Food Inc.

The problems with the food industry are vast and difficult to keep track of. As a consumer, many of us don’t worry how the items in the aisles of the supermarket got there as long as they’re not expired and reasonably priced. But to delve into the process of turning raw materials into the foods we see in the supermarkets, reveals a process that some might wish they never knew. The documentary, Food Inc. helps remove the curtain that hides the food industry’s processes and techniques. It uncovers a trail of actions that some might consider unethical and unmoral.

Comparison of the size of the chicken

The film takes us through many examples of how the food industry might be seen as morally wrong. The most shocking example however, deals with the production of chicken. American food production industries, such as Tyson, are highly involved in the production of chickens. In fact, Tyson owns the chicken from when its born to when its packaged and sold in the market. In the documentary, representatives from Food Inc got turned down from 11 chicken growers before they came across one that would let them into the chicken coup. That was the first signal that something was very wrong. After Food Inc showed the events that occur inside the chicken coup, a sense of disgust and guilt came over me. The chickens were packed in unsanitary conditions and given antibiotics so that they would grow faster and bigger. In fact, these chickens would grow so quickly that they would be too heavy to take just 3 steps. As seen in the picture above from Food Inc., chickens now are much bigger than what they used to be in 1950. Food Inc also showed the abuse and maltreatment of the chickens by the employees.

99 cent bag of chips

Although I was outraged by how the chickens were treated and unethically grown, the family in Food Inc, which could not afford healthy meals, also caught my attention. Everyone always jokes about how Americans are so obese, but it’s pretty obvious to me why that is- the American government subsidizes carbohydrates that are bad for us. When you can go out and by a big bag of chips for 99 cents or you can get one head of broccoli for 2 dollars, it’s a pretty simple decision to make when your on a tight budget. Americans want the most “bang” for their buck, and the government guides them to unhealthy junk foods that are made from commodities that are heavily subsidized. Our food system needs a desperate makeover. People need to be educated about the problems we face and the solutions we offer. Food Inc. was an excellent start to my education about the issues involving our food industry.