Food, Inc.
A few days ago, I watched Food, Inc., a documentary about the food industry and corporate farming in the United States. However, what is shown in the documentary is happening all around the world, so it is globally applicable. Since I had read the book I mentioned in April on my blog about the food and farming industry in the UK, Not on the Label, I was aware of some of the facts that Food, Inc. presented. The difference, however, between the two documentaries is that Food, Inc. provides an even greater incentive for us to change the way to farm and consume. Food, Inc. is photo/pictures-narrative, and to actually see the images of slaughterhouses, the method used to raise animals for food, and the way the entire food industry is trying to hide what is put into our food gives such an impact that a book can't give.
I know there are a lot of films and books and media coverage about this topic today, but I think Food, Inc. is one that everyone ought to watch. It's really nicely put together, and easy to understand, even though it touches upon a whole range of different issues within the food industry. For instance, it starts out narrating about how our farming methods and the food industry has changed. In the past, there were many farmers and different companies involved in providing food for the nation, but today, it has all developed into much less farmers and just a few companies that provide food for the US. These few companies are really powerful, and they make a lot of money, meaning that these businesses are well protected by the government and law.
Then the film goes on to show how chickens are raised. Many farmers declined to be interviewed for the film and many didn't dare to take the film crew into the houses where the chickens live. Only one farmer agreed to let the crew inside, and holy shit, it was effing horrible. The place was so crowded that the chickens even stood on each other. They were being fed fattening food, which resulted in their upper body growing far too obese for their legs to carry, so most of them could only take a few step before collapsing. Their legs were also stained with blood and bruises. Urgh. Not to mention, there were feces everywhere, and the farmer regularly had to remove dead chickens scattered around the house. The animals are also being fed antibiotics in their diet, to keep them from contracting diseases. Not long after this was filmed, the farmer who let the film crew was fired by Tyson, the meat producing/packing company who had a contract with the farmer. Oh, and most of the chicken houses had no windows, so they had not even seen daylight, and there is absolutely no ventilation either.
Geez, I can go on and on about the chickens, and cows, and people that died of E.coli, the big bad companies, and all the issues and questions the film raises. But I don't want to spoil too much, because you guys must see this! I showed it to the BF yesterday, and we ended up throwing out our cheap pork and beef (the chilli con carne I made(!)) we got at the supermarket. We have agreed to, in the future, live on a diet that is vegetarian, but with lots of beans and stuff, and have good quality meat and fish several times a week. You will too, I guarantee, after you watch Food, Inc.!
I know there are a lot of films and books and media coverage about this topic today, but I think Food, Inc. is one that everyone ought to watch. It's really nicely put together, and easy to understand, even though it touches upon a whole range of different issues within the food industry. For instance, it starts out narrating about how our farming methods and the food industry has changed. In the past, there were many farmers and different companies involved in providing food for the nation, but today, it has all developed into much less farmers and just a few companies that provide food for the US. These few companies are really powerful, and they make a lot of money, meaning that these businesses are well protected by the government and law.
Then the film goes on to show how chickens are raised. Many farmers declined to be interviewed for the film and many didn't dare to take the film crew into the houses where the chickens live. Only one farmer agreed to let the crew inside, and holy shit, it was effing horrible. The place was so crowded that the chickens even stood on each other. They were being fed fattening food, which resulted in their upper body growing far too obese for their legs to carry, so most of them could only take a few step before collapsing. Their legs were also stained with blood and bruises. Urgh. Not to mention, there were feces everywhere, and the farmer regularly had to remove dead chickens scattered around the house. The animals are also being fed antibiotics in their diet, to keep them from contracting diseases. Not long after this was filmed, the farmer who let the film crew was fired by Tyson, the meat producing/packing company who had a contract with the farmer. Oh, and most of the chicken houses had no windows, so they had not even seen daylight, and there is absolutely no ventilation either.
Geez, I can go on and on about the chickens, and cows, and people that died of E.coli, the big bad companies, and all the issues and questions the film raises. But I don't want to spoil too much, because you guys must see this! I showed it to the BF yesterday, and we ended up throwing out our cheap pork and beef (the chilli con carne I made(!)) we got at the supermarket. We have agreed to, in the future, live on a diet that is vegetarian, but with lots of beans and stuff, and have good quality meat and fish several times a week. You will too, I guarantee, after you watch Food, Inc.!
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