTLE COULD BE
FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
I TELL YOU A STORY IN 2001 I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE
FIRST EGG FACTORY I HAVE EVER
BEEN TO.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING OTHER
THAN THIS PARTICULAR EGG FACTORY
HOUSED ABOUT 800,000 BIRDS.
YOU MAY THINK 800,000 WAS A LOT,
BACK THEN IT WAS MEDIUM SIZED,
TODAY THAT WOULD BE A RELATIVELY
SMALL EGG FACTORY.
WHEN I WENT IN WITH MY FRIENDS I
FELT A SENSE OF DREAD OF WHAT WE
WERE ABOUT TO FIND OUT WHEN WE
WALKED INSIDE THIS FACTORY.
THE AIR STUNK FROM MILES AWAY.
WE DIDN'T EVEN SEE THE BUILDING
BUT WE KNEW WE WERE NEAR THERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE BUILDING
IT WAS WINDOWLESS BUILDINGS.
IF IT WASN'T FOR THE STENCH, YOU
WOULD NEVER KNOW A MILLION
CALLED THE FACILITY THEIR HOME.
I REACHED MY ARM OUT I WAS
NERVOUS.
MY HEART WAS POUNDING IN MY
THROAT.
I GRABBED THE DOORKNOB TURNED IT
CLOCKWISE AND DARKNESS ENGULFED
US.
WE COULDN'T SEE A YARD INSIDE
THE FACTORY WE STEPPED INSIDE
AND CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND US IT
WAS SO DARK WE COULDN'T SEE OUR
HANDS IN FRONT OF OUR FACE.
I TURNED ON A HEAD LAMP AND AS
FAR AS THE LIGHT WOULD SHINE IT
WAS NOTHING BUT MANURE AND
FLIES.
WE WERE IN THE MANURE PIT OF THE
EGG FACTORY.
I KNEW AS SOON AS WE LOOKED UP
THERE THEY WOULD BE.
LOOKED UP, THOUSANDS OF YELLOW
PEEKS CLUTCHING WIRING BIRDS
CONFINED IN SUCH A CRAMPED WAY
THEY WERE UNABLE EVEN TO SPREAD
THEIR WINGS.
THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF SPACE
GIVEN TO EACH ONE OF THESE BIRDS
IN THE EGG INDUSTRY IS ONLY 67
SQUARE INCHES PER BIRD.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT 67 SQUARE
INCHES LOOKS LIKE IT IS SMALLER
THAN YOUR IPAD.
THERE ARE NO LAWS REGULATING HOW
MUCH SPACE THE BIRDS MUST BE
GIVEN, SO THE VOLUNTARY
STANDARD, NOT EVEN ALL OF THE
EGG PRODUCERS MEET THIS BUT THE
VOLUNTARY STANDARD FOR MOST OF
THE COUNTRY IS SMALLER THAN AN
IPAD'S WORTH OF SPACE PER BIRD.
IMAGINE IF THE VICTIMS OF THIS
TYPE OF ANIMAL CRUELTY WERE DOGS
OR CATS?
THAT WOULD BE A FELONY IN ALL 50
STATES.
WHEN THE VICTIMS ARE CHICKENS IT
IS NOT ONLY NOT A CRIMINAL ACT,
IT IS CONSIDERED STANDARD
OPERATING PRACTICE.
I GIVE THIS EXAMPLE AS JUST ONE
EXAMPLE THAT IS REALLY
ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE WAY ANIMALS
ARE RAISED FOR TODAY IN -- FOOD
IN OUR COUNTRY TODAY.
YOU MAY SEE COWS WALKING IN
PASTURES BUT 90 PERCENT COME
FROM FACTORY FARMS NOT OUT ON
PASTURES.
THE EGG INDUSTRY IS ONE EXAMPLE.
WELL, AFTER THAT CONFERENCE --
OR AFTER THAT VISIT TO THE EGG
FARM, I TOOK A TRIP OUT TO THE
WEST COAST FROM MARYLAND WHERE
THE EGG INDUSTRY WAS CONVENING
IN SIN CITY TO TALK ABOUT THE
FUTURE OF THEIR INDUSTRY.
I HAD NEVER BEEN TO VEGAS
BEFORE.
I WAS EXCITED TO SEE WHAT IT
WOULD BE LIKE.
EVERY PERSON WAS A MEMBER OF THE
INDUSTRY IT WAS COMPOUNDED BY
THE FACT THAT THEY WERE DECADES
MY SENIOR.
I STOOD UP DURING THE Q AND A OF
ONE OF THESE PANELS.
I HAD A VHS TAPE WITH ME.
IT WAS AN ARCHAIC TECHNOLOGY WE
ONCE USED TO SHOW FILMS.
I HELD UP THAT VHS TAPE AND I
ASKED -- IT WAS THE VHS THAT HAD
THE FOOTAGE THAT I FILMED AT THE
HE CAN FACTORY.
I ASKED THEM TO WATCH IT.
WHEN WAS WERE THEY GOING TO BAN
BATTERY CAGES?
IS THE EUROPEAN UNION TWO YEARS
PRIOR IN 99 PASSED AN EU WIDE
LAW BANNING BATTERY CAGES FOR
LAYING HENS.
THE SILENCE WAS DEAD AND
PALPABLE.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE ON THE PANEL
STOOD UP AND SAID, SIR, WE WON'T
ALWAYS USE CAGES.
CAGES ARE NECESSARY FOR RAISING
CHICKENS.
IN FACT IN THE 1940'S WE USED TO
LABEL OUR EGG CARTONS AS EGGS
FROM CAGED HENS BRAGGING THE
BIRDS NEVER TOUCHED EARTH
BECAUSE THEY WERE SO MUCH
CLEANER.
HE SAID IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO
PRODUCE EGGS WITHOUT KEEPING THE
BIRDS IN CAGES AND TRYING TO
EVEN ASK THE QUESTION WAS
INDICATIVE OF A LACK OF
COMPREHENSION ABOUT HOW THE EGG
INDUSTRY WORKED.
FAST FORWARD FROM THEN TO 15
YEARS LATER TODAY.
GARY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE
COMMERCE AND ACTIVISM.
WE ARE SEEING A CAGE FREE
FUTURE.
THE INDUSTRY IS STARTING TO MOVE
AWAY FROM KEEPING THE BIRDS IN
CAGE SYSTEMS.
NO CAGE FREE DOESN'T MEAN
CRUELTY FREE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THE BIRDS GO
OUTSIDE OR ARE LIVING ON OLD
MCDONALD'S FARM BUT IT MEANS
THEY HAVE A MUCH BETTER QUALITY
OF LIFE.
THEY CAN WALK AROUND AND PERCH,
THEY CAN NEST AND LAY THEIR EGGS
IN THE NEST.
THEY CAN DUCK BATHE.
THEY HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF
LIFE.
WE SHOULDN'T LET THE PERFECT BE
THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.
IN THE CASE OF CAGE FREE, NO, IT
DOESN'T GET THE BIRDS EVERYTHING
THIS HE DESERVE BUT YES IT IS A
DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT FOR THOSE
ANIMALS.
JUST AT THAT TIME BACK IN 2001
WHEN I ATTENDED THAT CONFERENCE
ONE PERCENT IN OUR COUNTRY WAS
CAGE FREE.
YOU STARTED SEEING COMPANIES
LIKE WHOLE FOODS AND COMPETITORS
WILD OATS ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD
NO LONGER CARRY EGGS FROM CAGED
HENS.
IN 2004 WHOLE FOODS WAS SELLING
BATTERY CAGED EGGS.
IN 2005 THEY DISCONTINUED IT.
IN 2008 IN CALIFORNIA VOTERS
PASSED PROPOSITION 2, THE EGG
INDUSTRY SPENT $10 MILLION
TRYING TO DEFEAT THIS BALLOT
MEASURE THAT REQUIRED BETTER
CONDITIONS FOR LAYING HENS AND
PIGS AND CATTLE.
THE EGG INDUSTRY, STILL
TWO-THIRDS OF CALIFORNIA VOTERS
DECIDED TO VOTE YES ON
PROPOSITION 2.
FAST FORWARD TO 2015 WHEN IT
WASN'T WHOLE FOODS ANNOUNCING
THEY WERE GOING TO STOP CARRYING
EGGS FROM CAGED HENS BUT THE
BIGGEST EGG USER IN THE COUNTRY
MCDONALDS ANNOUNCING THEY ARE
GOING TO DISCONTINUE THEIR USE
OF EGGS FROM CAGED HENS.
WHAT HAS BEEN DEEMED IMPOSSIBLE
JUST 15 YEARS AGO ALL OF A
SUDDEN WAS LOOKING INEVITABLE
AFTER COMPANIES LIKE MCDONALD
WERE MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
JUST AS YOU READ THE WEED
ENCYCLOPEDIA OR WHATEVER GARY
MENTIONED WAS THE -- WHAT WAS
THE NAME OF THAT?
THE JOURNAL OF WEED SCIENCE.
I AM SURE YOU ALL HAVE
SUBSCRIPTIONS.
I AM SURE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO EGG
INDUSTRY MAGAZINE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED THIS ISSUE
WHEN MCDONALDS MADE THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT EGG INDUSTRY
EDITORIALIZED THE MCDONALD CAGE
FREE DECISION WAS DIFFICULT TO
OVER EMPHASIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF MCDONALD'S DECISION.
I HOPE I AM WRONG ABOUT
MCDONALDS BEING A TIPPING POINT.
IF YOU WANT A AN EMOJI TO SEE
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, IT PRETTY
MUCH LOOKS LIKE THAT.
IN SHORT IT WAS THE TIPPING
POINT.
IT WAS A BERLIN WALL MOMENT FOR
THOSE OF US IN THE ANIMAL
PROTECTION COMMUNITY.
A TIME WHEN THIS WALL THAT HAD
BEEN CONSTRUCTED, THAT EVERYBODY
THOUGHT WOULD BE THERE FOR IN
PERPETUITY, STARTED CRUMBLING
AND FALLING DOWN.
JUST AS THEY SAY SO CALIFORNIA
GOES SO GOES THE NATION, AS
MCDONALDS GOES, SO GOES THE FOOD
INDUSTRY.
WITHIN ONE YEAR NEARLY EVERY
MAJOR FAST FOOD COMPANY ADOPTED
SIMILAR OR BETTER POLICIES THAN
WHAT MCDONALDS DID ON CAGE FREE
EGGS.
FROM SAFE WAY TO WAL-MART AND
FOOD LION OR MORE ADOPTED
SIMILAR OR BETTER POLICIES TO
MCDONALDS ON CAGE FREE EGGS.
ALL OF THE MAJOR FOOD FACTORIES
AND HOSPITALITY COMPANIES
ADOPTED POLICIES SAYING IF YOU
WANT TO TELL US EGGS GOING INTO
THE FUTURE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE
TO GO CAGE FREE.
A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION FROM
IMPOSSIBLE TO INEVITABLE IN JUST
A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME BECAUSE
OF THE POWER OF THESE
BUSINESSES.
WE DIDN'T PASS ANY LAW IN THE
CONGRESS.
WE DIDN'T PASS ANY LAW IN ANY
MAJOR MIDWESTERN EGG PRODUCTION
STATE LIKE IOWA OR PENNSYLVANIA
OR INDIANA OR MINNESOTA OR HUGE
AMOUNTS OF THE EGG PRODUCTION IN
OUR COUNTRY COME FROM.
THIS WILL LARGELY WITH SOME EX
ESSENTIAL -- EXCEPTIONS LIKE
CALIFORNIA IT WAS THE BIGGEST
CAMPAIGN WHERE THE BIGGEST EGG
BUYERS COLLECTIVELY SAID NO MORE
EGGS FROM CAGED HENS.
ANOTHER ONE YOU PROBABLY READ
RELIGIOUSLY, MEAT AND POULTRY
MAGAZINE THE STAGE CONTROVERSY
CONTINUES AS THE INDUSTRY
SCRAMBLES TO GET ON BOARD.
CONCLUDING IT IS NO LONGER A
DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER TO HAVE
EGG PRODUCTION FROM CAGE TO CAGE
FREE BUT RATHER WHEN IT WILL
HAPPEN.
JUST IMAGINE THAT TRAJECTORY
FROM 15 YEARS AGO WHEN EGG
PRODUCERS SAYING WE WILL NEVER
GET RID OF CAGES.
NOW IT IS NOT A MATTER OF IF,
BUT WHEN.
IN THIS PAST ELECTION CYCLE,
YES, TRUMP WON IN ENOUGH STATES
TO GET THE PRESIDENCY, BUT IN
MASSACHUSETTS, THERE WAS A REAL
SILVER LINING.
IN MASSACHUSETTS, THERE WAS
QUESTION 3 A BALLOT MEASURE THAT
MANDATED THAT EGGS, VEAL AND
PORK SOLD IN THE COMMONWEALTH TO
OVER 6 MILLION CONSUMERS EVERY
SINGLE DAY COME FROM ONLY CAGE
FREE ANIMALS.
DESPITE THE AG INDUSTRY IN THE
MIDWEST PUMPING HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THIS
CAMPAIGN MASSACHUSETTS VOTERS
DECIDED BY A LAND SLIDE MARGIN
78 TO 22 THIS VOTE IN FAVOR OF
QUESTION 3.
7822, THAT'S NOT A POLITICAL
LANDSLIDE, THAT'S A POLITICAL
SLAUGHTER.
IN MY INDUSTRY AN INHUMANE
SLAUGHTER AT THAT.
I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ONE
ISSUE THE TREATMENT OF EGG
LAYING HENS.
IT IS GREAT EGG LAYING HENS ARE
SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT.
CAGES WILL BE RELEGATED TO
INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
IT DOESN'T REALLY ADDRESS THE
ROOT OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE
WITH REGARD TO OUR RELIANCE ON
FACTORY FARMING OF ANIMALS.
GETTING RID OF CAGES GETS RID OF
A SYMPTOM OF FACTORY FARMING.
IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO DO
SO.
AS ONE OF MY HEROS DAVID HENRY
THOREAU SAID THERE IS EVERYBODY
ATTACKING EVIL ONE STRIKING AT
THE ROOT.
YOU COULD GO PRACTICE BY
PRACTICE.
BATTERY CRATES FOR CHICKENS,
CRATES FOR KIDS.
YOU CAN THINK OF CASTRATION OF
PIGS IN THE PORK INDUSTRY.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE A DOG.
WHAT'S YOUR DOG'S NAME?
DROOPY.
SHE WANTS ME TO KNOW SHE DID NOT
NAME HIM.
DROOPY, IS HE NEUTERED?
OKAY.
COOL.
SO ROUHANI IS AN ANIMAL WELFARE
ADVOCATE.
DROOPY HAS BEEN NEUTERED.
SHE IS WORRIED ABOUT PET
POPULATION.
WHAT WOULD HAVE MATTERED IF YOU
TOOK DROOPY TO SAY HEY I WANT
YOU TO NEUTER HIM BECAUSE I AM
CONCERNED ABOUT PET OVER
POPULATION AND YOUR VET SAYS NO
PROBLEM I WILL DO IT.
HE TAKES OUT A SCALPEL AND CUTS
OFF THE TESTICLES OF DROOPY
WITHOUT MEDICATION.
LOSE HIS LICENSE, BE CHARGED
WITH A CRIME, ANIMAL CRUELTY.
ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT IF IT WASN'T DROOPY WHAT IF
IT HASN'T A VET.
AN ANIMAL THAT FEELS PAIN WITH
EVERY BIT AS MUCH INTENSITY WHO
IS EVEN SMARTER THAN DOGS ON IQ
TESTS AND INSTEAD OF A VET YOU
HAVE UNTRAINED FARM HAND WITH NO
EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER DOING THE
SAME ACT OF UN ANESTHESTIZED
CASTRATION OF ANIMALS.
IF ENOUGH FARMERS ENGAGE IN A
PRACTICE IT DE FACTO BECOMES
LEGAL.
NO MATTER HOW CRUEL IT IS.
THE SAME ACT THAT CAN THROW YOU
IN JAIL FOR CUTTING A DOG'S
TESTICLES OFF HAS NO
REPERCUSSIONS AS A MATTER OF RUE
KEEN -- ROUTINE COURSE.
THERE ARE ALL TYPES OF THESE
INHUMANE PRACTICES.
YOU CAN'T SPEND 15 YEARS ON EACH
ONE GOING INDUSTRY BY INDUSTRY
TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THESE.
WHAT IS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM?
PART OF THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
IS WE ARE EATING TOO MANY
ANIMALS.
THAT IS WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
AMERICANS EAT MORE MEAT ON A PER
CAPITA BASIS THAN ESSENTIALLY
ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH.
IT IS INEFFICIENT.
IT IS UNSUSTAINABLE.
IT IS UN HUMANE.
IT IS UNHEALTHY.
WE NEED TO START SHIFTING OUR
DIET FROM ONE THAT IS BASED ON
EATING ANIMALS TO ONE THAT IS
BASED ON EATING PLANTS.
WE CAN DO IT.
IN FACT WE ALREADY ARE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA FROM
FOOD INTEL COMPANIES LIKE MATTEL
THAT SAY 22 PERCENT OF AMERICANS
CONSIDER THEMSELVES VEGETARIANS.
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.
SMALL PERCENTAGE.
MAYBE 5 OR 10 AT THE MOST.
MANY WHO SEE THEMSELVES AS
VEGETARIAN MAY NOT FIT THE
ACTUAL DEFINITION.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE
PERCENTAGE OF AMERICANS WHO ARE
CUTTING BACK ON THE USE OF MEAT
WHO ARE MEAT REDUCERS WHO ARE
FLEXITARIANS WHO DON'T EAT MEAT
AT EVERY MEAL, ABOUT A THIRD OF
ALL AMERICANS.
IT IS A HUGE POPULATION.
BECAUSE OF THESE SO-CALLED
FLEXITARIANS THEY ARE EATING
LESS MEAT PER CAPITA THAN WE DID
10 YEARS AGO.
FOR DECADES MEAT CONSUMPTION
WENT LIKE THIS.
NOW MEAT CONSUMPTION HAS FALLEN
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WORLD
WAR II.
IT IS TRULY INCREDIBLE.
SOME PEOPLE FIGHT BACK AND THEY
SAY, WELL, IT'S NOT SO MUCH
ABOUT USING ORGANIC OR EATING
PLANT BASED, IT IS JUST ABOUT
EATING LOCAL.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
THE SCIENCE DOESN'T BEAR THAT
OUT, THOUGH.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE ACTUAL
SCIENCE SAYS, HERE'S STUDIES
FROM CARNEGIE MELLON THAT SAYS
SHIFTING ONE DAY A WEEK TO A
PLANT BASED DIET REDUCES THE
CARBON FOOD PRINT RATHER THAN
EATING 100 PERCENT LOCAL.
THE COOKING METHOD GENERALLY HAS
MORE TO DO WITH HOW MUCH ENERGY
YOU ARE USING THAN THE MILES THE
FOOD TRAVELED.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE
COOKING METHOD OR THE MILES
TRAVELED IS WHETHER THAT FOOD IS
ANIMAL OR PLANT BASED.
ANIMAL PRODUCTS TEND TO BE FAR
MORE RESOURCE INEFFICIENT THAN
THOSE THAT COME DIRECTLY FROM
THE EARTH.
CLIMATE SCIENTISTS ARE NOTING
THIS ALREADY.
THE UNITED NATIONS URGED YEARS
AGO WE NEED TO EAT LESS MEAT,
EGGS AND DAIRY IN ORDER TO AVERT
THE MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE.
YOU CAN'T READ THE FINE PRINT.
LESSER CONSUMPTION OF
ANIMAL
PRODUCTS -- (INDISCERNIBLE).
IT CAUSES 15 PERCENT OF ALL OF
THE CLIMATE CHANGING EMISSIONS
FROM HUMANITY.
THIS IS ROUGHLY LIKE SAYING ALL
TRUCKS, ALL CARS, ALL PLANES ALL
COMBINED.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE IT IS EASY TO POINT OUR
FINGERS AND SAY BAD OIL.
WE HAVE TO BE MORE SELF
REFLECTIVE AND FIGURE WHAT CAN I
DO TO PRODUCE PLANTS.
PART OF IT WILL BE EATING
LIGHTER AND LOWER ON THE FOOD
CHAIN.
AS OXFAM SAYS THE REALITY IT IS
TAKES LOTS OF RESOURCES TO
PRODUCE MEAT MUCH MORE THAN IT
REQUIRES TO EAT DELICIOUS KINDS
OF FOODS.
SOME PEOPLE SEE THIS AND THEY
THINK I AM GOING TO DO SOMETHING
LIKE A MEATLESS MONDAY.
IT'S A GREAT THING TO DO.
OTHER PEOPLE WILL THINK I AM
GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE VEGAN
BEFORE 6:00 P.M. LIKE MARK
BITTMAN THE FOOD WRITER NEW YORK
TIMES COLUMNIST WHO MANY OF YOU
KNOW AND LOVE AS I DO.
HE TALKS ABOUT HOW HE'S A VEGAN
BEFORE 6:00 P.M. AND AFTER
6:00 P.M. HE EATS WHATEVER THE
HECK HE WANTS.
GOOD FOR HIM.
OTHER PEOPLE WANT TO GO FURTHER.
MY WANT TO BE VEGAN 46 AND VEGAN
AFTER 6.
FOR THEM THEY LOOK FOR COOL
BOOKS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW TO
BE VEGAN WHOSE AUTHOR IS SITTING
IN OUR AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW
ELIZABETH CASTORIA IN THE FRONT
ROW WHO IS GIVING AN EMBARRASSED
WAVE LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW TO ALL
OF YOU.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT NUMBER IT IS
ON AMAZON AFTER THIS.
WITH GOOD REASON.
YES, IT HELPS ANIMALS AND THE
PLANET BUT IT ALSO HELPS
OURSELVES.
BY EATING MORE PLANTS AND FEWER
ANIMALS WE HELP OURSELVES.
YOU LOOK AT THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC
IN OUR COUNTRY.
40 PERCENT COULD BE OBESE BY
2030.
FOR ME THIS IS A PERSONAL ISSUE.
WHEN I WAS A KID I WAS ON TRACK
TO BECOME OBESE.
HERE'S ME I THINK AT AGE 11.
THIS WASN'T THAT ABNORMAL FOR
ME.
YOU COULD SEE I WASN'T OBESE BUT
I WAS EN ROUTE TO BECOMING
OBESE.
MY FATHER WOULD BRING ME TO
FOOTBALL GAMES I WOULD LIMIT
MYSELF TO ONE HOT DOG PER
QUARTER.
PER QUARTER.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT
EATING LOTS OF MEAT IS
CORRELATED BY NUMEROUS SIGNS
STUDIES TO BE CORRELATED WITH
HIGH RATES OF OBESITY.
JOHN HOPKINS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC
HEALTH SAYS MEAT CONSUMPTION AND
OBESITY NUMBERS AMONG ADULTS AND
THE BIGGEST STUDY DONE ON THE
TOPIC THEY INCLUDED DECREASE IN
MEAT CONSUMPTION MAY INCLUDE
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT.
NATIONALLY MORE THAN A THIRD OF
US EAT ONE SERVING OF FRUIT OR
LESS A DAY.
ONE SERVING OF FRUIT OR LESS PER
DAY.
SAME REPORT FOUND THAT ABOUT A
QUARTER OF US EAT LESS THAN ONE
VEGETABLE SERVING PER DAY.
IT IS TRULY HORRIFIC.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY
WE MAY NOT WANT TO EAT AS MUCH
VEGETARIAN FOOD, WHILE SOME
PEOPLE MAY THINK IT IS
CONVENIENT, SOME MAY SAY IT IS
NOT CUSTOMARY FOR THEM.
SOME PEOPLE WILL MAKE THE
ARGUMENT HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU
HEAR THIS, YOU HEAR IT COSTS TOO
MUCH.
IT COSTS TOO MUCH TO EAT
VEGETARIAN OR EAT HEALTHY.
THE ALMOST EVERY HAND IN THE
ROOM GOES UP.
I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT'S NOT
SO.
A STUDY THAT CAME OUT A YEAR AGO
FOUND THAT EATING VEGETARIAN CAN
SAVE YOU ON AVERAGE $700 PER
YEAR.
HOW CAN I SAVE ALL OF THAT
MONEY?
THERE WAS A NEW RESOURCE HOT OFF
THE PRESSES WHERE YOU CAN FIND
AN ALL PLANT BASED MEAL PLAN.
EVERY MEAL, 21 MEALS FOR YOUR
WHOLE WEEK FOR ONLY $25.
ABOUT $3 A DAY, JUST OVER THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO GET IT ALL YOU
HAVE TO DO IS GO TO
plantbasedmealplan.com AND SIGN
UP TO GET IT.
plantbasedmealplan.com.
THE PURVEYOR OF THAT IS ALSO
HERE TONY OKAMOTO.
GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
(APPLAUSE)
- IT IS NOT JUST INDIVIDUALS
REDUCING THEIR MEAT CONSUMPTION
BUT SCHOOLS ARE GOING MEATLESS
ON MONDAYS.
THEY ARE DOING IT BOTH TO
IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH, YES TO
IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT
ALSO TO CUT DOWN ON FOOD COSTS.
SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE
COUNTRY LIKE THE DETROIT K
THROUGH 12 SYSTEM HAS GONE MEAT
FREE ON MONDAYS THEY ARE NOW
MEAT FREE TWO-DAYS OF THE WEEK.
ONE OF THE PIONEERS JUST
PUBLISHED A BOOK.
SHE HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE NEWS,
CHRISTIE MIDDLETON HAS A BOOK
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A VEGAN IF
YOU WANT."
GIVE CHRISTIE A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE.
(APPLAUSE)
HERE'S A SCREEN SHOT OF CHRISTIE
ON THE NEWS THIS WEEK IN
SACRAMENTO.
THE TREND HAS CAUGHT ON.
NOT JUST SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
BURGER KING HAS THE VEGGIE
BURGER.
REAL VEGGIES BROWNED RICE AND
ROLLED OATS.
THE CHEAPEST BURGER ON THE MENU.
CHEAPEST THING IS THE VEGGIE
BURGER AND IT IS QUITE GOOD.
ALSO THE PURVEYORS OF SOME OF
THE HIGHEST END DAIRY PRODUCT,
SOME OF THE BEST TREATED ANIMALS
SOME OF THE MOST CONSCIOUS
COMPANIES LIKE GARY ARE
PRODUCING SOY A PRODUCT I LOVE.
I E-MAILED YOU OR SOMEBODY ELSE
IN THE AUDIENCE.
I WANTED TO FIND THE RASPBERRY.
I GOT THE VANILLA THERE.
CHIPOTLE, MOST AFFORDABLE THING
ON THE MENU IS CHILI RUB
SOFRITOS.
EVEN FOX NEWS ARE TALKING ABOUT
THE BENEFITS OF EATING LESS
MEAT.
THAT'S HOW FAR WE HAVE COME FROM
US TRYING TO FIND SOY MILK IN
WHOLE FOOD TO FOX NEWS TALKING
ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LESS MEAT.
THE NASDAQ RECOGNIZES THIS AND
THEY PUBLISHED HOW MEAT
CONSUMPTION IS STEADILY
DECLINING AND CAN BE A HUGE
PROFIT.
THEY TELL INVESTORS TO NOT
EXCHANGE FAITH WITH SECURITIES
AND EVEN JUST TODAY.
AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST
EXCITING THINGS THAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF FOOD
ENTREPRENEUR SHIP TODAY.
YES, WE HAVE PLANT BASED MEAT
COMPANIES MAKING BETTER AND
BETTER MEAT ALTERNATIVES EVERY
DAY.
WE HAVE A NEW REVOLUTION, THE
CELL OW LAYER AGRICULTURE
REVOLUTION.
WE CAN NOW PRODUCE REAL MEAT
WITHOUT ANIMALS.
THIS IS GOING TO THE OTHER END
OF THE SPECTRUM.
THIS IS LOOKING FOR
ENTREPRENEURS WHO WANT TO
PRODUCE REAL MEAT, MEAT THAT IS
IDENTICAL TO THE MEAT YOU EAT
TODAY WITHOUT GENETIC
ENGINEERING, WITHOUT GENETICALLY
MODIFIED ORGANISMS.
THEY CAN PRODUCE REAL MEAT IN
THE SAME WAY WE CAN FOR EXAMPLE
TAKE YOUR SKIN AND PRODUCE IT IN
VITRO.
IF YOU GET BURNED YOUR BODY
DOESN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
BECAUSE THERE IS NO DIFFERENT.
THERE'S A WALL STREET JOURNAL
TODAY ABOUT A NEW START UP.
MEMPHIS MEATS.
IT IS RUN BY ENVIRONMENTALISTS
THEY ARE PRODUCING MORE MEET
WITHOUT ANIMALS.
IT IS CALLED CLEAN MEAT THOR
THAN QUEEN ENERGY.
ONE PERSON IS IN THE AUDIENCE
WHO WAS THERE FOR THE UNVEILING
OF THIS.
CHRISTIE LAGAWI.
GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
HER COLLEAGUE EMILY BIRD IS NOT
HERE.
WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THEM
LATER THEY ARE WITH THE GOOD
FOOD INSTITUTE A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
PROMOTING THE CLEAN MEAT
TECHNOLOGY.
YOU SEE PLANT BASED COMPANIES
TALKING ABOUT EATING LESS MEAT?
YOU SEE MCDONALDS TALKING ABOUT
CAGE FREE EGGS.
THINK ABOUT WHAT THE WORLD WAS
LIKE IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY?
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS OUR MAIN
FORM OF TRANSPORTATION WAS THIS.
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS IT'S HOW
THE ROMANS AND GREEKS AND
GENGHIS KHAN GOT AROUND.
IF YOU WERE TO WALK THROUGH THE
NATION'S CITY STREETS IN 1880
YOU WOULD BE TREATED TO A LOT OF
UNPLEASANT SCENES.
YOU WOULD HEAR THE SOUNDS OF
CRACKING WHIPS, HEAR SHOUTING
MEN.
THE VICTIMS OF THE SHOUTS AND
WHIPS WOULD BE THE HORSES
LABORING THROUGH ALL WEATHER
HEAT, COLD, RAIN, SNOW TO TAKE
US AND ALL OF OUR GOODS THROUGH
OUT OUR CITY STREETS.
IT WASN'T UNCOMMON TO SEE DEAD
HORSE STREWN WITH LASH MARKS ON
THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DISCARDED
BY THEIR OWNERS WAITING FOR THEM
TO COME AND DRAG THEM OUT OF THE
CITY.
THEY COMMISSIONED A PANEL TO SAY
WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE 100 YEARS
FROM NOW.
THEY CONCLUDED 200,000 HORSES IN
THE CITY IN 1980 WITH POPULATION
GROWTH THERE WOULD BE 6 MILLION
HORSES.
THE CITY WOULD BE DROWNING IN
MANURE.
THERE WERE WAY TOO MANY HORSES
TOO MUCH MANURE.
THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE MANURE
OUT OF THE CITY?
MORE HORSES TO DRAG IT OUT.
HAJJ PROBLEM.
BECAUSE OF THE INNOVATION OF ONE
ENTREPRENEUR.
HENRY FORD DID MORE TO FREE
HORSES FROM MANUAL LABOR AND
CITY STREETS FROM CHOKING TO
DEATH IN FECES THAN ANY ANIMAL
ADVOCATE OR ENVIRONMENTAL
ADVOCATE OR CITY PLANNER COULD
HAVE DREAMT OF DOING.
THERE WERE ALL TYPES OF
INITIATIVES HORSES NOT WORKING
ON SUNDAY AND NEEDING RESTS.
HENRY FORD SAVED NEW YORK CITY
FROM THE PROJECTIONS OF THE BEST
EXPERT OF THE TIME WHO SAID THE
CITY WOULD BECOME UNLIVABLE.
IT WAS HENRY FORD THROUGH HIS
ENTREPRENEUR SHIP WHO CHANGED
THE WORLD FOR HORSES IN THE SAME
WAY FOR EXAMPLE THAT WE USED TO
RUN ON WHALE OIL, AND THERE ARE
ALL TYPES OF CONCERN ABOUT WHALE
OIL UNTIL ONE ENTREPRENEUR AND
GEOLOGIST CALLED ABRAHAM GESNER
HAD KEROSENE.
KEROSENE TOOK OVER AND WHALES
WERE LIBERATED FROM OUR HARPOON.
KEROSENE GOT RENDERED OBSOLETE
BY ANOTHER INVENTOR EDISON WHO
GAVE US THE ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB.
YOU CAN SEE THE POWER OF
BUSINESS TO IMPROVE OUR LIVES
AND IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY
OF WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE
WORLD.
HOW CAN WE MOVE FORWARD?
I THINK WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF A
REVOLUTION ON HOW TO TREAT
ANIMALS.
IN CONCLUSION WE ARE SEEING
ANIMALS WE ARE SEEING THEM NOT
JUST AS OBJECTS TO GAWK AT OR TO
BE ENTERTAINED BY BUT SEEING
THEM AS THE INDIVIDUALS THEY
ARE.
WE ARE SEEING THEM AS
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LIKES AND
DISLIKES AND PERSONALITIES THEY
WANT TO AVOID SUFFERING.
NOT JUST CELEBRITY ANIMALS LIKE
HARAMBE OR CECIL, BUT THE
ANIMALS ON OUR FARM.
WE ARE LEARNING THESE ANIMALS
ARE NOT MERE COMMODITIES.
THEY DESERVE OUR COMPASSION AND
RESPECT.
THEY HAVE FAMILIES AND THEY,
TOO, WANT TO AVOID SUFFERING
INCLUDING ANIMALS THAT DON'T
BREATHE THE AIR WE BREATHE BUT
ARE STILL CAUGHT UP IN THE FOOD
SYSTEM.
I KNOW THAT TYPE OF A WORLD CAN
SEEM A RADICAL DEPARTURE.
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FELLOW
CREATURES BUT RATHER IT BASED ON
COMPASSION AND RESPECT.
BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE LIKE YOU
IN THIS ROOM AND ENTREPRENEURS
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FROM
THE BIGGEST COMPANY TO MEMPHIS
MEATS.
THAT'S NOT JUST THE CASE FOR
EGGS LAYING CHICKEN.
SOMEBODY GOING TO PRISON FOR
NEARLY 3 DECADES AND COMING OUT
AND BEING PRESIDENT OF HIS
NATION.
THAT'S WHAT NELSON MANDELA DID.
HE SAID IT ALWAYS SEEMS I AM
POSSIBLE UNTIL IT IS DONE.
THINK ABOUT THE LEGITIMATE
DEBATE IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.
150 YEARS AGO THE DEBATE IN OUR
COUNTRY THAT YOU COULD HAVE A
RESPECTABLE POSITION IN SOCIETY
AND HOLD EITHER VIEW AND ONE
HUMAN OUGHT TO OWN ANOTHER.
DOCTORS, THEY ALL HELD BOTH
SIDES OF THAT.
THE LEGITIMATE DATE IN THE
COUNTRY IS WHETHER HALF OF US
SHOULD BE ABLE TO --
50 YEARS AGO WHETHER WHITE AND
BLACKS CAN DRINK FROM THE WATER
FOUNTAIN.
ANOTHER DO GAY RIGHTS MEAN LESS
THAN OTHERS.
YOU TOOK THE WRONG SIDE.
YOU SAY YOU ARE FOR HUMAN
SLAVERY BUT YOU ARE AGAINST WHO
MAN'S RIGHT TO VOTE OR YOU ARE
FOR RACIAL SEGREGATION.
YOU WOULD BE A PER RYE AWE.
IT MIGHT MAKE THE NEWS.
YOUR FRIENDS WOULD UN FRIEND
YOU.
A BLINK OF AN EYE HISTORICALLY
SPEAKING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A
SPECIFICALLY RESPECTABLE VIEW
FOR YOU TO HOLD?
WHAT MIGHT WE HAVE IN THE FUTURE
WITH TREATMENT OF ANIMALS?
YOU THINK THE FUTURE
GENERATIONS, WHERE THEY LOCKED
THEM IN CAGES OR WE MUTILATED
THEIR GENITALS WITHOUT PAIN
RELIEF AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE
COURSE OR WE DOPED THEM UP FULL
OF ANTIBIOTICS AND HORMONES SO
WE COULD SQUEEZE A FEW EXTRA
POUNDS OUT OF THEM OR GET THEM
TO MARKET A FEW DAYS SOONER.
HOW DO YOU THINK FUTURE
GENERATIONS ARE JUDGE US?
IS I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE THAT
KIND.
GARY MENTIONED THE DALAI LAMA.
I AM GOING TO MENTION A QUICK
STORY ABOUT GANDHI.
AN HISTORIAN CAME UP TO HIM AND
SAID YOUR OBJECT IS TOO MUCH
FREEING INDIA FROM THE MOST
POWERFUL EMPEROR ON EARTH AND
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FIRE ONE
SHOT?
GANDHI SAID YOUR JOB IS TO WRITE
LIST, OURS IS TO MAKE IT.
YOU CAN MAKE HISTORY AS YOU GO
OUT IN THE WORLD WHETHER AS AN
ACTIVIST OR ENTREPRENEUR.
DON'T SIT ON THE SIDE LINES.
DON'T LET YOUR LIFE BE LIVED IN
VAIN.
YOU CAN BE A PART OF THIS
NARRATIVE CHANGING THE WORLD FOR
THE BETTER GIVING A VOICE TO THE
MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR SOCIETY.
IT CAN BE WHETHER ANY PATTERNS,
YOU CAN MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE AND
CHANGE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET INVOLVED.
IF YOU WANT TO DO IT FOR ANIMALS
PLEASE LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT
THAT AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
(APPLAUSE)
- THANK YOU, PAUL.
THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE GARY AND
PAUL UP TO THE STAGE HERE FOR A
SEC.
IS THERE ANOTHER HAND-HELD MIC?
THERE WERE SEVERAL.
JUST A QUICK NOTE BEFORE WE
FINISH UP.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY NEXT
WEEK DAMIAN NELSON WILL BE HERE
WITH SUE CONLEY AND PEGGY SMITH.
NEXT WEEK'S READING IS NOT A
READING, YOU GET TO LISTEN TO
TWO PODCASTS.
ALICE IS GOING TO BE HERE TO GET
THEM STARTED, BUT THIS IS NEXT
WEEK WE ARE GOING TO TALK MORE
KIND OF BUILDING ON SOME OF THE
THEMES WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT,
BUT THE POWER OF STORY AND
NARRATIVE TO EXCHANGE MINDS.
WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT IT
WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS.
I WILL COME OVER HERE AND SIT
WITH YOU.
I KNOW THESE CUMQUATS ARE HERE
FOR DISPLAY ONLY, BUT I AM GOING
TO BREAK THE ICE.
- THE BENEFITS OF HAPPENED
PICKED FRUITS.
I WANT TO SAY IT IS POWERFUL TO
HAVE THESE VOICES HERE AT UC
BERKELEY.
THE LEGACY OF THIS CAMPUS AND
THIS PLACE HAS A VERY FERTILE
ENVIRONMENT FOR IDEAS THAT TURN
INTO ACTION.
THERE'S A HISTORY TO IT AND A
GRAVITY TO IT.
I AM PARTICULARLY EXCITED THIS
YEAR EDIBLE EDUCATION HAS MOVED
FROM IT THE SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
WHERE MICHAEL POLLAN STARTED AND
MARK BITTMAN TAUGHT THE CLASS
LAST YEAR IN THE COLLEGE OF
NATURAL RESOURCES.
NOW WE ARE HERE IN THE HAAS
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.
IT IS INTERESTING TONIGHT'S
TOPIC YOU SEE THIS FUSION OF
PROGRESS IN ACTION THROUGH THE
MARKETPLACE.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS
FOR MAKING THAT POINT REALLY
CLEAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE IS WHEN I ROLL MY
OWN TAPE BACK TO OUR VERY FIRST
SOCIAL VENTURE NETWORK MEETING,
THERE WAS A WHOLE GROUP OF
PEOPLE WITH REALLY HEADY IDEALS
ABOUT HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
WE ARE MAKING BIG CLAIMS ABOUT
HOW THEY WERE GOING TO KIND OF
DO BETTER THAN THE STATUS QUO,
EXCEED THE REGULATIONS, MAKE
PRODUCTS AND SELL THINGS THAT
WERE BETTER THAN WHAT THE BIG
BUSINESS WAS DOING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY
DIFFERENTIATED GARY IN THIS
COMMUNITY AND WAS A GREAT
INSPIRATION TO ME IS THAT HE
DELIVERED.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LITTLE THING.
IT WAS HARD TO GO AND BEAT THE
MARGINS OF BIG FOOD.
IT WAS HARD TO BEAT THE MUSCLE
AND POWER ON THE SHELF.
THIS KIND OF WORLD OF
COMMUNICATING THE VALUES THROUGH
THE BUSINESS IN CREATIVE
RESOURCEFUL ENTREPRENEURIAL
MEANS WAS SORT OF THE PATHWAY TO
THAT.
YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AND SOME
OF OUR FRIENDS MADE THAT INTO AN
ART FORM.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
- THIS SAID IT EVEN BETTER.
WE DIDN'T DO IT.
YOU DID IT.
OUR CONSUMERS DID IT.
WE PUT THE CHOICE OUT THERE, BUT
WE COULDN'T GUARANTEE IT WAS
GOING TO HAPPEN.
TO BE MORE BLUNT ABOUT IT, WE
HAD NO MONEY.
WE WERE NINE YEARS UNTIL WE MADE
ANY MONEY.
NO SUPPLY, NO DEMAND.
NO ONE UNDERSTOOD WHY YOGURT
COSTS $0.30 MORE THAN THE CRAP
ON THE SHELF.
THE STUFF ON THE SHELF WASN'T
FOOD.
THAT'S WHY IT WAS SO CHEAP.
WE WERE AT A LOSS FOR HOW TO
COMMUNICATE IT.
BORROWING A PAGE FROM SOME OF
OUR INCREDIBLE EDUCATIONAL
MODELS LIKE HSSU.
WE WENT TO A SUPERMARKET.
I WAS TELLING THE SIX LOCAL
INDEPENDENT RETAILERS AND THIS
ONE BIG CHAIN WITH 35 STORES
SAID TO ME, WELL, HE CALLED MY
PARTNER AT HOME, HE SAID WHY
AREN'T YOU SELLING TO ME?
WE SAID WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
COWS.
GET SOME MORE DAMN COWS.
HE SLAMMED THE PHONE DOWN.
WE GREW OUR HERD FROM 7 TO 19
COWS.
WE GOT THERE HE SAID WHAT ARE
YOU GOING TO DO FOR ADVERTISING?
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY.
ALL WE HAD WAS THE COWS.
WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF
ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ADOPT OUR
LIVE COWS METAPHORICALLY.
IF THEY SENT IN FIVE YOGURT TOPS
THEY WOULD NAME THE COW AND HAVE
A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE COW.
THIS IS PRE INTERNET.
THEY WOULD GET TWO LETTERS FROM
THEIR COWS A YEAR.
THE COWS WOULD TALK ABOUT
AMAZING STUFF, HUMAN TREATMENT,
THE PASTURE, METHANE EMISSIONS,
SYNTHETIC GROWTH HORMONE.
TO THIS DAY THAT'S HOW WE MARKET
AND COMMUNICATE.
WE BELIEVE THE MONEY SHOULD GO
TO THE FARMERS.
OUR FARMERS ARE WELL PAID
BECAUSE WE WANT TO EMBRACE THEIR
PRACTICES.
WE USE SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THIS OF
COURSE.
NOW THE COWS E-MAIL THERE'S NO
PAPER.
THEY TEXT.
- I WILL TELL YOU A BRIEF STORY.
GARY WAS A PIONEER ON THIS TYPE
OF CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM.
USE THE POWER OF THEIR BUSINESS
TO TRY TO DO GOOD IN THE WORLD.
TO GIVE YOU A MORE RECENT
EXAMPLE.
THERE WERE TWO DUDES, JOSH AND
JOSH, AND THEY BOTH WERE VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE EGG
INDUSTRY.
THEY HAD SEEN THE TYPE OF EGG
FACTORIES I SHOWED YOU.
THEY WANTED THE INDUSTRY TO MOVE
TO A CAGE FREE SYSTEM.
GOING CAGE FREE COSTS MORE.
MEAT REDUCTION COSTS LESS CAGE
FREE COSTS MORE.
THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS, THERE
WERE A LOT OF PRODUCTS THAT HAD
EGGS IN THEM THAT YOU DON'T
NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE EGGS IN
THAT YOU COULD COME UP WITH
PLANT BASED INGREDIENTS THAT
COULD NOT ONLY TAKE THE PLACE OF
THE EGG IN IT THOSE PRODUCTS BUT
MAKE THE PRODUCT EVEN CHEAPER.
IN 2011 THEY GOT TOGETHER AND
DECIDED THEY ARE GOING TO START
A COMPANY CALLED HAMPTON CREEK.
STARTED OUT HERE IN THE BAY
AREA.
FAST FORWARD TO TODAY HAMPTON
CREEK PRODUCES JUST MAYOR SOLD
NOT JUST IN WHOLE FOODS BUT
THEIR EGG FREE MAYO ROUTINELY
OUT PERFORMS EGG BASED MAYOS IN
TARGET AND OTHER STORES LIKE
WAL-MART.
AND SO ON.
SIX YEARS AGO IT DIDN'T EXIST,
TWO YOUNG GUYS WHO KNEW NOTHING.
ONE OF THEM IS HERE, JENNA,
SITTING IN THE FRONT.
WAVE.
THAT'S THE POWER TO SOLVE A
PROBLEM.
RATHER THAN JUST FOCUS ON TRYING
TO LAMENT SOMETHING OR CURSE THE
PROBLEM OR TRY TO GET EVERYBODY
TO PAY MORE.
CERTAINLY WE WANT PEOPLE TO NOT
EXTERNALIZE THE COST OF THE
FOOD.
YOU SHOULD PAY THE COST OF THE
FOOD.
ANIMAL CRUELTY IS AN
EXTERNALIZATION.
THERE ARE OTHER PRODUCTS LIKE
MAYO THAT DIDN'T NEED EGGS IN
THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A TYPE OF
COMPANY THAT HAS DONE GOOD-BYE
DOING WELL.
- ANOTHER THING THANKED PRO --
THAT CHANGED PROFOUNDLY
EVEN IN
THE 80'S WHEN LARGE COMPANIES
STARTED TO ACQUIRE THE SMALLER
COMPANIES, IT WAS PRETTY
CUSTOMARY FOR THE
ENTREPRENEURIAL FOUNDER WHO WAS
THE KEEPER OF DIVISION AND
VALUES WAS OUT.
ONE OF THE FIRST BIG
ACQUISITIONS WAS WHEN BEN AND
JERRY'S WAS ACQUIRED UNILEVER.
THEY WORKED WITH BEN & JERRY'S
TO EMBED THEIR VALUES, THIS HE
CREATED A SECOND BOARD AND TRIED
TO TREAT IT.
THEY WERE THE FIRST COMPANY TO
START KIND OF LOOK AT HEY MAYBE
THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN LEARN
FROM THIS.
REALLY WHAT THEY WERE LEARNING
WAS THAT THOSE VALUES WERE
EMBEDDED IN THE BRAND.
GARY'S STORY WE DON'T HAVE TIME
TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT BUT NEXT
SEMESTER YOU CAN TELL THE
WONDERFUL SNOWSTORM STORY.
HIS COMPANY WAS ACQUIRED DANON.
IT WASN'T JUST THAT THEY WANTED
TO PROTECT THE VALUES OF THE
COMPANY, THEY ACTUALLY APPOINTED
GARY TO THE BOARD OF THE
COMPANY, RIGHT, SO THAT THEY
COULD SORT OF LEARN FROM YOUR
PRACTICES AND HAVE THEM
SPREAD -- I REMEMBER THE FIRST
COUPLE YEARS AFTER THAT YOU WERE
TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD TO
TEACH THE MEGA COMPANIES, THE
BIG FOOD COMPANY THE PRACTICES
OF THE SMALL FOOD COMPANY.
THAT'S INTERESTING.
WE ARE SEEING THAT MORE AND
MORE.
YOUR POINT ABOUT CAMPBELLS THEY
BROUGHT PLUM BUT THEY LEFT IT
ALONE.
THEY ARE BRINGING IT RESOURCES
BUT TRYING TO SCALE.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE
PARADOX LIKE IN THE JUST LABEL
IT WHERE WE HAVE THE SMALL
COMPANIES THAT ARE ORGANIC AND
THEY ARE ON ONE SIDE OF THIS BUT
THE PARENT COMPANY IS CHANNELING
FUNDS TO THE GROCERY
MANUFACTURERS OR ASSOCIATED OR
OTHER LOBBYING GROUPS.
THERE'S A LOT OF ATTENTION AND
KIND OF SCHIZOPHRENIA GOING ON
RIGHT NOW.
- THE BIG COMPANIES WANT TO HAVE
IT BOTH WAYS.
THE EXAMPLE WILL IS GIVING,
GENERAL MILLS ONE OF THE MAJOR
FUNDERS TRYING TO STOP PROP 37.
WE WANT TO JUST LABEL IT MAJOR
FUNDERS.
AND WE HAVE THIS EXAMPLE AGAIN
AND AGAIN.
THIS IS ANOTHER OF THE ECOTONES
THE PLACE WHERE MISSIONS ARE
MEETING.
TYSON IS NOW A MAJOR INVESTOR
AND BEYOND MEAT.
PEA PROTEIN BASED ALTERNATIVE.
GENERAL MILLS IS AN INVESTOR
DOWN THERE.
YOU LOOK AT THE INVESTORS IN
HAMPTON CREEK.
YOU SEE THEM STEPPING UP TO THE
PLATE.
I AM ON THE BOARD OF A WONDERFUL
ALL VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN MEAT
ALTERNATIVE COMPANY CALLED SWEET
EARTH.
EVERY DAY THE SHARKS ARE COMING
BY AND SWIMMING.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
COUNTLESS OF THESE.
THE DEAL THAT I DID TO BE
PRECISE AND NOT TO BELABOR IT.
THEY SOLD 80 PERCENT OF THE
COMPANY BUT LEFT ME WITH
MAJORITY CONTROL.
YOU MAY SAY THAT'S COUNTER TO
ALL BUSINESS NOTIONS.
A, THEY KNEW THEY KNEADED ME AND
MY TEAM.
OUR NOTION AND UNDERSTANDINGS OF
THE CARBON FOOTPRINTS THAT THE
COWS ARE THE MAIN CARBON METHANE
SOURCE.
WE BEEN REVERSE ENGINEERING IT
TO WHERE THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE ALLOWS WHITE WAVE FOODS
WHICH IS A HUGE ORGANIC HOLDING
COMPANY.
WE ARE AT A VERY INTERESTING
MOMENTS.
IT MAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE NERVOUS
AND IT SHOULD.
THESE ARE WONDERFUL BRANDS.
CASCADIAN FARMS, A BEAUTIFUL
ORGANIC FARM FOUNDED BY A FRIEND
OF OURS.
THERE'S PLENTY OF US WHO HAVE
BEEN PIONEERS.
KASHI WAS BADLY TREATED BY
KELLOGGS.
WITH WHAT FALL IS TALKING ABOUT,
WHAT WILL IS TALKING ABOUT.
THESE LARGE COMPANIES ARE
LEARNING THE ENTREPRENEUR IS
REALLY CRITICAL.
THE VALUE SET IS NOTHING THAT
YOU CAN MESS WITH.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE BUYING.
SETH GOLDMAN I WAS ON HIS BOARD.
SETH IS AN ACTIVE DECISION MAKER
LEADING THAT.
YOU CAN SAY HE CROSSED THE LINES
AND SOULS OF THE EVIL EMPIRE.
IT'S TRUE.
COKE IS NOT GOING TO SURRENDER
THE KEYS AND SAY, GARY, PAUL,
WELL, YOU GUYS HAVE WON, YOU RUN
THIS THING.
THEY NEED US TO SHOW THEM THE
WAY AND THE KIND OF VALUES WE
SAW IN THE INCREDIBLE
PRESENTATION THERE'S NO DOUBT
THAT PLANT BASED IS GOING TO BE
50 PERCENT OF THE PROTEIN
MARKET.
I AM ON THE BOARD OF FLORINGER
IF YOU KNOW THAT COMPANY.
WE ARE GOOD FRIENDS OF THE GUY
WHO RUNS CALACIA.
THESE ARE ROCKET SHIPS TAKING
OFF.
THE BIG ALSO GET IN AND IT'S NOT
A BAD THING IF WE CAN BUILD LIKE
I DID THE KIND OF RULES OF THE
GAME THAT TEACH US AND OUR VALUE
SYSTEMS CORRECTLY.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO US AS
CONSUMERS.
THEY ARE STILL PROVIDING THE
KIND OF VALUES WE WANT TO
SUPPORT AND SUBSCRIBE TO WE NEED
TO STOP PURCHASING.
THAT IS THE MOST POWERFUL WAY TO
SEND A MESSAGE BACK WHICH BRINGS
US BACK TO THE NEXUS.
THOSE BIG COMPANIES ACTUALLY
WORK FOR US.
WE ACTUALLY, THEY HAVE PAYROLLS
AN SUPPLY CHAINS EVERYTHING IS
GENERATED BY US PURCHASING.
IF WE DON'T AND OUR PEERS AND
FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
DON'T, THEY ARE VERY, VERY
IMPACTFUL.
THEY ARE GOING TO WILT.
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.
- I WILL ECHO WHAT GARY SAID AND
JUST BRIEFLY SAY THAT SETH
GOLDMAN WHO IS A NEIGHBOR OF
MINE AND A FRIEND OF MINE WHO I
LOVE.
GARY SAID EVIL EMPIRE.
HONEST TEA IS BOUGHT BY COKE.
THEY ARE STILL AN ORGANIC TEA
COMPANY.
COKE BUYING HONEST TEA WAS THE
BEST THING THAT COULD HAVE
POSSIBLY HAPPENED.
I SUPPORT IT AGAIN AND NOW
SETH'S DECISION TO DO THAT, I
THINK IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO
DO.
SWEET EARTH I DIDN'T KNOW YOU
WERE ON THE BOARD.
THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF BURGER
KING IS NOW THE CEO OF A PLANT
BASED MEAT COMPANY.
TIMES ARE A CHANGING.
- LET'S HAVE A QUESTION FROM A
STUDENT IN THE CLASS.
WHO HAS A GOOD QUESTION FOR PAUL
OR GARY.
DON'T BE SHY.
WE HAVE A MINUTE OR TWO LEFT.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF QUICKLY.
- I AM CLAIRE AN MBA STUDENT
HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK I
STRUGGLE WITH AND SEE YOUR POINT
OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THE MORE
OF US INVOLVED AND KNOW THESE
THINGS AND ARE MAKING CONSUMER
CHOICES FOR THE RIGHT REASONS
THE BETTER ESPECIALLY THERE'S
SORT OF A VICTIMIZATION OF
VEGETARIANS AND THERE IS SORT OF
THAT STIGMA AGAINST BEING THE
ONE TO SAY THERE'S ANIMAL
CRUELTY AND POINTING OUT THESE
THINGS THAT IS BRUSHED ASIDE A
LOT.
I AM CURIOUS FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE ESPECIALLY FROM YOU
PAUL WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO
START COMMUNICATING TO GET
PEOPLE TO LISTEN WITHOUT BEING
THE OH THE VEGETARIANS ARE
TELLING US AGAIN.
- CLAIRE, RIGHT?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
I AM ONE OF THEM.
I DON'T FEEL VICTIMIZED.
AT THE SAME TIME I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT.
I DON'T WANT TO KNOCK MY FELLOW
VEGETARIANS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT
WHATEVER GROUP YOU ARE IN TO BE
A GOOD AMBASSADOR OF THAT GROUP.
I OFTEN SAY IF YOU WANT A
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY WORLD YOU
SHOULD START BY BEING A FRIENDLY
VEGETARIAN.
THERE ARE A LOT OF EXAMPLES THAT
DOESN'T HAPPEN UNFORTUNATELY.
I THINK FOR WHATEVER GROUP YOU
ARE IN WHETHER VEGETARIAN OR
SOME OTHER GROUP THAT YOU WANT
OTHER PEOPLE TO BE MORE LIKE, IT
HELPS TO BE FRIENDLY.
IT HELPS THAT IT IS NOT THAT
MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU DO
IN YOUR LIFE.
I HAD SOMEONE JUST THE OTHER DAY
I COULD BE A VEGETARIAN, BUT I
CAN'T SAY NO TO MY GRANDMA'S
TURKEY.
EAT VEGETARIAN 360 DAYS OF THE
YEAR AND IF YOU WANT TO MAKE
YOUR GRANDMOTHER FEEL GOOD
EATING HER TURKEY GO AHEAD.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL OR
NOTHING.
THERE'S NOT BLACK OR WHITE.
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS 100
PERCENT OR PURITY.
DO WHAT YOU CAN.
WE ARE IN THIS WORLD.
WE ARE CAUSING HARM.
TRY TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT WE ARE
CAUSING AND THE GOOD WE ARE
DOING.
THAT'S SOME TYPE OF UNORTHODOX
RELIGION.
IT WOULD BE HEALTHY IF MORE
PEOPLE ADOPTED THAT MENTALITY.
- THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE ARE ALL ON A CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT PROCESS.
THE ORGANIC WORLD IS IMPERFECT.
VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN WORLD IS
IMPERFECT.
AS WE ARE GETTING TO THE END I
WANT TO TAKE A PAGE FROM MY OLD
FRIEND ALICE'S BOOK HERE.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN FACT IS
THAT MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE
GENERATED FOR ALTERNATIVE TO THE
BAD WAYS OF FOOD HAS BEEN DONE
WITH OUR BRAINS.
WE ARE FINALLY FIGURING OUT IT'S
FOOD.
IT STARTS WITH TASTES.
IT IS AN EMOTIONAL PLACE NOT AN
INTELLECTUAL PLACE.
THE VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN
ALTERNATIVES TASTE INCREDIBLE
NOW.
I MENTIONED A FEW COMPANIES.
I COULD SIT UP HERE FOR HALF AN
HOUR AND LIST -- WE JUST CAME
BACK FROM THIS EXPO.
IT WAS A PLANT BASED EXPO.
PASTURED EGGS TASTE BETTER.
I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT
WHEN I STARTED IN THE ORGANIC
FOOD BUSINESS ORGANIC USED TO
MEAN YOU HAD TO CHEW EXTRA.
SOME OF YOU KNOW WHAT I AM
TALKING ABOUT.
IT WAS THE EXTRA GRITTY PANCAKES
AND WE WERE SORT OF DOING IT
WITH OUR BRAINS.
NOW WE FIGURED OUT IT'S ABOUT
FOOD.
IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND THIS IS AN
ESSENTIAL NOT JUST INTELLECTUAL
UNDER TAKING.
NOT BE ARROGANT.
WE ARE ALL ON A CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT PROCESS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT WE BUILT OUR
CIVILIZATION ON MYTHS, RIGHT?
WE ARE UNDOING.
WE ARE CHALLENGING.
GIVE EVERYONE A BREAK WE CAN
PULL THIS TOGETHER.
>> ON THAT NOTE I WANT TO THANK
GARY AND PAUL TONIGHT.
(APPLAUSE)
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO JUST INVITE
ALL OF PAUL'S GUESTS WHO ARE THE
THOUGHT LEADERS IN THIS SPACE TO
COME DOWN IN THE FRONT.
IF YOU WANT TO INTERACT WITH THE
STUDENTS FOR A FEW MINUTES, YOU
ARE WELCOME TO.