The Joker pretending to be Batman
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Watch out for Greenwashing.
I’m sad that I even have to be writing this. But the best way to deal with the world we are in is to acknowledge the travesties face-on and deal with them, rather than be in denial about them.
What is greenwashing?
(From Investopedia)
“Greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company’s products are environmentally sound. Greenwashing involves making an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly or have a greater positive environmental impact than they actually do.”
We are actually inundated with greenwashing all over the place.
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
But let’s focus on one story in particular.
A recent headline wants you to think that the chemical company, Bayer (also, formerly known as Monsanto) has changed their tune:
“Bayer demonstrates digital technologies as a key enabler for regenerative agriculture.” (emphasis mine) From their website.1
Using key phrases like “regenerative agriculture” is greenwashing.
There is NOTHING regenerative about what Bayer/Monsanto does or stands for.
In fact, they are the antithesis of actual regenerative agriculture.
What they are suggesting is that the use of their AI tools “advances agriculture.” From their article:
“Digitally enabled crop systems help farmers manage risk, unlock yield potential, and protect nature.” (Emphasis added)
“Bayer experts will share insights on how the company’s digital farming solutions – existing and those launching in the near future – will contribute to making agriculture more sustainable.”
And
“A regenerative agricultural system that produces more with less while restoring more is only possible with advanced digital technologies that use artificial intelligence and data science in every phase of the farming cycle.” (emphasis added)2
Don’t hold your breath.
And also, like, don’t believe it for one second. It’s flat out lies.
The regenerative farming world needs Bayer’s “AI tools” like your foot needs a rusty nail in it.
For the uninitiated, Monsanto was the chemical company that brought the world glyphosate (Round-up), GMO crops, DDT and several types of plastics, agent orange, and many other atrocities that we all suffer greatly from and will for years to come.
Monsanto also patented seeds and they have sued farmers for “patent infringement” when nature took its course and spread plants to surrounding farms.
There is no way that any of us can live in the modern world without encountering copious amounts of Monsanto/Bayer products.
Clearly, this company was/is a real gem.
In 2018, the chemical company, Bayer, bought Monsanto.
Bayer bought the company while Monsanto was amidst a lawsuit about their Round-up products causing cancer:
According to Reuters, “In 2020, the company agreed to pay up to $9.6 billion to settle then-existing Roundup lawsuits, but was not able to resolve claims that would be filed in the future. It is currently facing about 50,000 lawsuits.”3
Chemical companies, and their approach to agriculture, have wreaked havoc on our world, our health and our ecosystems. There is not a magical change of tune happening here–it’s just as if the Joker puts on a cape and says he’s batman. But he can’t hide the craziness.
You’d have to be a fool to believe these companies.
And yes, the world is full of fools.
But you’re not one of them.
Which is why it is important to keep finding and sourcing your products from farms you know and trust.
Look for the farms that are using the ancient method of human observation in caring for their fields, animals and ecosystems.
Don’t let them gaslight you into believing the poison is the antidote.
It’s not and it never has been.
The damage caused by all the new technology is what is killing our world, not the actual, old-fashioned, digging-in-the-dirt farmers.
Keep finding your food from farmers farming the old-fashioned way – and participate, however you can, in your own food production.
The world is ours and wants your help in saving it.
YOU get to be Batman today.
Find transparent, local food sources (and grow your own), and don’t succumb to greenwashing.
About Raw Milk Mama: I believe in the freedom to feed our families how we see fit. I also see the direction that our country is going--no one wants to live in a world where food scarcity is a constant reality. It's time to take back our food systems so they serve us, not monopolistic corporations.
https://www.bayer.com/media/en-us/bayer-demonstrates-digital-technologies-as-a-key-enabler-for-regenerative-agriculture/
https://www.bayer.com/media/en-us/bayer-demonstrates-digital-technologies-as-a-key-enabler-for-regenerative-agriculture/
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/bayer-confronts-mounting-roundup-losses-all-eyes-philadelphia-trial-2023-12-04/
You might be interested in this interview 4 years ago with Dr Rosemary Mason who campaigned for years to try to make governments aware of the dangers of wide scale spraying of glyphosate. Tragically, shortly after this interview she became badly affected herself by reckless spraying of glyphosate by the local authorities around her private nature reserve in Wales. She is now very unwell and requires continual nursing care so she is no longer able to campaign but her published papers are available online.
https://countercurrents.org/2019/10/agrochemical-apocalypse-interview-with-environmental-campaigner-dr-rosemary-mason/
"Digital tech" (actually, ag-tech) in and of itself doesn't make a project regenerative or conventional. I co-authored a provisional patent for a system that phyto-extracts farm run-off from waterways and coastlines. My part involved the sensor technology for remote monitoring. The system would function without the tech, but it would be difficult monitor water and track the impact of the project. I've also built all sorts of sensor systems for monitoring crops. Right now, my greenhouse sensors are feeding me data including inside temp, outside temp, humidity, aquaponic water temp, pH, and flow rate. This data fed to me constantly helps to ensure that my parameters are at least good enough to keep fish and plants alive. Sometimes, I monitor the growth of my plants. With all of the data that is logged, I can learn what works best and forecast yields. Using AI for yield forecasting is the Holy Grail of ag-tech. It's difficult because it requires a lot of data points.
For the market farmer, regenerative or otherwise, a simple weather station could prove valuable. Other sensors can be used to track and log soil moisture, pH, or compost temperature. I also use sensors to monitor my anaerobic digester, chicken coop, and brooder. Here, check out the feed from my brooder. I'm hatching chicks today. These guys were panting at 90 F, so I pulled it down a bit and watching them carefully. https://thingspeak.com/channels/705393
I use AI almost daily. I've been using it to compile a database of every single crop, potential pests, and the most effective biological controls depending upon environmental conditions. Our customers at naturescontrol.com can already take advantage of some of the research through our search filter. Eventually, I'm just going to run my own neural net and AI trained on data that I feed it. I've been using AI to learn how. LOL!