Where does our food come from? Top 5 food documentaries

In developed countries, an abundance of cheap, delicious food means that the biggest question many of us face is how to choose what we’d like for dinner from so many available options. But do we know where our food really comes from?

The fact is that most of the meat, dairy, and eggs eaten in the United States come from factory farms that cause pollution and abuse animals horribly — all for some “good-tasting” food. The following films have started to shed some light on the once-secretive slaughterhouses.

1) Indigestible: The Film (2014)

Indigestible, by filmmaker Geri Atos, is a 90-minute documentary about the meat processing industry. The film examines our relationship with “cheap meat” and exposes the conditions animals are raised in before they are slaughtered, butchered, and sold for consumption. The film showcases the poor treatment of animals (much like the documentary Earthlings), including chickens genetically engineered to live in tight quarters and cows that are fed antibiotics and hormones. These mistreated animals are bred for one purpose only—to act as a food source for the American population. As a result, the chemicals and hormones that are pumped into these animals end up in our own bodies. The film also examines the socioeconomic conditions that force Americans to purchase cheap meat over high-end cuts. Check out some clips from the documentary here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXmRp1__oLI

2) Cowspiracy (2014)

Cowspiracy follows two budding environmentalists and filmmakers, hoping to expose some of the meat industry’s biggest secrets. This humorous 85-minute documentary follows Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn as they explore the animal agriculture industry. Faced with issues like deforestation, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, species extinction and topsoil erosion, the agriculture industry must answer to a public who has a growing interest in the truth of animal processing. The film progresses as the filmmakers are threatened by whistleblowers and animal agriculturalists. The two uncover some surprising issues and concerns as they are led deeper and deeper into an unsustainable world. The Cowspiracy website offers single DVDs and DVD bundles so you can spread the word to others.

3) Farm to Fridge (2011)

While Cowspiracy and Indigestible focus on the raising of animals within the agricultural industry, Farm to Fridge focuses on what happens during the process and slaughtering of animals, especially in the poultry, pork, and fish industries. Though Americans have an understanding of where their food comes from, many Americans do not understand the horrific methods used to slaughter and package meat so it looks neat and pretty on the grocery store shelf. Farm to Fridge filmmaker, Academy Award Nominee, James Cromwell, used hidden cameras to create this 12-minute short. Viewers can get an in-depth look at how the animals are treated during slaughter.

4) Cock Fight (2015)

Focusing entirely on the chicken agricultural industry, Cock Fight follows farmer Craig Watts as he journeys into the commercial chicken industry, blowing the whistle on the cheap methods most major chicken farmers use to raise and slaughter their meat. He focuses on the little farmer, like him, who live below the poverty level most years because they cannot bring in enough income as the result of these large corporations. The focus of this documentary is the relationship between the chicken farmers and the large corporations who own the breeds and treat the farmers like indentured servants. He then takes viewers on a tour of the chicken farming industry, exposing the conditions farmers are forced to raise their chickens in. You can watch this documentary on the Fusion channel (lineup info).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b9yhm3FfSM&list=PLxd0bZ1RXEzsi8TVh1myttJV1vD2ezZDx

5) Food, Inc. (2008)

One of the films that inspired many of the others on this list, Food, Inc. was one of the first glimpses the American public had into the world of food production. The 94-minute film focuses on the bigger picture of the agricultural industry. Chicken breasts have gotten plumper, pork chops and steaks have grown in size, and tomatoes have gotten larger and firmer — all thanks to chemicals, genetically modified seeds, and hormones. The film looks at both the animal and plant-based sides of agriculture and widens the scope to include the business side of the food industry and the major corporations and fast food companies who run the show. This documentary is currently on Netflix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0

With the recent popularity of food related documentaries, some of the worst parts of the animal processing industry that Americans were all too happy to ignore are now being brought to light. These documentaries not only shed light on the dubious business practices of meat corporations and inadequate safety standards, they also educate viewers on how they can make a difference — from the comfort of their own couch.