I am reprinting an article by Trent Loos on the movie Food Inc. I think Trent has done a much better job of articulating my opinion of this movie than I possibly could so here is his article. If you find what Trent has to say interesting you can find more info about him at these following links:
Loos Tales
Feedstuffs Foodlink
Faces of ag
Trent on Twitter @trentloos
Trent Loos issues Food Inc. Challenge
reprinted from Examiner.com without permission
The absolute best opportunity to talk about modern food production has arrived thanks to Robert Kenner, Executive Director of a movie just released in a theater near you called “Food Inc.” It could quite possibly be the most misleading bit of information I have ever witnessed about American Agriculture but it has everyone interested in what is really going on with today’s food system. There is one little catch: it is only an opportunity if you are willing to stand up and set the record straight. The American food system, starting at the farm, is the envy of the world in that no one else feeds and clothes their nation with a higher percentage of domestically produced foods with fewer resources impacted to get it done. As one individual put it, Food Inc is the most selective portrayal of information ever generated. The question is: Are you going to fill in the blanks?
I witnessed Robert Kenner and journalist Michael Pollan, who also teaches journalism at the University of California Berkeley, on Good Morning America in the days just before the release of this movie. They started their segment talking about the rapidly growing global population and the risk of a global food shortage. Then they presented an overall message that food production, i.e. agriculture, must go back to the 1930’s style of production. The United States farmer produced enough food in the 30’s to feed 10 people. By contrast, because of science, technology and human fortitude, the American farmer now produces enough food for 164 people each year.
So first off, if we accept that agriculture, unlike any other sector of society, should go back 80 years in time we must understand that it would require 30 million farmers to produce enough food simply to feed the people in America. Where are those folks? Who is going to do that? What urban areas will volunteer to break up their concrete, condos and consumers that have urbanized America to make that happen?
I honestly believe that many others in production agriculture are willing to produce food in any manner that will generate a profit. I personally own draft animals and this week I will be seen raking hay with a team of horses or mules. That is not a problem. We can produce food like we did in any era the soccer mom wants us too, they need to make sure they understand exactly what they are asking for. In particular, Americans have become accustomed to spending only 10% of their disposable income on food compared to what we spent in the 1930’s when 25% of American income was needed to pay the grocery bill. And here is the real clincher, why is it not a moral and ethical obligation to be as efficient with the natural resources as we know how to be?
Today’s food producers are that absolute leaders in “green” and yet we fail to tell the story in that manner. For example, just last week Cornell University released the final numbers on the efficiency of today’s dairy production compared to that of equal production in 1944. This study verified that it now requires 35% of the water and only 10% of the landmass to produce the same amount of milk it did in 1944. Even more impressively, we emit 63% less carbon into the atmosphere per unit of food produced than we did in the “good old days.” If there were an automobile doing that, it would be the non-stop talk of the news channels. Similar stories exist within the entire food system across the board but they never seem to hit the national news.
There are no surprises in the movie “Food Inc.” Everything that is presented we have heard before so we should have been ready. I can tell you that I did reach out to thousands of media outlets on the subject of this movie and have received the best response ever. Some of these people might actually want to know the real truth about America’s food producers. The truth and facts are on our side but they will only be presented if each one of us seizes the opportunity.
As a final thought, I have already mentioned that this Nebraska rancher has the equipment and possesses the desire to go back in time for food production if the consumer is willing to pay for it but I would ask you, Kenner and Pollan, are you willing to head back to the “dirty thirties?” In the thirties movies were still being produced in black and white and, more importantly, they were silent. So here is my challenge to you big movie execs, you release this movie black and white and without sound and I will farm without using any fossil fuels. Personally, I believe your science fiction movie is meant to be silent!
