I was very engaged by the topics centred in the second Food, Inc. film I decided to summarize them in a visual infographic that would support the work I am doing for Body Peace. I thought it was kismet because the film started with an update from Pollan about how nature and the industrial food system are essentially at war. In favour of higher profit margins, more destructive and intensive practices are being used for mass production.

They also shed light on the vicious cycle the farmers are suffering under where there is excess product, so they are paid less, but then they are advised to make even more to stay afloat. There is also mention of how the farmers don’t feel appreciated similar to how the “food is treated like a commodity not like something you’d eat” (Kenner & Robledo, 2023, 26:49). Sen. Cory Booker offers great insight about the connection he sees in the food system and highlights the dysfunction of how “as a nation we are dramatically subsidizing with our tax dollars the food that are making us sick” (Kenner & Robledo, 2023, 29:37).

They went on to discuss the reality of our overconsumption of ultra-processed foods and how “it is very hard to resist a food environment that is yelling at us all the time eat more eat more” (Kenner & Robledo, 2023, 33:04). This additive-based flavour manipulation is “interfering with brain and body’s ability to metabolize foods” (Kenner & Robledo, 2023, 40:10). A part of this means our brain “keeps getting fooled… [it thinks] I better eat more food to make sure I don’t get ripped off” (Kenner & Robledo, 2023, 44:44).

There is great discourse on the exploitation of workers and the agricultural system’s roots in slavery and the paths forward that are being proposed (companies signing on the Fair Food Agreement for example). The film closed with some seeds of hope from the thoughtful minds behind modernized regenerative farming techniques that incorporate nature’s closed loop of plants and animals recycling nutrients.

If you haven’t watched it already it’s available on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/opnTiv2tJjY?si=CIAVbTxIj5-Y1jal

Sincerely,

Loving Awareness of Feelings and Thoughts

References

Kenner, R., & Robledo, M. (Directors). (2023). Food, Inc. 2. Magnolia Pictures.