Food Inc. The 2008 Documentary

Food Inc.

The 2008 documentary Food, Inc. highlights the evolution of food processing in the United States during the last 50 years. Food, Inc. also brings attention to the tremendous amount of pressure exerted on farmers as they are forced to comply with the demands of the major food production companies they work for or risk being put out of business. Food, Inc. focuses on various aspects of food production, which includes the meat, corn, and the soybean industries. Food, Inc. is a relatable documentary that aims to enlighten viewers and the general public about not only food production, but also how their purchasing practices influence production practices.

Food, Inc. begins by explaining how the food production industry has evolved and transitioned from independent farmer supplying limited quantities of food to an industry of mass production that utilizes any and all means necessary to produce mass quantities of food in the shortest time frame possible. One of the reasons the film is relatable is because it focuses on all aspects of food production thus, is inclusive of all food consumers.

Film, Inc. uses easily recognizable brands such as Perdue, Tyson, and Smithfield not only to demonstrate how widespread the control of the chicken/poultry industry is, but also to emphasize how it is controlled by a few select firms that dictate how farmers must either conform to the demands of these few firms or be put out of business. Food, Inc. also spotlights the conditions of the meat industry and demonstrates how unhygienic and barbaric practices are within this specific industry, and while the film touches upon the pork industry, it does not go into as much detail as the chicken/poultry and beef industries.

For those individuals that do not consume meat, such as vegetarians and vegans, Food, Inc. investigates the corn and soybean industries. One of the most shocking revelations about the corn industry is not how intertwined it is with the meat industry as it provides feed for livestock, but how corn products are used in almost every aspect of people's lives and how it is not exclusive to corn products, let alone the food industry. It is shocking to see how corn and corn products are used in almost every aspect of our lives from the beverages we drink to cheese to the fuel that powers our vehicles. One of the most disconcerting insights about the corn industry is the realization of how dependent we are, as consumers, on a crop that was primarily first used for food and how science has found a way to utilize it in a variety of food-related and non-food related applications.

One of the most important messages of Food, Inc. is that the condition of the food industry is a direct result of the demands of the public and how changes in consumer behavior can affect the industry as a whole. That is, consumers have the power to change the dynamic of the industry by reducing demand for certain products that are more conscious of how livestock is treated and how corn, soybeans, and other food products are processed.