Upon its release, the documentary Food, Inc., produced by Kenner (2008), profoundly impacted society, showing the true realities of food production under the capitalistic conditions of the modern USA. The major objective of the given movie is to investigate the corporate farming business in the USA and factors that are not mentioned by the officials. These include severe damage done to the environment and numerous health and social concerns, such as worsening the quality of life and poor working conditions.
Health Concerns
The first cost is the health of the consumers. One of the examples presented by the documentary is that of Patricia Buck’s son, who was only two years old when he died of an E. coli strain infection after eating in Jack-In-The-Box, a fast-food chain. Another example is many families who cannot afford healthy food across the United States. Fast food remains the monetarily cheapest and most filling option for these households. Moreover, for many individuals, stores that sell healthy foods are unacceptable because of the too high price. In such a way, corporations involved in the business earn money, while ordinary people face a high risk of acquiring severe diseases that would critically deteriorate the quality of their lives.
Social Concerns
Another issue in the food industry is the working conditions at the production plants. These factories, especially meat-processing ones, are filled with illegal immigrant workers with no other income options. Not only that, but the constant fear of deportation roams over the workers who are too afraid to speak about the unsafe environment. For the corporation, employment of the worker without proper documentation can result in a fine, relatively small for their overall fortune. Therefore, it is easy for them to exploit the workers with the working conditions resembling the last century before the major movement to make these plants safe.
Conclusion
Few large corporations have dominated the U.S. food production industry in recent decades, free to establish their standards. The main principle of capitalism is reducing costs to make greater profits and thrive among the competitors by cheapening the prices. As a result, if unchecked, the companies are free to reduce costs, sacrificing ethicality, safety protocols, or other regulations. The documentary shows that corporations might generate benefits disregarding the harm done to communities and their health.
Reference
Kenner, R. (2008). Food Inc. [Film]. Dogwoof Pictures. Participant Media. River Road Entertainment.