Eating is something you do each and every day. It is hard not to think about when you are going to eat, what you are going to eat, and where you are going to get it. The smallest smells can spark your mouth to salivate and your body to crave. We are so CLOSE to food... and yet, so very far away.
I watched Food Inc on Wednesday last week. There was a lot of information I already knew. I have been in this conversation for far too long to miss that feed lots are bad, and organics are good, and beyond organic is better. But listening to the conversation is absolutely fascinating! And there were bits of information that were given new light... particularly about 'big organic' that I hadn't thought of in that way. It was neat to hear a different perspective and be able to see how some people justified getting into bed with huge corporations to supply organics. I have to admit... I had a small turn of heart.
It helps that it has three of my favorite beyond organic advocates in force;
Eric Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation and a wonderful investigative reporter.
Micheal Pollan, my personal favorite food author and author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food.
And Joel Salitin, the owner of Polyface Farms and one of the forerunners for the Beyond Organic Movement. (He was featured in Micheal Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma.)
I highly recommend this movie. It is informative and it puts a face to so many of those places that you tend to think have had their bad business behind closed doors for far too long. Just the list of people who wouldn't talk to the reporters is pretty interesting. It makes you think even more, what do they have to hide?
1 comment
I agree with everything you've said! This movie to me also rehashed some of the same issues I had read from Pollen and Schlosser but brought some other items to new light for me.
Sometimes organics aren't justified when the same hard labor practices are involved or if the product is coming from across the planet to your local store.
I also Marion Nestle. She's been working with both Pollen and Schlosser on the foods available in the American food chain. I also love to listen to Kelly D. Brownell, PhD who runs the Rudd Center for food policy and obesity @ Yale. He's interviewed many informative authors (including the above). Sometimes I get wrapped up and obsessive on the subject and do nothing else but listen to their podcasts and read their books.
I believe every American should watch this film.
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