Because I feel very strongly about supporting local food endeavors and educating people on environmental issues, I recently made an announcement of an upcoming showing of “Fresh, The Movie” and “Food, Inc.”
In my e-mail I stated: “Please keep this in the back of your minds to come to because these are two VERY IMPORTANT films that anyone concerned about our food supply really needs to see.”
I received an reply from a editor in the Charlottesville area:
“I question the validity of your statement that either or both of these films are important for everyone to see.”
Excuse me????
If you are truly concerned about our food system I would think that you’d want people to see these films.
If you feel that the public has been purposely kept in the dark by the FDA, USDA, the food industry, large corporations like Wal-Mart, chemical giants such as Monsanto, fast food companies and large agribusiness concerns, how can you ‘question the validity’ of my attempt to educate consumers?
Current health statistics cite rising rates of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, food allergies, birth defects and a host of diseases from our modern diet. Consumption of food laced with pesticides, additives, hormones, antibiotics, artificial colorings and flavorings are making people sick. Society’s dependence on cheap processed foods, proffered by our ‘friends’ in the food industry and fast food chains, have led to a frightening rate of obesity, illness & premature death. With this in mind, can you honestly say that either or both of these films are NOT important?
Pending legislation threatens the very existence of small farms and farmer’s markets across this country. Passage, without amendments, will sound a death knell for small farmers and severely damage organic food concerns. If you support our farmers and local food initiatives, then I would hope you would be for the dissemination of this information.
If you are committed to preserving the right of citizens to get their food directly from small farmers, instead of corporate giants who put profits ahead of the health of their customers, why then do you not support this venue?
Are you at all concerned about Monsanto and their tactics of bullying, spying on and putting small farmers out of business through litigation?
Do you question Monsanto’s worldwide monopoly for Round-Up Ready crops? What about the environmental effect of farmer’s increasing use of pesticides on all GMOs? Are you unfazed about the environmental impact of pesticides on the health of this planet & ALL of its inhabitants?
“Fresh” captured many accolades in 2009. Among them were official selections from: Environmental Film Festival, Sustainable Living Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Maine International Film Festival and the Kerry Film Festival. It was reviewed far and wide, garnering praise for insightful views into the food world.
“Food, Inc” also was applauded in many circles last year. In addition to the Gotham Award, it also was on the list for Academy Award for Best Documentary, the 25th Anniversary Spirit Award, and is on the list for an Oscar Award.
Everyone that I’ve talked to who has seen either (or both) agrees that these two films are important.
Methinks, dear scribe, that you are outnumbered!
As a child of the 50’s, I ate my share of frozen TV dinners. With the advent of the microwave and improved packaging technology, one can live their life without ever having to cook from scratch.
An article posted by Rachael Ray extols the benefits of the new frozen foods. Reading the ingredients, I noticed a ‘Seafood Multi-Pak’. Hmmmm… knowing that many seafood varieties are imported from China, I’d pass on this one. China’s dubious record for food purity is well documented. Inspections of food from China at U.S. ports have turned up a scary list. Do YOU trust imported Chinese food? I don’t!
Pork from Hormel? I’d skip that, too. If you’ve seen either “Fresh” or “Food, Inc” or done any reading about the food industry at all you’d know that this ‘food’ isn’t really food. The animals are fed hormones and antibiotics, which YOU are eating when you consume this food. They’re fed GMO corn, which has been sprayed with pesticides.
Knowing what I know about food, I would hardly say that these items are “New and Improved.” Read the ingredient listing on any frozen food and see how many words you can pronounce. Some of the contents in food you probably don’t want to know… but should.
Leave it to good ole Mickey D’s to find some obscure fish for their Filet-O-Fish sandwich. Actually - IS IT really just ONE FISH they’re using? Probably not.
Two of my favorite books on food: Eric Schlosser’s “FAST FOOD NATION” and Morton Spurlock’s “SUPERSIZE ME” tell of the hidden dangers of illness, chemical saturation and obesity which lurk in our food. It’s well documented; health risks from additives, high salt and fat. For most people, however, it’s cheaper for them to eat at McDonald’s than to buy real, heathful food! This is the sad part of our culture because we’ve been brainwashed to THINK that fast food purveyors serve us food that is actually good for us!
It isn’t.
Learn what in your food. Read about pesticides, chemicals; read labels while you’re in the store. Don’t be fooled by ‘natural ingredients’ because it is not always so.
Learn about your food. Watch the movie: “FRESH” Get a copy of “FOOD, INC” when it comes out and learn what IS behind your food.
To the uninitiated on the reality of where your food r e a l l y comes from, “FRESH” is probably a bit upsetting.
This is why the local food movement is so important, folks! Together we are strong. Together, our voices can and will be heard! We can make ‘Big Food” and our government stand up and take notice.
Without v o i c e s , though, the silence shouts a message of its own.
Silence = complacence. Silence is an acceptance, acquiescence, agreement, submission…, “Oh, it’s OK!”
NO IT ISN’T
We have been lied to, used as Guinea pigs, lab rats and been made sick by our food. The very few control the entire food industry in the U.S. and the world. We’ve been brainwashed to t r u s t the government and the food companies and now look!
We’ve got record numbers of cancers from children up, diabetes in all sectors of the population, and numbers are rising. Children are predisposed to heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure, cholesterol numbers higher than most adults, and this is all even before they’re out of grade school!
Adults are gobbling medicines to treat preventable diseases like high blood pressure to acid reflux. Acid reflux has even become common in children!
Why?
Things like s o d a and fast food….. from your ‘friends’ at Mickey D’s and The Colonel.
Answer one question: Is THIS the life you want for yourself and your children or grandchildren?
Probably not.
LEARN MORE
Read some reviews– learn and GET INVOLVED.
http://www.google.com/movies/reviews?cid=b3fa7714d5f1e2e3&hl=en&oi=moviesr
If you’re into eating local food, you have to see this trailer for the movie “FRESH”. If you’re NOT into local food - watch it anyway!
Joel Salatin, of PolyFace Farm is featured in this film, as is another inspiration for the growing local food movement, Will Allen of Growing Power. Russ Kremer a hog farmer in Missouri, nearly died from an antibiotic resistant staph infection after being gored by one of his animals. These men, along with hundreds of other across this nation are in the forefront of the sustainable agriculture movement and local food.
Food production in this nation has long been a sort of secret society. We all blindly accepted that the groceries we bought at our local store were good for us. Ads on TV and radio promised its goodness and purity. Chemicals were our friends, weren’t they? Why, good old Monsanto and others promised us they were safe, there was no danger to our children or pets, and yes - we could even spray the stuff on our vegetable gardens and eat the veggies right away! Now, however, the spotlight is ON them, their dirty little secrets are being found out.
The public is getting smarter and starting to realize that corporate America isn’t and hasn’t been acting in their best interests. That’s why farmer’s markets have become so popular. People get to know where their food comes from. They get to meet the farmer (or his/her representative) each week. Their food has a ‘face’ so to speak. A connection has been made.
Get informed about what you eat! All is NOT what it seems!