Industrial Food Production and Agribusiness Essay

Food, Inc is a 2008 documentary film that focuses on the food industry in America and corporate farming. The film shows the process of industrial production of pork, beef and chicken, which has been described as inhumane as well as unsustainable, both environmentally and economically. The film's second part talks about the industrial production of vegetables and grains while the final segment discusses legal and economic powers. Overall, industrial food production in the US is conducted in an unhealthy manner and is oppressive towards both employees and animals.

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Food production today mainly focuses on quantity rather than quality. There has been an increase in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, among others which are diet related. On the flipside, there are cases of volatile food prices, instances of food contamination, climate change, depletion of soil among others. Before food is taken to outlets, it goes through various stages of production which may or may not be healthy. Farmers give off an image that whatever products they produce are healthy and fit for human consumption by showing consumers that they are fresh farm products when the use of chemicals ripens some products.

Poultry like chicken is being bred faster than their bodies can accommodate them which lead them to have weaker bones that cannot hold up their body weight which results in them to be unable to walk correctly. Their feeds are injected with so many antibiotics that after some time their frail bodies are unable to withstand them and eventually die. This is a complete violation of animal rights. The companies do not care about the quality of chicken that will be produced by ensuring that they are adequately taken care of, as long as they make a good profit then they can turn a blind eye to everything else.

Corn is the main component in animal feeds and processed human food. Animals like cows which are fed corn develop a strain of E. Coli which can be transmitted easily from one cow to another and also has adverse effects to humans. It can also be found in apple juice and leafy greens such as spinach and kale which poses a significant health risk.

Agricultural companies today strive to produce pest and drought resistant grain seeds. This has mostly led to an increase in the number of grains produced now as compared to a few decades ago. Even while they are grown artificial fertilisers as well as pest sprays are used on them so essentially when they are harvested they mostly comprise of chemicals. Most of these are cheap and are what most consumers go for.

Labourers are chosen based on their social status. The poor get priority since they can be easily manipulated and none of them will dare to raise any concern with the administration. A case in point is workers in hog slaughterhouses. The workers remove the slaughtered pig's gut with their bare hands which lead to infections that cause their fingernails to separate from their fingers. There is no regard whatsoever for their safety. What matters to the company is that the daily target is met since the workers are easily expandable.

Giants in the food production industry hold the reins over farmers who use their products, and anyone has seen to get out of line may even get fined large amounts of money to prevent them from being taken to court which may incur additional charges. Farmers, therefore, have no choice but to use genetically modified grains to avoid violation of patent laws.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the current system of meat, dairy, grain and vegetable production can be considered very dangerous, and it is neither economically nor environmentally sustainable. Furthermore, animals are also greatly abused and none of their rights considered.

Reference

Kenner, R. (2008). Food, Inc. Retrieved from HYPERLINK "http://documentary-movie.com/food-inc/" http://documentary-movie.com/food-inc/