Food Inc Movie Monsanto Essay

Food, Inc. reveals the shocking truths about the food and food chain that America eats. It narrates the industrial production of meat (chicken, beef, and pork), grains and vegetables (primarily corn and soybeans) and lastly about the major food corporations involved. The movie makes us aware about the food that we eat, the hidden politics about the production systems and economic and legal power that the food companies possess. As the film advances, it demonstrates the rise of current method of raw food production as a response to the growth of the fast food industry of the 50’s as compared to traditional methods. It makes a strong point by highlighting that a few multinational corporations who dominate the modern food chain and its production have skewed interests. The emphasis of these food corporations like Monsanto is on business and profitability rather than food quality or health and safety – of the food itself, of the animals produced themselves, of the workers on the assembly lines, and of the consumers actually eating the food. Production of large quantities of food at low direct inputs (most often subsidized) result in enormous profits, which in turn marks greater domination of the global supply of food sources by selected few food corporations. The government conveniently overlooks the power exercised by the food companies in pursuit of cheaper food regardless the negative repercussions. Regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA, sparing from the public eye give their consents to the food corporations such as Monsanto, to manipulate with the public health in exchange of bigger returns. The government approved bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, tomatoes that will not go bad are the negative gifts presented by these corporations. Companies like Monsanto throw more science at the problems to bandage the issues instead of uprooting the problem. As a result, new strains of E. coli- the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually have emerged due to the inappropriate business behavior of the food corporations. The increasing obesity levels, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults is a gift from the food corporations.