Seed Library at Milwaukee Area Technical College: MATC Library Resources

Honeybees are essential for the production of more than one-third of the food we eat. But in 2006, beekeepers began reporting that astounding numbers of their honeybees had gone missing, literally disappearing, with no dead bees to be found in or around the hives. A task force was formed to study the international phenomenon; scientists were able to identify its distinct symptoms, and named it “colony collapse disorder.” This program investigates colony collapse disorder, looking into its possible causes, exploring its potential consequences, and offering some solutions. Journalist Michael Pollan, apiarists, and others discuss the search for CCD’s origin, focusing on evidence that points to monoculture farming and a relatively new class of chemicals called systemic pesticides as the culprits.

Open Sesame: The Story of Seeds illuminates what is at stake in the conflict between hybrid and open-pollinated seed systems. Providing the basis for everything from fabric to food to fuels, seeds are as essential to life as the air we breathe and the water we drink. In the past, seeds were communal—a shared resource not unlike the water we drink. A century ago things started to change. Now large corporations claim seeds as intellectual property, restricting their use and interfering with the livelihoods of open-pollination farmers. This documentary introduces a range of individuals whose lives center around seeds. Farmers, renegade gardeners, passionate seed savers, artists, and activists all work to plant the seeds of information and inspiration within this film. Includes a segment regarding Hudson Valley Seed Company.