Everytime we go to a grocery store to pick up some vegetables or fruits, we never think about where it came from or who picked it. That is exactly how large grocery store companies want you to think. The way they present their produce, eliminates the fact that farmworkers are being exploited for their labor. The film Food Chains, unveils the true and harsh reality that is the farm work industry. Through the long and strenuous hours of hard work, they still recieve discrimination and prejudice from society and institutions. Along with sexual harassment within the industry without any acknowledgement or actions from the company. What society knows about farmworkers, views them with a negative connotation. Eva Longoria said in the film that, “ …show more content…
One being the Dependency Theory, clearly exploiting labor for profits in capitalist industries which in this case are the supermarkets. Those in poverty depend on the crops and supermarket companies to pay them in order to make ends meet but if by chance the farm crops are lacking for harvest, supermarkets’ profits remain stable but then cuts into the farmer’s profits and directly impacts the workers. Powerful supermarkets like Publix, views the industry in a functionalist perspective. Publix believes that supermarkets has benefits for every body and that is just how it can function properly just because the farming industry provides undocumented people with a job. Ignoring the poor conditions and pay they might be receiving. Along with the Radical Theory, wealthy people where in this case is Publix and farm employers, is using the law (or lack of rights) to reinforce their power and keep the workers in poverty. In all, the insight that were displayed in the film exposed the wrongdoings of the industry and personally made me think twice every time I step foot into a grocery …show more content…
At first, fast food restaurants began joining and when that occurred, it caused more issues with supermarkets and eventually some joined as well. Fast food companies who joined include McDonald’s, Burger King, Chipotle, and Subway along with big markets such as Whole Foods, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and other companies too. 14 in total. 18 tomato growers in Florida and other states have joined as well as one strawberry grower and one green bell pepper grower. However, companies such as Safeway, Wendy’s, and Kroger have resisted signing the agreement. In addition, Publix refuse to contact anyone involved in the CIW to this day. I believe this solution is practical because this idea that was formed by the CIW was actually created and there was action made. The program is in progress but if people are not aware of the problem, I worry that the progress overtime will no longer continue. These workers have been through so much and deserve to spread the program not only within Florida but to other state farm workers being exploited too. One quote from the movie stood out to me and it was from one of the leaders of the CIW. He said, “ Do you want to make history or do you want to be
The whole point of the film is that the illegal immigrants perform jobs that Americans are not willing to do and immigrants are treated as aliens not what they really are human being.
Food Inc. interviews notorious authors, farmers, and food advocates. Each interview’s credibility is gained by the movie maker because he acknowledges experts from both sides of the argument. The interviews demonstrate the individual’s knowledge of the food industry. The audience can now make an informed decision on the view after seeing both sides of the argument. Additionally the film makers include a depressing interview that depicts the
In Raj Patel’s novel Stuffed and Starved, Patel goes through every aspect of the food production process by taking the experiences of all the people involved in food production from around the world. Patel concludes by eventually blaming both big corporations and governments for their critical role in undermining local, cultural, and sustainable foodways and in so doing causing the key food-related problems of today such as starvation and obesity. In this book of facts and serious crime, Patel's Stuffed and Starved is a general but available analysis of global food struggles that has a goal of enlightening and motivating the general Western public that there is something critically wrong with our food system.
We value the relationships along the path from “farm to fork” and realize it takes a lot of people, each providing a great service. Publix is currently the focus of a campaign by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) who seeks to pressure us to become involved in the employment relationship between Florida farmers who grow tomatoes and the farmworkers they employ to harvest their product. Since first approached by the CIW three years ago, we have consistently viewed this issue as a labor dispute” (Publix.com). Publix argues that the treatment of workers is an issue between employer and employees and is an issue that needs to be handled by the department of labor. However, they state if tomatoes farmers need to raise the overall price or tomatoes to give their employees better benefits they will pay the market price.
‘Food Inc’, is an informative, albeit slightly biased, documentary that attempts to expose the commercialisation and monopolisation of the greater food industry. The film attempts to show the unintended consequences resulting from this, and for the most part this technique is very effective; however there is an overreliance on pathos in lieu of facts and statistics at times.
Have you ever been in a rush, low on cash, and looking for something to eat so you didn’t really have a choice but to grab a burger with fries at your local fast food place? Have you ever paused or stopped to think about where the burger really came from, or the process that went in to be made? The Food Inc documentary investigates and exposes the American industrial production of meat, grains, and vegetables. Robert Kenner the producer of the film makes allegations in this film and he explores how food industries are deliberately hiding how and where it is our food is coming from. He emphasizes that we should find out where our food comes from and why is it that the food industry does not want us to know. Food Inc. does not only uses compelling images, such as hundreds of baby chickens being raised in spaces where they do not see an inch of sunlight, it also includes the speeches and stories of farmers, families, government officials, and victims of the food industry. The four current problems facing today’s food industry are the reformed usage of the false advertisement within the labeling of products , mistreatment of farmed animals, and the harmful chemical in our meats. The documentary Food Inc uses very persuasive tactics that demonstrates strong elements of pathos, ethos, and logos make an effective appeal, while uncovering the dark side of the food industry.
There is a lack of sympathy and anger toward the working conditions of people working in agriculture and aquaculture. In the film Business of Hunger we saw the displacement of people for agricultural goods such as, peanuts which are water and land intensive. In this film we saw how people in nations such as Brazil and Africa are not even acknowledged by the western nations who consume the food they export. Not only in agriculture are the workers exploited but my recent discovery of the shrimp industry has exposed the truth of slavery and child labor with the capturing of shrimp. Asking where your food comes is just one simply way of being a better consumer. When you go into a store and look for organic or certified food we argued in class that constitutes being good consumers, but what do those labels really mean? When more than half of the shrimp consumed in the United States comes from Thailand which has the most exploitative conditions, it would be hard to even believe the label. Before this course I had no clue shrimp was coming from exploitative condition and during the shrimp case study, I mentioned to my friend she should not eat shrimp due to the overexploitation of the workers and the environmental degradation of the land. She told me her mom worked in a shrimp farm while in Vietnam, I was surprised and asked her how she was okay with eating the shrimp after her mom told her of the harsh conditions and she responded to me “It’s Vietnam, what do you expect.” These
One issue the documentary highlights is the abuse of animals and workers by the food companies, in order to reveal how the companies hide
Our nation’s industrial farming has become more than just feeding people; it has become a way for the food industry to make more money as human population continues to grow. Jonathan Safran Foer in his book Eating Animals, illustrates the effects factory farming has had on animals meant for human consumption. Furthermore, Foer asks many questions to the reader on what will it take for us to change our ways before we say enough is enough. The questions individuals need to be asking themselves are: how do we deal with the problem of factory farming, and what can people do to help solve these issues? Eric Schlosser in Fast Food Nation, also illustrates the animal abuse that goes unseen within the food industry as well as Bernard Rollin and Robert Desch in their article “Farm Factories”, both demonstrate what is wrong today with factory farming. Foer gives such examples of employees who work in slaughterhouses giving accounts of what goes on in the kill floors, and stories of employees who have witnessed thousands and thousands of cows going through the slaughter process alive (Animals 231). Namit Arora in the article “On Eating Animals”, as well as Michael Pollan in his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, both address some of the issues that animals face once they hit the kill floor. The food industry has transformed not only how people eat, but also the negative effects our climate endures as a result of factory farming as illustrated by Anna Lappe in “The Climate Crisis at the End
I am so ashamed that I had not known most of the information that was shared in Food, Inc. I definitely agree that we need to have a policy change regarding our food, it should be cheaper to buy carrots than chips at the grocery store. I, like many college students, want to eat healthy but it is expensive and most of us are on a “ramen budget”. There also needs to be tighter laws regarding the illnesses that can come from improper handling of the meat and crops. I believe that there needs to be a huge change in the agricultural world, the farmers should not have to be scared of losing money or being sued because of big companies, such as Monsanto. The huge companies are going to be making money no matter what without much work. Whereas a farmer puts in work day in and day out and sadly they do not make much money. I also believe that the film had an extremely negative outlook on how modern farming practices in agriculture are. I believe that Food, Inc. focused on the negative outlook of modern farming but did not mention about the different practices or how they have also positively impacted our
American agriculture can produce more food on less land and at cheaper cost than any other nation. Did anyone ever wonder why or how? The documentary Food Inc., produced by Robert Kenner, is designed to put the spotlight on the unsafe preparation of food products, the inhuman treatment of animals being used, and the unethical treatment of workers in corporate farming. Robert Kenner uses multiple rhetorical analysis to get his aspect across to his viewers. Throughout the movie, there are several claims to appeal of ethos, pathos, and logos in order to uncover the true secrets of the American food during its journey to the table.
In this case study we try discuss about Southern California Supermarket Strike. The Southern California Supermarket Strike of 2003-2004 was a strike among supermarket workers in Southern California.
It has been claimed in class that this treatment results from the nature of capitalism as an economic system, not merely from the doings of “bad people”. Maltreatment of workers, animals, and the environment are depicted in the film “FOOD, INC”. Capitalism also known as “The Free Enterprise System” and “The Market Economy” is a mode of production under which social classes are determined by ownership or control of the means of production. A mode of production is a system by which material production in society is organized. Under capitalism individual rights are emphasized, everything used except human labor is privately owned, and income is based on marketplace competition. In regards to food, food has
In addition to his solutions, Pollan’s modern narrative sheds light on the façade of our food industries; asking us to rethink what we know. Despite the mention of certain inhumane acts in All Animals are Equal, Pollan takes us one step further to uncover the reason for which we continue to purchase our corrupt food. We all know animal abuse exists, but the average consumer like myself is more worried about the best price and the fastest way to get a burger rather than how fairly the animals are treated in the process. Whether it be the confined living space of chickens or the mental and physical torture of pigs, we continue to blind ourselves from reality. Is it purely out of selfishness? Or are we too ignorant to come to terms with our wrong doings? Like Pollan explains, it takes seeing the abuse before the shame of our disrespect can be felt (pg.6). After seeing Pollan’s truth, I might now think twice before eating out and the choice to support organic produce can make a dramatic difference for those farmers who promote the ethical lifestyle.
The movie exposes the shabby working and living conditions of the Mexican-American community. It provides some historical background on how Hispanic rights were violated by white industrialists. The land where the mine is located was once owned by members of the local Mexican-American community, however the Zinc Company moved in, took over the property and offered them the "choice" of moving or accepting employment at low wage. Additionally, the workers are enticed to live in management-owned houses and buy at management-owned stores. The homes of the Hispanics are shacks compared to those of their white co-workers with poor sanitation and bad plumbing. The stores sell goods at inflated prices, which put the workers in debt.