She Says: You Are What you Eat – Food, Inc. Reflections
Sunday night Mark and I saw Food, Inc.
![IMG_7130_thumb[10]](http://www.hangrypants.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/img-7130-thumb10.jpg "IMG_7130_thumb[10]")
The theater was old school, which meant my view was this.
Until Mark switched seats with me and it became his view.
The theater was in NYC, which meant there was this guy behind me who saved two rows (movie was sold out) for his imaginary friends that never showed up.
I love NY and NYers, but only in NY do people think that’s appropriate behavior. In NJ the movie goers have other rude tendencies, like talk constantly throughout movie; but they don’t save entire rows to a sold out movie for people who never show up!!!!!
Where was I?
Food, Inc. is a film produced by Robert Kenner and features Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food). The documentary was made for a specific purpose and designed to tug at emotions. We do not know where our food comes from and that is because there has been a well planned effort to keep us in the dark. Companies like Tyson and Perdue declined to be interviewed for the film. I haven’t read Fast Food Nation or Omnivore’s Dilemma, so I am not sure how much of the film is derived from those books, but I’ve read that much of it is.
This is how I feel about what was presented to me in the movie.
Learning about factory farming was disturbing on many levels. When living in ignorance you can pretend that animals still frolic in the sun on a small picturesque farm, but that simply is not true despite what images on packages might depict. Most meat is produced by a handful of powerful companies that control the meat industry. This represents a drastic change from previous farming practices. Today the demand for cheap, uniform meat dictates the way meat is produced for mass consumption. Now chickens live in cramped, windowless spaces and are so large because they are bred to have larger breasts, that their bones cannot support their large bodies. The film is not shy about pointing the finger directly at the fast food industry, specifically McDonald’s, for prompting this change and bringing the factory model to food.
Farming is not about raising animals anymore. It is about engineering food. It was upsetting to see animals mistreated, but it was not surprising. It was, however, both shad and surprising see workers mistreated, independent farmers sued into an oblivion for trying to “save their own seeds,” and to learn that giant companies are intertwined with the government agencies that are supposed to be protecting people. It was all disgusting, but for different reasons. Let me explain.
The movie features an organic, sustainable farmer named Joel Salatin from Polyface Farms who smartly explains his theory that the way people treat their animals is probably the way they will treat other people as well. The way that the United States as a whole treats the animals raised for food is gross. The fact that some people in the agencies set up to protect us are closely connected to some of the largest, most offensive industrial food companies is offensive. I felt dirty, used and a little silly for being so naive about the politicizing of my food.
I am sure you’ve noticed that a lot of junk food is cheaper than fruits and vegetables, but why? The film explains that the government subsidizes some farms, specifically, those that grow corn, thus making it cheaper to buy boxes of candy cereal than vegetables for a salad. Cows, grass eaters by design, now eat corn, which has led to a host of problems including E. coli. Instead of taking a step back and feeding cows grass again, industry comes up with more technology (ammonia cleansing of meat) to deal with the problem. The movie shows a family of four with a desire and need to eat healthy because dad has Type 2 Diabetes. They do not have a lot of money and it’s simply cheaper to live off a dollar menu and candy bars than it is to buy broccoli, a head of lettuce or pears at their supermarket. The young daughter pleads for pears, but they are $.99 per pound. They could get two burgers as a dinner or three pears.
Then I learned about Monsanto and it made my skin crawl. You think slimy business people only exit in tall buildings and do not affect you, but that is simply untrue. In 1996 Monsanto introduced Round-Up Ready soybeans that were genetically modified to be able to survive when Round-Up was sprayed over crops. The Supreme Court, in a decision written by Clarence Thomas, a former Monsanto attorney, upheld Monsanto’s patent of these soybeans. Now 90% of the soybeans in the United States are these GMO Round-Up Ready Monsanto seeds. Monsanto aggressively sues other small farmers for “cleaning their own seeds.” I felt like this soybean issue alone could be made into its own movie.
But of course, all hope is not lost. Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Farms speaks to growth of organic farming and the debate about whether organic should go mainstream. He explains why he allowed Stonyfield Farm yogurt to be sold at Wal-Mart. His argument is that every organic yogurt purchased sends a message that people want organic, clean and safe food. It is better to fight the fight in a strategic way than to be clouded by emotion. Every time I buy food, I am casting a vote.
The film cites the tobacco industry as an example of change. It makes me hopeful, but there is a big difference between food and tobacco – everyone has to eat and not everyone has to smoke. I like the idea that every time you purchase food you cast a vote, but not everyone is aware of the issues., Most people either do not care or think the government is protecting them. And even those with some awareness cannot always afford to do what they would like to do. Organic Farmer Salatin pointed out that people do not buy the cheapest car, why buy the cheapest food? There is a reason why organic eggs are more expensive. There is a reason. I think it’s a matter of prioritizing and doing what you can do. That’s all I can do.
At the end of the movie there are specific suggestions for what we can do and the Food, Inc. website lists 10 Simple Things You Can Do To Change Our Food System.
After watching the film I had many thoughts floating in my head. Here are just a few.
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If I ever eat meat again it will be organic and from a real farm. By the way, the movie is not anti-meat eater.
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I do not believe one thing the government tells me about food and this includes recommended servings of fruit/vegetables and grams of protein. I really learned this in In Defense of Food, but now my thoughts are stronger. Everyone is motivated by something and I will not let the taint of agribusiness on the government tell me what to eat.
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I will make more of an effort to learn about where my food is from and how it got to me. This means considering both the food and the industry that brought me the food.
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I will consider the seasons. The line in the movie that about supermarkets have no seasons really got to me. Just because I like tomatoes doesn’t mean I should have them in December. Where is that tomato from? Or, what was done to that tomato to get it to my cold climate?
If you’re interested, Monsanto responded to the film on its website and SafeFood Inc., an alliance of associations that represents the livestock, meat and poultry industries set up a Food, Inc. Myths & Fact Page.
I could talk about this movie for pages and pages, but I’ll stop now. If you have any questions or want to talk about the movie feel free to leave a comment or send me an email (HangryPants@gmail.com).
Tags: food inc.
June 16th, 2009 at 9:44 am
GREAT review, Heather. I can’t wait to see the film. “Engineering food,” is such a disturbing concept. I would love to go organic with the meat and fish that we eat but it is SO expensive. Maybe if everyone started insisting on organic meat and better practices, the price would come down and those factories would be put out of business. Something needs to change!
June 16th, 2009 at 9:48 am
A-FREAKING-MAZING.
thank you so much for the thorough review- i’m really looking forward to seeing the movie.
another thing that gets me is that people have negative connotations with the word “organic”. i’ve heard a lot of people say “i don’t want organic, it’s too healthy for me” not knowing that the word organic doesn’t make a food “healthy”, it guarantees that it was produced without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. it doesn’t matter how you choose to eat– putting chemicals into your body is a BAD idea.
i will not eat eggs, fish or cheese unless it’s organic but i need to start thinking more about where my food is coming from. i watched the trailer last week and the thing about grocery stores having no seasons definitely affected me.
like you, i could go on about this all day….
thanks again for an awesome review <3
June 16th, 2009 at 10:12 am
LOVE this!!!! love love love this!
i became a vegan after reading a book called Contagian by Robin Cook- medical thriller about E.coli food poisoning… the process in making meats for fast food place was described in detail and i remember looking at a burger and wanting to vomit after that.
i slowly made my way back into the meat eating world, but even today- id rather eat veggie and not support the meat industry. when i do buy meat- its organic and locally grown.
i cant really afford to eat organic veggies and fruits- i wish i could- but i buy it whenever i can.. but most of the time, i only buy fruits and veggies that are in season- lowers my cost!
Heather this is a great review.. i cant wait to see this movie!!!
June 16th, 2009 at 10:13 am
well- im not sure if the book name was Contagian.. lol or if im even spelling that right.. anyway- you get the drift!! its at home on my bookshelf!
June 16th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Great review! If you want to read a really interesting book, I suggest Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman (I read it in one day and it is the reason I am now vegetarian). In the book he discusses the meat industry and how it is now just about making $$ the fastest. It really opened my eyes and after your review I am now looking forward to seeing this movie.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:19 am
what a great review. I can’t wait to see this – I’m sure it won’t be in theatres here, but I’m going to get it on DVD as soon as I can.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Thanks for the awesome review! I can’t wait to see this movie. I’m hoping it hits theaters in my city soon…
Also those muffins look SUPER tasty!!
June 16th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I so want to see this movie, it sounds really interesting.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:27 am
This is an awesome review. I probably WON’T see the movie because, to be honest, films about cruelty to animals really bum me out. But I think becoming more aware of the politics behind all food, whether it’s chicken or celery, is becoming a greater responsibility for all of us. If I can choose to bike to the store instead of using my car, then I can spend five seconds figuring out whether my apple came from New York or Chile.
That said, I wish sooo much that there were a mechanism for making healthy, organic food affordable. I’m at a point in my income where I simply cannot afford to buy even 25 percent organic. It sucks.
On a vaguely related note, there’s a New York Times story here (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/health/16well.html?_r=1&ref=health) about kids’ changing tastes, particularly as it relates to eating out. One awesome part:
“Among beverage orders, milk consumption is on the rise and colas are down. But orange and grapefruit sodas and root beer are rising.
“The perception might be that orange and grapefruit soda are better for you,” Ms. Riggs said.”
June 16th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Thank you for your review. While I don’t think we’ll see the movie, beause I usually reserve spending money on going to the movies for things that make me happy, I think it’s such an important topic. I really recommend Marian Nestle’s books. I think they, more than any of my babbling, got Brent interested in his food, and her views shape most of my thoughts on the food industry and food politics.
June 16th, 2009 at 10:53 am
I would be unable to watch the movie because seeing animals like that would turn my stomach. I’ve seen the chickens in trucks being driven to the big house and it’s so sad and disgusting all at the same time. I caught part of a Dirty Jobs where Mike was at a chicken farm and had to change the channel because it was too sad and gross to see the chickens that way.
I think a lot of the problem too stems from convenience. People buy meat at the store because it’s there. They would have to go out of their way to buy organic and they don’t want to. I haven’t bought meat from a regular grocery store in years other than Whole Foods and even that isn’t very often because I have access to local farmers who treat their animals the way they should be treated.
Great article Heather and it certainly does make one think!
June 16th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Wow, awesome review Heather!! Thanks so much for writing this all out and sharing your feelings. It was really interesting, and I definitely want to check out the film down the line. I was eating really vegetarian while living on my own, because frankly- beans are cheap yo!, but now that I am home and have access to high quality farm-fed, organic eggs, dairy, meat, etc. I am definitely heading back to my carnivore ways.
Again, thanks for thorough review!
June 16th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Heather, I know I’ve never met you, but I love you.
Great review. I agree with everything you have said and share all of the same feelings and beliefs. Off to share this with PB since I have never been able to so eloquently express these beliefs.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Great review! I would have a really hard time watching that movie, particularly anything involving the mistreatment of animals. But I know it happens and ignoring it is not the best way to go.
I’m cracking up at your “view” and the guy reserving all of the seats. I HATE saving seats in the theater!!
June 16th, 2009 at 11:43 am
First of all (catching up from the weekend,) CONGRATS on the job!
I appreciate your review of the movie. It’s not yet available here so I was interested in your thoughts. I recently watched “The Future of Food” & it really spent alot of time talking about Monsato. Their practices are just awful & I was saddened by what they did to local farmers (even as far as Canada.)
I have the Ommivore’s Dilemma at home & have not yet dug into it. I need to do that soon.
Good stuff!
June 16th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Love the review!! I’ll probably have to wait until it’s on DVD to see it. I hear so much about the American food industry, but being a Canadian, I wonder how ours compares? Especially the meat and dairy I buy. I sometimes assume it’s better because it’s a smaller industry, but who knows?
June 16th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Just catching up on your blog after vacation. A belated congrats on your new job! Also, a very belated congrats on finishing your first half marathon. I’m glad you had a good experience and want to do another.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Heather – FANTASTIC review. Seriously, I was curious enough about the movie, and now I’m definitely going to see it. It’s true – we all have a choice, and we do cast our vote at the checkout line. Thank you so much for your insight into the film.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
It’s very interesting to read your views on the movie, and I hope I get the chance to see it here. I’ll have to look and see if it is playing.
Does the movie solely focus on food production in the US? Or does it talk about other countries as well? I only ask, because I would like to see what, if any, differences there are in production, standards, goverment agencies, etc between the US and Canada, and really, other countries in the world. Either way, it would be good to know, because really, where does most of our procude come from out of season? California. And many of our packaged foods here are produced out of country as well.
I also must get around to reading Omnivore’s Dilemna, as I have already read Fast Food Nation!
June 16th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
I am looking forward to seeing this film! Your review was so thoughtful and well-written. This topic is something I could go on about forever. The reason I first stopped eating meat was due to how animals are treated in the industry, but as time went on I started to learn more about the other disturbing practices in the industry, regarding the treatment of the workers, other farmers, and disgusting practices.
It’s really disturbing to think about how much these large corporations and government have control over our food. I’m active with a group at my former university which is trying to take control over what is being served at the school and bringing light to the subject.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
This movie sounds like the screen version of Omnivore’s Dilemma, which I really liked…well, not liked, but you know what I mean. I think it’s important to be aware, even if you don’t always make the “right” decisions.
And although it makes me sad, I don’t buy organic meat/poultry because we consume a fair amount of it in my household, and it just costs too much (and I am NOT going to get my guy to eat less. If it was just me, it’d be different). But at least I am not going into the grocery store blind, you know? I’m doing what I can at this time in my life.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Thanks for the recap Heather! I would have happily read on and on for pages!
Now I’m excited to see it!!!!
June 16th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Thanks for the in-depth review Heather. I enjoyed Fast Food Nation and would love to check this movie out – I hope its playing here.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
hallelujah! that’s all i can say.
if you want to learn more, i’d suggest reading “fast food nation” and “real food.”
June 16th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Thank you for your great review. I had never even heard of this movie but now I definitely intend to see it (or rent it if I am too late by now). I loved the books Fast Food Nation and In Defense of Food, so I’m sure I’ll like the movie.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Great review! I’m really curious to see this movie and I hope to get to the theater next weekend to see it – hopefully I won’t have to sit near the NYers that you did!
June 16th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Such a wonderful review – thanks for sharing. It’s so sad that the food industry has come to this. It’s awful how these animals are treated. And its also awful how the abuse inflicted on them is also endangering our health. Do they really think serving us plates full of hormones and who knows what would not damage our own health?
I’ve been trying more and more to be careful about what I purchase. Then again, I can only wonder what sort of damage has already been done.
Of course, it also makes me mad that you have to pay more and make an effort to buy food that isn’t from poorly treated animals. Real, good food should be an option for everybody – it should be the norm, not something we have to specially seek out.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Awesome review, I can’t wait to see it.
June 16th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Great review Heather!
June 16th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
first of all, sorry about the NY movie sitch…crazies are all up our biznaz lately!! second, happy early bday and congrats on the j-o-bizzle!! (ive been playing catch up on google reader, so im sorry its a bit late), also, since hearing athat jilian podcast, i too have been concerned with cans, and now i have even more incentive to buy my beans in the dried form.
and finally, LOVED the review of food, inc. i really want to see it now, more than i did before, and hopefully kyle will agree to go too…its scary how much $$ affects the governments decisions (which seems like an obvious fact, but you really drove it home)…they must not care about our health at all!!
buy beware indeed.
thanks heather!
June 16th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
that is so interesting, and sounds very well-grounded. thank you for sharing!
June 16th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Hey lady, Thanks for your review. I saw a short documentary about current day farming practices, and was really saddened by how the animals are treated. I wish free-range farms were much more mainstream, and popular enough to receive government subsidies, so that I could afford to buy my meat from them all the time. Unfortunately, only buying organic/free-range is not an option for me right now. I hope one day it will be. I do feel for both sides, however. I would hate to see any farm go under (any business for that matter) for losing revenue. It would be nice if consumers could pave the road to change through “casting their vote” like you said, therefore pushing farms to change their practices, because I do not support government imposed policies on independent farm owners even if these policies are meant to be for the betterment of consumers. I am not and never will be a proponent of government control on independent businesses. I just wish all things (costs $$)were equal, and then consumers could set the standards.
June 16th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
the whole food industry makes me sick with the way animals are treated and fed. this was a great review, i’m looking forward to seeing the movie. also you should read The Omnivore’s Dilemma. it’s awesome and incredibly informative and enlightening. i’ll send that one to you too if you want lol
June 16th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
What a great and articulate review. Thanks Heather! This film opens in DC this Friday and I’m hoping that I’ll get to the theater to see it. The fact that nearly all soy in the US is genetically modified is one of the main reasons I won’t buy soy unless it’s labeled as non-GMO. I really should do the same for corn.
If you’re interested in reading more about the government and dietary recommendations, check out Food Politics by Marion Nestle. I can’t recommend it enough.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
i really really want to see that movie, but I highly doubt that any of my friends will want to go. I don’t even know if it is playing in major theaters? sounds really good though!!
I actually really enjoyed Fast Food Nation and would suggest it.
June 16th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
[...] Heather Trains « She Says: You Are What you Eat – Food, Inc. Reflections [...]
June 16th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
This sounds like a movie I need to see. I’m really impressed with your review and the impact it had on you. I’d love to talk more so watch for an email.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
great review, you got me really excited to see the film! i highly recommend Michael Pollan’s better- I liked In Defense of Food better than Omnivore’s Dilemma but both were excellent reads.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
i tried to actually hide from the truth for a long time cause I just didn’t want to see it or hear it, but once I read Quantum Wellness it made me realize that the choices I make are in fact condoning these things…darn it now I really need to give up milk.
June 16th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
It sounds like much of the movie is based on Fast Food Nation and Omnivore’s Dilemna–I would recommend both books to those who can’t find a showing.
Food is definitely politicized, and its pretty scary. Happily, there’s a lot of backlash against that right now. I don’t know if you’ve ever read any of Walter Willet’s books, but they are very worthwhile. Walter Willet is head of the Harvard School of Public Health and lead author of the famous nurse’s health study. He’s spent years researching the correlation between diet and disease, and he has some choice words for the USDA, to say the least.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Awesome post, Heather! I have read both of those books but have not seen the movie–sadly it is not playing anywhere near me, but hopefully soon. I wish it was playing everywhere so more people had access to it. I’ve really started to take a look at where my food comes from (this is really important to me concerning organic vs. local – sometimes I don’t have access to items that are both local AND organic, so it’s about making a choice, I suppose) and it’s scary to think about what goes on with food production and what the industry is hiding from us.
I’m going to post a link to this post next time I blog. Bravo!
June 16th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Oh, one small correction: it’s true that chickens are sometimes too large for their bones to support, but its not because of hormones, its because they are bred to have large breasts so that there will be more white meat. It’s illegal to use hormones in poultry production. (So the next time you see a chicken package declaring that it is free of hormones, it isn’t telling you anything.)
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400066
June 16th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I can’t wait to see this film! I’m in the middle of The Ominvore’s Dilemna and it definitely makes you think about where your food comes from and encourages you to educate yourself more on big food industry. I really hope this movie brings due attention to these issues.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
I’m so glad I took the time to thoroughly read your review. Like I said before, I really appreciate it! I wish that the ‘everyday Joe’ would be compelled to watch the movie, not just those of us who kind of already have a base knowledge of food and what goes into it. It sounds like it a good documentary to watch. I’m thinking about picking up those books you brought up now that I have the summer to read. It makes me kind of angry and sickened at how much business is ingrained in the production of food
Thanks again for the review, Heather!
June 16th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
[...] – while we are on the topic of “posts that got me thinkin’…” – check out Heather’s recap of Food Inc. – REALLY interesting, I can’t wait for the movie to come to [...]
June 16th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
oh wow i can’t wait to see this. i’ll have to look around. i’ve come to realize how true that line about supermarkets is… i try to do my best picking local things in season, but there are certainly things i LOVE that come from far away… i’m also going to rethink what kind of meat i buy after from now on, i just hope i can afford it
June 17th, 2009 at 12:02 am
[...] other news, I encourage you to read Heather’s review of Food, Inc. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I’ve read the books on which it is largely [...]
June 17th, 2009 at 12:19 am
I so badly want to see this! Do you think it will change how Mark eats? I’m hoping if I take Chris he’ll completely ditch the meat.
June 17th, 2009 at 3:10 am
Loved your review! I can’t wait to see this movie. All of these topics were first brought to my attention in the Omnivore’s Dilemma (a fantastic book, one of the best I’ve ever read) over a year ago and it really changed the way that I eat. I think it’s great that these topics are coming to mainstream society because companies like Monsanto need to be stopped, and so many people have never even heard of them. I live in Hawaii and Monsanto LOVES our land here because of the great year-round growing conditions. I get angry every time I pass one of their test-crop fields. Knowledge is the best way to make change and I really believe it starts with each person.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:56 am
As always, Heather, thank you for such a thoughtful review!!! I especially like point #2 in your list of 5.
June 17th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I can’t wait to see this movie… your list really struck me especiall 2 and 4. WOW!
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
We saw this as well and I could not agree with you MORE! It made my skin crawl. I was already aware of some things– but others, oh my. The seed cleaning ordeal? I agree- I wish they went into more details on that. The story about the mother who’s son died from E-coli broke my heart. I am so glad you shared this review and are spreading the word about this movie. Awesome, awesome. I actually wouldn’t mind seeing it again because it had so much good info in it. Thanks for this!!
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
What a great review! I am now even more excited to see the movie. My husband even agreed to see it with me, and I am so hopeful that it will affect his view of organic foods. I am desperately trying to convince him that some things are worth the money. We’ll see how it goes
June 25th, 2009 at 10:10 am
[...] was particularly excited about eating here after seeing Food, Inc. because Farm 2 Bistro is a restaurant that supports local farming. The restaurant’s [...]
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:06 pm
I finally saw the movie and just read your review. My skin is crawling, though I will admit that I had this feeling of “I knew that was going on…” It’s one of those movies where you know those things are taking place but from day to day, you completely forget.
I plan on posting my review tomorrow. In short, I’ll say this: 1) It made me realize how much I took for granted growing up on a farm 2) It makes me feel like our efforts with the Cleaner Life Challenge were worth it and 3) Up until this movie, I said to myself “Well, when this challenge is over, I am going to eat this or that…” and this movie reminded me of why we were doing it, and why I should personally continue.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
[...] Food, Inc. – I reviewed this already if you’re interested in my thoughts. This movie changed my thoughts about this challenge, my own personal food consumption and the food industry. I am now reading Omnivore’s Dilemma to learn more. [...]
October 8th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
[...] you remember when I saw Food, Inc. back in June. It changed a lot about the way I buy food and what I eat. For example, I call myself a vegetarian, [...]
January 27th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
[...] you see Michael Pollan on Oprah today? He spoke about Food, Inc. (my review) and his book Food Rules. My dad got that book for Christmas and I read it. There are some funny [...]