Hungry Corporate Giant: The New Farmer

I was a vegetarian until I was eleven years old. I grew up on tofu and brown rice, but always begged my parents to let me eat meat. I longed for a hamburger at a friend’s cookout, or a steak in a nice restaurant. Finally I did try some and loved it. I have eaten meat since then, however watching Food Inc. has tempted me to become a vegetarian once again. The disgusting treatment of the animals that produce our meat products was absolutely appalling. It is clear through viewing this film that the production of meat and corn is an industry and no longer can be considered “farming.” The animals involved are not even treated as living beings. They live in filth and discomfort, are forced to eat an unnatural diet, and are killed inhumanely. Not only is this horrible for the animals, but as the film shows, harmful bacteria and disease is transmitted into our meat as a result of this process. I understand that the demand for meat in the American diet is high, but is it worth risking our own safety and morals to meet it? I personally think not.

The Shenandoah farmer who remained true to the more traditional ways of farming inspired me. Perhaps it appears this way because the film intended to steeply contrast the two methods for the purpose of making its point, but the feeling I got listening to what the farmer had to say and viewing the shots of his land was one of serenity and calm. Yes, the reality is that animals are slaughtered for food and this is not a pleasant reality, however, knowing that his livestock are kept free-range and are given their natural diet, makes me feel much more comfortable with the practice. If we are going to continue eating meat, this is the way it needs to be produced.

I realize this documentary is biased against the large industry of food production, but for its purposes, I felt that the film was well done. The exposure of how much corruption is inherent in the system reminded me eerily of the behind-the-scenes goings on exposed in Inside Job. The two industries have seemingly nothing to do with one another, however the common factor is immense greed. If there is such a high demand for food, of course the industry is going to try to make the processes as efficient as possible, even if it means compromising the integrity of the work or the quality of the product. There definitely needs to be a shift in the way that things are done regarding the food that feeds the majority of our population. It is another one of those issues that feels overwhelming, but I think as citizens we can begin by holding our agents accountable for our health and safety with which we entrust them.