Watching Food Inc. was an eye opening experience. Little did I know, animals are harvested not unlike vegetables. I knew we lived in an imperfect world, but when it gets to the extreme of pumping our chickens with steroids to the point they can only take two steps and just collapse it really makes me want to become vegetarian. Unfortunately for my tastes buds, cheeseburgers, steaks and chicken strips are way too delicious.
The biggest shock to me, being a finance major, was the amount of debt farmers occur due to these big companies making contracts with them. According to the film, the average contract farmer gets into debt of over $500,000; however, they only make a mere $18,000 a year from these companies. Not taking into consideration these farmers paying their other bill or feeding themselves, it would take them at least 28 years to pay off!
Another shocking fact was the amount of illnesses that occurred. Annually 179,000 Americans contracted a food related illness. It especially hit me when they talked about the two-year old boy who was infected with e coli. The pain he went through really tugged on the heart strings. Not to mention the astounding fact that they took 16 days after the boy was infected to stop selling the meat.
Our meat is continuing to be manufactured and roided up with who knows what. So the major question remains. What are we truly eating? Thanks to Food Inc, I will be carefully monitoring what I eat from now on, and stay away from McDonalds!
Source
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Herr Foods Inc. Recalls 'Herr's Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt Flavored' Kettle Style Potato Chips Because of Possible Health Risk. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2010. Print
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Just today in one of my classes I learned that farmers that are contracted through larger companies to grow vegetables, are not allowed to reuse the seeds. The large companies actually have people who go out and check to see if the farmers have bought the new seeds for the year. I'm not sure what the consequences are if they do not buy new seeds. I think it is ridiculous that they actually send people out to check on the farmers.
ReplyDeleteyeah its crazy also when the patented seeds spread into a farmers crops, it is ridiculous the consequences. Especially since it is something a farmer can not help, wind blows and seeds spread. Once a farmer is in a contract it is really going to be the rest of their life, it just isn't a rewarding system and it is so sad because this is such a basic need of everyone.
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