Life Change Lessons - Do You Know About The Food You Eat?

Food, Inc. is a documentary that will cause you to look more deeply at how the food you eat is produced. DO NOT MISS IT. Robert Kenner did a spectacular job in bringing to the screen a brilliant and appalling view of the food industry. DO NOT MISS IT. During the first few minutes we are told that the production of food has changed more in the last 50 years then in the past 1,000. “The law of the land is faster, fatter, bigger and cheaper.” Chickens are housed without sunlight, many collapsing from their excess body weight and are thrown about like bags of sand used to prevent flood erosion. We are exposed to glimpses of the largest slaughter house in the world located in Tar Heel, North Carolina, a depressed community in dire need of employment. Grass is the natural food for a cow to eat, not corn. But motivated only by the greed of the producer, cows are fed corn, corn and more corn to make them fat. Up to 1,000 cows can make up one hamburger patty. Think about this as you contemplate taking the kids to McDonalds. There was a time when the number of burgers sold would be displayed under their golden arches. No more. How many families do you know who consume fast food at least once per week? Twice? Daily? It is cheap, takes no time and convenient. AND each time through the drive thru contributes to the perpetuation of this horrendous situation that exists in our culture. Say no more to McDonalds and other fast food restaurants. Be committed to make the shift TODAY... NOW. Food, Inc. introduces the viewer to the mother and grandmother of a 2 year-old boy that went from being perfectly healthy to dying in a matter of 12 days because of e-coli food poisoning. A major problem brought out in the film is the fact that we have become so far removed from the source of our food. In the middle of winter, we can see fruit in our markets from Chili, Hawaii or Mexico. Hardly locally grown foods. We in Idaho are blessed to have Idaho’s Bounty in our community: a web-based market that delivers local food direct from the farm to the customer, in support of neighborhood farmers. We can choose colorful eggs from free-ranging chickens, cream-top whole milk bottled fresh from the dairy, organic cherry tomatoes, fresh greens and veggies from geothermal greenhouses all winter long, elk, bison, fish, breads, salsas, pies, artisan cheeses and much more. Take responsibility for founding a co-op in your state. The film left me with an even greater awareness, disgust and empathy for the way animals are treated for human consumption. There is no regard for life. No respect for life. No kindness. No joy in the process. How does one have self-dignity performing this type of work? Hiring people to do this type of work? None of the big four suppliers would be interviewed for this film. What does that tell you? The bottom line of Food, Inc., is that consumers are demanding food that is better for them and for the environment. Even Walmart is offering more organics realizing that it’s better for business. The film concludes with the message that “the destiny of the food industry and the food we eat will always reside in the consumer.” DON”T MISS FOOD, INC. Then make a fuss. Talk to your elected officials. Buy locally. Make a difference.