Bartow Elmore

Date: 2021-10-20 | Duration: 2h 55m

Episode Overview

Bart Elmore, environmental historian and author of Seed Money: Monsanto's Past and Our Food Future, joins Joe to trace the deep history of how agrochemical corporations like Monsanto and Bayer shaped — and continue to shape — the global food supply in ways most people have no idea about. They trace Bayer's horrifying origins in Nazi Germany's chemical weapons programs, the Coca-Cola empire's unusual relationship with its supply chain (and Warren Buffett's famous Coke servings), and the way corporate agriculture has systematically devalued workers who question the system. They also look at what's happened to wildlife in Australia and New Zealand under corporate agricultural models, and whether the seed money that launched the agrochemical revolution can ever be traced back to a reckoning.

About Bartow Elmore

Bartow Elmore is an associate professor of environmental history at Ohio State University and a core faculty member of the Sustainability Institute. He is best known for his thought-provoking book, "Seed Money: Monsanto's Past and Our Food Future," which explores the complex relationship between agriculture, corporate influence, and environmental sustainability. With a keen focus on how historical practices shape modern food systems, Elmore’s research challenges conventional narratives about biotechnology and its impact on our planet. His insights into the legacy of Monsanto and its implications for our food future make him a compelling voice in the conversation about sustainable agriculture and corporate responsibility.

Key Moments

– Monsanto and Bayer — the dark origins of agrochemical giants
– Bayer's connection to Nazi Germany and chemical weapons
– Coca-Cola's supply chain and Warren Buffett's Coke consumption
– Corporate agriculture's systematic devaluation of workers
– Australian and New Zealand wildlife under corporate ag models
– Seed money — following the capital that launched the food system
0:00:00 – Seed money — tell me about the monsters and the money they make
0:23:50 – Warren Buffett's Coca-Cola servings — Coke's unusual supply chain
0:51:29 – Workers coming in to complain — that's how the corporation sees labor
1:14:09 – Australian and New Zealand wildlife — what corporations have done there
1:35:56 – Bayer and Nazi Germany — the chemical company connection

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Joe Rogan Experience. Train by day, Joe Rogan Podcast by night, all day. Seed money. Tell me. Tell me about all this dirtiness. Tell me about these monsters and the money that they make. Yeah. How'd you get involved in this, first of all? Starting point is 00:00:23 Yeah, sure. Why'd this become your field of study? Well, thanks, Joe, for having me on. This is awesome. My pleasure. Thanks for being here. I'm excited to talk to you about this. Yeah. So- Very important subject, right? Yeah. For me, it was. It really started with the first project I worked on, the first book I wrote, which was the history of Coca-Cola and its environmental impact around the world. You were just telling us that Pepsi is actually older than Coke, which is surprising. Starting point is 00:00:47 Dr. Pepper. Yeah, Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper's older? Yeah, Dr. Pepper's older, weirdly. And you think of it as like the, you know. Yeah, I thought it was like the new kid on the block. Yeah, exactly. That's the oldest? Starting point is 00:00:58 1885. Not the oldest, but it's older than Coke. What's the oldest? Coke was 1886. I don't even know what the oldest one would be. So Dr. Pepper came along first, then Coca-Cola, and then Pepsi? Starting point is 00:01:07 And then Pepsi later. So Pepsi is still bullshit. Pepsi is still... Look, you're talking to a guy from Atlanta, so I agree with you there. What does that mean? Well, Atlanta is like... Starting point is 00:01:16 Yeah, Coke's from Atlanta. Oh, okay. And, you know, when we were growing up, it was like in the water. You had to drink Coca-Cola. In fact, when you want any soft drink, Starting point is 00:01:24 you just say, I want a Coke. Yeah, nobody says I'd like a pep. Well, maybe they do. But the thing about Pepsi is like it never had cocaine in it, did it? No. Actually, this is relevant. I mean, so this was the beginning of this book because I was doing that. I was looking at all the ingredients that go into Coc...

More Episodes

Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #1722?

Bartow Elmore was the guest on JRE #1722. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #1722?

On Joe Rogan Experience #1722 with Bartow Elmore, topics include Monsanto and Bayer — the dark origins of agrochemical giants, Bayer's connection to Nazi Germany and chemical weapons, Coca-Cola's supply chain and Warren Buffett's Coke, and Corporate agriculture's systematic devaluation of workers.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #1722?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #1722 with Bartow Elmore is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.