Food, Inc.

[Buster52]

Quote:
I'm not talking about you, Katy. I have no reason to doubt you. I'm just saying we apply the same critical skills to what is posted here as has been suggested for these films and books, with the added caution there is no accountability here.

I have read a number of great books on this subject (some of which I have already listed), and the difference between those books and here is that they are very well documented, with footnotes and sourcing. Not to mention they were by journalists, scientists, and well known authors whose credibility is on the line if they exaggerate or lie about what they write or are sloppy with their research or sourcing.

Again, use critical thinking with anything you read or watch, especially when the source is anonymous. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Rosalind]

Quote:
Easiest way to catch me is with devil's food cupcakes and ice cream!

I dont believe the ulcer thing, you would have to show me an autopsey or let me visit a slaughter house to believe all of that.

I've seen it. Used to work for a company that disinfected big buildings after contaminations--you know, like when a slaughterhouse is known to have Mad Cow Disease in it, or when nut processors have Salmonella in their stuff. It's completely nasty. On top of the animals just not looking healthy and having ulcers, cuts, being covered in poop, etc. there's the unsanitary aspect Whispering Winds mentioned. Did you ever have a relative or a roommate who was just an absolute slob, who never cleaned their kitchen and always had roaches or some such? Yeah, imagine that person in charge of the slaughterhouse/meat processor. Yuck. You try talking to someone about hygiene when they personally haven't brushed their teeth or washed their clothes in, like, ever and don't see anything wrong with it. I'm not obsessive-compulsive about germs by any means, but ferthaluvvagawd, common sense! You'd think these people didn't have mothers to tell them how to do.

I always thought grain WAS GRASS! Grass seed....

Not really. Ever try to eat, say, wheatgrass vs. bread? It's edible, people get it for health purposes or to feed to pets, but it's definitely not the nutritional or culinary equivalent to a loaf of 12-grain.​

 

[Rillion]

Quote:
Thomas Jefferson: “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”

If the government is in the position of providing something, or helping to provide it, then it is in control over that thing and the people who create it. This is a timeless truth, and it amazes me to talk to people who still haven't grasped it. It's not even necessarily a bad thing-- just a thing that has to be acknowledged. If regulating food safety is the government's job, then the government gets to decide what is "safe." If education is the government's job, then the government gets to decide what your kids should be taught. If giving tax exemptions to churches and charities is the government's job, then the government gets to decide what counts as a church or a charity. And so on, and so on.

In Aesop's fable when the wolf meets a house-kept dog, he is initially impressed by how good the dog has it-- free food, free housing, security....but then the wolf notices the chain attached to the dog's neck. The dog explains that that's the cost of being kept-- the master gets to tell him what to do. The wolf says "No thanks, I'll take the risks that come with freedom" and takes off. Americans place themselves at various points on the spectrum between dog and wolf. I'm a more wolfy person, myself.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

The other side, who has 'been there, done that', whether they work there, farm, raise them themselves, or have just been in the places, whatever, they seem to think that it is probably not the best set up, but it is nowhere near as horrible as it is made out to be.

I've been there... done that.... multiply times. It's not fun, it's not pretty, and by no means is it humane. The movies are close to painting that picture.

Peta however takes it too far, they have a point, but they go about it the wrong way. They have no answers except to stop eating meat... start being part of the solution not the problem. Complaining about something only gets you so far, but it never fixes it.

I understand where your coming from and I'm sure your aware of negligence that is going on in the farming industry.​

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Whoever sees the movie let us know if its badly violently graphic. I can't take that. . .would love to see it, but can't if it shows animals being abused

No it's not that bad... I wished they would have shown more actually. It's really not a biased film that is trying to scare you of meat by showing your horrific footage. Very informative....

As far as I'm concerned these big corporations had there chance to comment on the film or to be interviewed to protect their buisness. Instead they look like cowards by hiding from the truth and by not defending their products.

Go see it... it's worth it.​

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
I wonder how many books these people have sold because of their movies? Would they still be preaching what they're preaching if they weren't making money off the films and books? I seriously doubt it.

Your probably right.. they do it to make money but they are not making a ton... it probably cost a fortune to make it. All of the traveling they did....

The farms that they did interview they were extremely nice to, they didn't show clips of the bad but the whole interview. Like I said before, it's a very unbiased film. It "tries" to show all sides of the story.

 

[warmfuzzies]

Now I cant wait to see it!

I totally agree about the big government thing, that is one of my favorite quotes. The things I were saying were in regards to other things I have read and seen, I havnt see this movie. It does actually sound much more balanced and truthful then most.

 

[CityChicker]

Okay, so... I saw the film today. It is not at all what some of you fear it would be based on some of the other propagandistic stuff out there.

The film is essentially an indictment of huge, multinational companies that care little about anything but profit. It covers a lot of different aspects of factory farming. It is sort of all over the place and lacks "teeth" in my opinion.

There is not any graphic violence or many of the typical sort of images used by animal rights groups. Really, that aspect is hardly even touched upon. It is mostly about food safety and how the individual growers/farmers are treated by the large corporations.

In my opinion, it presents family farmers and even growers that work for companies like Tyson in a very positive light. To me, it doesn't seem like there was really anything *new* in this film. It touched upon some of the issues with Monsanto as well, but not in near the detail as documentaries like The Future of Food.

Overall, I feel indifferent about the film itself. It is good, but not great IMO. Almost anyone from BYC seeing this film would be like the cliche of preaching to the choir.

 

[ooohhitskaren]

All I can say...is if we don't stop farming and growing animals the way its being done now...one day it will be Soilent Green time. Remember that movie...I do..it scares me. It could happen if we don't become more sustainable and change the way we do things. What our parents and grandparents did 30-50 years ago, growing lots of their food wasn't bad at all..they all had chickens in their yards..and gardens of veggies and fruit..they had to...or they didn't survive..well, those times are back again with high unemployment and high food prices...we might as well make use of our land that our homes sit on..use it to its fullest..its not worth much else right now. I for one have over 96 sqft of raised beds I put in last fall and have done pretty well with growing my veggies..I've also incorporated veggies in with the flowers..all my cabbages are in with the flowers...and I hopefully will be putting in a chicken coop in the next year. I've learned to can my food to help reduce waste...a small flat lid doesn't fill the landfill as quick as lots of cans and bags. What I can't grow myself I go and get from a local farmer...I have 3 places I go...I get in bulk then can, or make jams, etc. I'm doing the best I can to make a difference. I've ran the idea of a chicken coop by my neighbors...one said if I can pull off a really cool design for the coop..she wants one too..a friend of her is putting one in her yard in the heart of Broadripple. We are all trying..I know we are..that's why I love this site...I see what everyone is trying to do to make a difference...our love for animals, etc. I applaud any farmer who is trying to do things better and differently.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
Thank you... someone who has seen it...

I felt the same way. I think it could have went a lot more in detail and I feel they blew a big chance to make this a great movie. Personally I think it was lack of funding and I believe they received a lot of threats from companies and the government as well.

I really liked the movie, loved the people that were in it... but they just didn't deliver. However... it is a must see film. It touches on a lot of topics but again I wish they would have went into more detail... as like you said it's like preaching to the choir when some of us see it as we can read between the lines... the average consumer is more like "so now what do I do" or "where do I go from here? "

Bottom line on the movie I think was the fact that government is in the food industry way too much. As well as the corporations that run the food industry are starting to put profits over our saftey.