FOOD INC. "You Are What You Eat And For Most of Us, that's NOT a good thing...

Overall: A. Direction: A. Featured Individuals in the film: A: Special Shout out to all the hard working and dedicated farmers, activists and journalists both in this film and beyond for doing your best and doing what's right for all of human and animal kind and our planet. You have inspired me to do better in my own small way.

Food Inc. has made many critics' year end Best of 2009 list so I was curious. Rented it on Netflix. It gives a brief history of the food industry while at the same time goes into detail about where we stand now as producers and consumers in light of the monopolization of food production in this country. Even if you are a well informed and relatively healthy consumer, I still highly recommend you watch this movie. While I agree with my husband that we did not really learn anything new (if you have read Fast Food Nation, Omnivore's Dilemma or watched Super Size Me I think you will agree), it is essential to be reminded of what is going on out there in the big bad corporate world o' food. I make an effort NOT to be sanctimonious when it comes to talking about the evils of corporations and monopolies and capitalism especially because I am not an activist against these particular entities BUT when it comes to MONSANTO, I have no problem saying outright that this company is seriously EVIL, NASTY and most of all SCARY. They are a more powerful version of those heading the Salem witch trials and their tactics parallel HUAC especially with regard to blacklisting and forcing friends/business partners to rat each other out. This is some scary stuff and it is real and happening right now. 

Yes, the movie does have its bleak moments and I found myself shaking my head many times in disbelief at the way animals are treated and abused through mass production tactics but what the director and producers of the film do best and most effectively is to show the parallels between how big business treats its crops and animals and how it treats its workers and contractors. The full on egregious way that employees and farmers are treated now in this business as opposed to the the 1950's/60's and 1970's, is by far the most shocking and enlightening thing about the film.

But don't worry, the film is not all doom and gloom. There are chinks in the armor of corporate avarice, especially in the saintly image of Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia. His courage, determination and confidence radiated on the screen when he spoke about his perspective regarding what success looks like, what humane killing looks like and how "small" farmers do indeed have a place in this country. He created a sense of hope that each person based on her/his buying and growing choices can and will make a difference. Tonight's menu for my family: Locally raised and grassfed beef, locally grown vegetables and a loaf of gluten free bread from a local bread store. Yes it takes extra time but after seeing this movie I hope you will be inspired to take the time too!

To read more about Joel Salatin and his values and philosophy go to: www.polyfacefarms.com
See you at the Farmer's Market!