Putting the Gross in Groceries – Food Inc. the Documentary

Focusing on how food is produced in America, this documentary is an often stomach-churning picture of what corporate farming is all about.

While riding the Metro to work this morning, I read this excellent interview by the Express paper with director Robert Kenner of  “Food, Inc.”

» EXPRESS: How does “Food, Inc.” add to the “Omnivore’s Dilemma“/”Fast Food Nation” discussion?
» KENNER: We sort of tried to connect the dots of a system that’s gone berserk. We’re building by exploring how food gets to our table. Where does it come from? What became most original for me was the big surprise that the big food producers didn’t want to talk to me. I wanted them as much as the organic farmers. But they want to cling to this illusion that it all comes from a farm with a white picket fence and a red barn. I’m not saying what they’re doing is good or bad, but, as Americans, we have a right to know. And they’re able to deny us this information. I feel it seems something is wrong.

» EXPRESS: Wal-Mart actually ends up looking pretty good with its interest in stocking organics.
» KENNER: There are many negative things I could say about their business practices, but it’s representative of how customers have power and can change things. On one hand, it’s wrong for one company to buy as much food as they do, but they’re interested in sustainability, and that’s good.

» EXPRESS: A lot of the focus is on meat products. Do I have less to worry about if I go vegetarian?
» KENNER: It’s not so much about meat as it is about the industrialization of food and the power to deny us information. I’m not a vegetarian, personally. By eating less meat, that won’t fix the food system. Although, watching how industrial meat is grown doesn’t make you want to eat it.

» EXPRESS: You devote a segment to the laudatory practices of Polyface Farms. But how feasible is it to replicate that example across the country?
» KENNER: That’s the big question: Can we feed the world with organic food? Our system isn’t sustainable, so where are we going to go? What we’re feeding the world is making the world sick. It can’t continue, and, unfortunately, the industrial system doesn’t want us talking about it.

» EXPRESS: How do you shop for groceries?
» KENNER: You can’t always do it perfectly. When I’m home, I try to go to the farmers market at least once a week. And when I travel, I try to avoid industrial food as much as possible. The less processed the food is, the better it’s going to be for you. It’s hard at the supermarket. We have this illusion of choices when really everything’s made up of either processed corn or soy.

» EXPRESS: Think the new White House vegetable garden will have any impact?
» KENNER: When Obama came to power, food was not a priority, but I don’t think you can think about health care and not think about the food system. You can’t think about energy and not think about the food system when 20 percent of our oil goes to processing and transporting food. The garden becomes a great symbol that we’re becoming conscious.

» EXPRESS: The film ends with a whole bunch of suggestions for viewers. Which one do you most hope they’ll follow?
» KENNER: I think my top recommendation is that we become conscious. The system has changed without us noticing that this food is fundamentally different from 50 years ago. It doesn’t taste better, and it’s not better for us. Some people say it’s elitist to promote eating better, but it’s elitist to subsidize food that makes people sick. We were told a lot of lies by tobacco companies and, eventually, we saw the truth. They’re trying to trick us into eating this food that’s not good for us.

Souce: The Express

Related posts:

1. Food Inc. – Full Documentary
2. The World According to Monsanto – Full Documentary
3. Fast Food Strikes (Out) Again