Truth Farmer

This is a guest post from Maria Ramos about some films that are important for fully understanding some pretty unpleasant issues with the food supply.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily in line with my thinking on all things, but I do think that it is important for people to understand that a lot of heinous things go into cheap food production. I do not support animal rights groups, but I also do not support inhumane treatment of animals. Generally, those who own and raise their own meat, eggs and dairy products, and then sell the excess to others, treat their stock with decency and dignity as the well being of the livestock is paramount to their own well being.

I must extend my sincere apologies to Maria as after a rewrite or two this fell through the cracks in my life and I failed to post it. While it is no excuse, I have been largely consumed with a spiraling vortex of equipment failures and my seriously ailing father.

Without further adieu:

Factory Farming Documentaries You Should Watch

To the average consumer, factory farms are not really even on the radar. To some, they are merely places in where food is made. Too often, not much thought is given to the processes used to produce our food. However, in recent years, a number of documentaries have shined a light on the appalling state of these factory farms, from the impact they have on the environment and consumers to the cruelty often inflicted on these food animals. The following five films are a must-watch for those who are concerned about factory farming and the methods often used to provide us with food.

Vegucated (2011)

Although this documentary has its comedic moments, Vegucated takes a serious look at the factory farming industry. In this film, three meat-eating New Yorkers agree to eat a vegan diet for six weeks. While the allure of better health and a smaller waistline is enticing to the trio, they soon discover the horrifying conditions under which food animals are raised, and learn it’s possible to make change in the world through the foods we choose.

Indigestible: The Film (2014)

This documentary showcases the cruel conditions under which animals are too often being raised. As is explained in this short film, many people don’t even realize what happens to animals at factory farms — if they did, it would be difficult to continue eating meat. Thanks to hard-hitting footage and informative interviews with a variety of animal rights, environmental and agricultural experts, Indigestible exposes the truth. In order to have cheap meat, we all pay a much higher price in health, the environment and the devaluation of life.

Cock Fight (2015)

Cock Fight from the Fusion Network (check here for listings) is the story of small-time farmer Craig Watts, a man who decided to blow the whistle on the poultry industry. In this documentary, Watts takes a reporter inside the secret world of today’s corporate chicken farms and exposes horrifying conditions. In recent months, Watts filed a complaint against Perdue Farms — accusing them of intimidation. Apparently, the film hit a nerve with “Big Chicken,” perhaps due to its shocking expose of inhumane confinement techniques and rampant animal abuse, despite Perdue’s claims that their chickens are humanely raised (something that’s been challenged in the past).

Dirty Birds: A Story of Chickens in America (2015)

Following along the same lines of Cock Fight (and also featuring farmer Craig Watts), Dirty Birds is a PBS documentary about the poultry farming industry in the United States. This film exposes the suffering chickens undergo when raised in factories for the poultry industry. Chickens are shown limping, nearly devoid of all their feathers, packed into crowded confinement — far from the image most people have of most chicken farms.

From Farm to Fridge (2011)

Although this Mercy for Animals short film is only twelve minutes long, that’s all it takes to expose the horrifying conditions of industrial livestock production. The chickens, pigs, and cows used for food are subjected to a multitude of atrocities at the hands of workers, which is what this documentary aims to stop.

All of the documentaries on this list should be viewed by those who care how food is created. While the images you’ll see are not pleasant or easy to watch, they are often the reality under which factory farms are producing food.

If you are interested in getting quality meat, milk, and quality eggs, you must support your local farmers. If you aren’t already in touch with local farmers, go to http://www.eatwild.org or http://www.farmmatch.com and take control of your food, and therefore your health and the ability for more people to get and produce real food, with real integrity.