This is a great film to watch if you are not already well-versed in the American food system. I didn’t think I would enjoy Food Inc. very much, as I figured it would all be information I already knew. That was somewhat true, but I still enjoyed it! It is worth a watch if you haven’t seen it.

Critiques

They were too soft, the footage was mild, and the message was pretty mellow until the very end when I appreciated how they tied some things together and gave suggestions for how to change a broken system. I believe Food Inc. could have done a better job throughout being tough and direct about what MESSED up things really take place. I am likely not the target audience since I already spend a fair amount of time and energy living my life in a way that supports organic and sustainable food production.

There were scenes of this woman whose son died due to food contamination, and in every scene, she is drinking Pepsi. I couldn’t help thinking, “If her son hadn’t tragically gotten sick and died, she would be as ignorant and apathetic as the rest of them.” It shouldn’t take a death to make someone care about a cause, but it often does.

Praise

The information about the monopolies on meat production and heavy subsidization of corn and soy was a good reminder to really be conscious of corn and soy ingredients in my food. I am very diligent about reading labels, but I want to be extra diligent not to eat anything with corn and soy oil unless it is labeled GMO-free. I just can’t stomach supporting the total EVIL that is Monsanto in any way.

I was encouraged by the Omnivore Dilemma’s author Michael Pollan and his words on how tobacco was a similarly huge monopolized and powerful industry and people successfully won some major lawsuits in that area. I hope the same will happen with our food. It will have to because health care is bankrupting our country and people are sick because the cheapest most accessible food is poisonous.

It breaks my heart that this is such an economic problem and that the lowest class and minorities suffer the most. I feel so grateful for my ability to access and afford healthy organic local food. This shouldn’t be something reserved for a privileged few. There needs to be so much more education and public awareness about these issues. I can’t believe how disconnected we are from our food!

The farmer with the grass-fed animals in Food Inc. made me smile. I think it is good news that organic farming is growing so rapidly, but makes me nervous that the major commercial food conglomerates are buying them up. I guess the more organic the better, no matter who owns it, but there needs to be legislation that protects the consumer and provides information about what is in our food and where it comes from. Then, it is up to consumers to use their power to support healthier products and to read labels to know what they’re buying.

It is easy for me to feel overwhelmed about how big the problems are, how far-reaching, how deeply entrenched in our culture and political system. However, the best thing to do is make conscious choices myself, encourage my friends and family to do the same, and educate them as well as my patients on more conscious consumer choices.

Watch Food Inc. on Amazon Prime.

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