Food, Inc. Review

by Nicholas Smith - Community Market's Marketing Director 8/1/09

A couple of years after Upton Sinclair wrote his classic novel The Jungle, he was quoted as saying, “I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach.” Sinclair’s true intention was to bring to light the inhumane treatment of immigrant laborers in the Chicago meatpacking industry; but because of his graphic descriptions of their work environment, The Jungle instead brought on an outcry that forced President Teddy Roosevelt and Congress to pass the first Pure Food and Drug laws in this country. Prior to the public outcry, Roosevelt’s first response upon reading Sinclair’s novel was, “Why would someone publish such an obnoxious book as The Jungle?” Apparently, Roosevelt’s response was based on a report from the Agriculture Department that the meatpacking industry was perfectly safe. According to the report, there was no problem with rotten meat being canned and sold to consumers. This was the year 1906, and according to a new film called Food, Inc., things haven’t changed much.

Food, Inc. is a gut-wrenching exposé of the modern food industry. To try and sum up the seedy underbelly of our food industry in ninety minutes is quite a feat, and even though the film jumps around from subject to subject, it still maintains enough clarity to get its message across. From the beginning, Food, Inc. explains in great detail how our nation’s food supply is controlled by only a handful of corporations who value profit over consumer health, animal rights, and the environment. Showing all sides of the spectrum, the film compares the difference between the conscientious farmer to the immoral, unethical conventional practices of corporations. To some, the film could be considered as appalling, terrifying, and intriguing; while others might find it of a somewhat lugubrious nature. However, to those of us who are already involved in food politics, it helps to give us the inspiration to keep on fighting for the right to know what we eat. Featuring interviews with Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma), Food, Inc. is a seismic achievement; we highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to remove their blindfold before eating.