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February 16, 2012
Food Inc. (shortened version)The movie Food Inc. explores the dangers of recent practices used by farmers to raise their crops in mass production. Ethylene gas is used to develop half-ripened fruit picked halfway across the world. The chicken is now raised in half the time but grown to be twice as big. Farmers actually promote the growth of their breasts due to the increase in demand for white meat. These perceived “advantages” are gained by shortcuts that decrease nutritional value making them unhealthy. Tyson has become a huge promoter of these practices. Most farms are afraid to retaliate in fear of legal backlash aside from the brave few that complied with the Food Inc. crew’s interviews. One farmer testified to her body’s acquired immunity to antibiotics due to her frequent handling of them while she raised her chickens. The chickens were being so overfed that their legs would break under the weight of their over-sized upper body. She explains that companies control the farms by fronting the payments of their equipment, holding their debt as leverage when higher production numbers are demanded. Corn is the root ingredient of most industrialized food. Corn producers are often paid to over produce their product including the US government. Food Inc. lists ketchup, cheese, Twinkies, batteries, salad dressing, peanut butter, diapers and Motrin as corn-based products. Corn also feeds most livestock and, most recently, fish. Cheap corn leads to the decline of meat prices, so more people eat these harmful products. The abundant availability of corn-based products led to the consumption of more than two pounds of meat per person in America. As a result, the quality of corn has become the lesser of concerns when considering profitability of the crop. The conditions of beef were portrayed as unsanitary and all too real. Cows on large farms are commonly standing in nearly one foot of manure, and when they get in the slaughterhouse, their furs are coated with feces making it hard to keep from contaminating the meat. Consumption of this meat often results in E. Coli infection demanding a recall. Every package of hamburger meat is made from multiple cows, increasing our chances of contamination. Friends and family of victims have lobbied and protested for policies that protect the public but couldn’t even get an issued apology much less a change in policy. In a specific case, a mother lost her young son to E. Coli contamination, and she’s still struggling with the system to improve the conditions of meat processing plants. Food Inc. suggests our food system has been altered to promote the “bad calories” because those are the ones that are the most subsidized. A cheeseburger is cheaper than a head of broccoli or a few pears. This quick, economical buck isn’t worth the illnesses that can ensue by poor diet, such as diabetes. 1/3 of Americans born after 2000 contract some form of diabetes, and the price of medication can mean the sacrifice of a week's worth of groceries making the epidemic even worse. On a more positive note, some farmers are still working toward healthier production methods, providing our system with quality meat. Sustainability of the land and nutritional products should be the goal of all farmers. In an open ranged feeding system, the animals act as fertilizers, mowers and harvesters in a natural way. Tyson refused to interview with the makers of Food Inc., but a farmer who did interview, Mr. Joel Salatin owner of Polyface farms, claimed that the type of disconnect between the public and the farmer is why “all integrity and all the accountability has been lost (in the food system).” He suggests glass walls in all the facilities should be used to maintain those strong ideals and avoid ignorance of the consumer. His farm features worthwhile processes to cleaning and packing healthy chickens. The movie goes on to show many positive practices as well as some even more grotesque examples than previously explained. We must promote those supplying us with wholesome and natural products and aspire to have the knowledge to make those kinds of decisions.
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