(EXTRA CREDIT BLOG) Food Inc.

Reaction to the Documentary Food Inc,

        The documentary Food Inc. is a documentary that explores the way food production has been radically overhauled over the last few generations. In the words of Michael Pollan, "The Food system in the past 50 years has changed more than it has in the last 10,000. That is a startling statement; the documentary convinces the viewer of that through interviews and imagery.

    The documentary points out the radical changes in how food production has become more efficient. It explains how a single farmer went from being able to feed about 6 people in the 1940s to about 200 people today. Meat has become much more common in American diets largely due to the efficiency involved in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). These efficiencies have allowed Americans to access food more cheaply than ever, but it has many uninted negative consequences that the documentary elaborates on. One of the consequences of these modern industrial agricultural practices is that food is produced in something that looks more like an oil refinery than a farm. The reality is that the documentary highlights the negative consequences it has on farmers, animals, and the environment. When companies treat animals like commodities to make food, they often neglect the animals' welfare by giving them little space and access to sunlight. The conditions were presumably bad enough that a farmer contracted by Tyson, who was interviewed for the film initially, was willing to show them but later backtracked. Industrial agriculture has been set up for efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The government heavily subsidizes corn and soybeans, which are used to create many products on the store shelf. However, that creates hidden costs, as they are described, in which farms often face lawsuits for patent infringement and allow unhealthy foods to be cheaper than more pricey foods. 

    Watching the documentary was shocking and disappointing, but not surprising. The reality is that the stories of abuse of animals and fairness issues for farmers and consumers were frustrating. It is also alarming how the documentary mentions how the food industry often relies on a self-policing system to maintain food safety. The documentary discussed how the food industry lobbies to get lighter regulations relating to food safety, often at the expense of consumers. 

    The documentary Food Inc. aimed to convince consumers that the food industry that produces cheap and accessible food also has hidden costs. The hidden costs are not seen at the supermarket but come from treating animals and farmers, negative health and environmental impacts, and lack of consumer choice due to industry consolidation. The documentary shows that historical advancements in food efficiency come at various hidden costs for consumers, farmers, animals, and the environment. In the end, Food Inc. challenges consumers to rethink what "cheap" food truly costs — and who ultimately pays the price.