Food, Inc. 2

The impact of the USA's food industrial complex is profound on global health, climate change and wealth inequality. Food Inc (1 & 2) expose Big Food for what it is; a profit driven industry that produces more food than is needed and an ever greater appetite to consume it, all the time driving up profits and market share. This is not to be conflated with the vegan versus omnivore argument, although the solution is to return to a whole foods, plant based diet. Instead, Inc 2 makes the case for a regulations and consumer led paradigm shift in attitudes against ultra processed foods and a return to a healthier population and planet.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's likely director Robert Kenner and producer Melissa Robledo assumed their Oscar nominated documentary FOOD INC (2008) would generate change and improvement in what we eat and how our food supply works. To some extent they were correct, yet here we are 16 years later, and Kenner and Robledo are back with FOOD INC 2, this time as co-directors, to emphasize the dangers of having a few mega-corporations in control of what we eat.

That first documentary has been described as the beginning of "the food movement", and it's true that many people have improved their diet by focusing on more natural and organic food sources, and depending less on fast food and processed items. However, it's also true that mergers and acquisitions have allowed food suppliers to get bigger and more powerful over those years ... and the Pandemic contributed as well. That first film highlighted our overdependency on corn products, and has led to more local farmers markets and more organic offerings (although still at elevated prices).

This second film informs us that the pandemic exposed just how delicate (and wobbly) our system is. Supermarket shelves sat empty while farmers destroyed crops and animals. The filmmakers hope this film will be a catalyst for closer inspection on how the mega-food companies are controlling what we eat, with a focus on profits rather than nutrition. Author and journalist Michael Pollan and "Fast Food Nation" author Eric Schlosser are back to lend their knowledge and expertise and concerns. The concern regards monopolies within the various food segments.

Discussion is held regarding President Trump issuing a 2020 executive order citing the Defense Production Act to keep meat packer plants open despite COVID outbreaks. It's reported here that most of the meat was shipped to China, but U. S. corporate greed and profits remained intact, although no concrete data is provided. Mostly they call for anti-trust laws to be enforced.

Specifics are provided in the various food segments. The filmmakers take us to Immokalee, Florida where mistreatment of migrant workers is the story; Iowa, where the Tyson plant COVID outbreaks are detailed; Wisconsin, where the dairy industry is mentioned; back to Iowa where crops and soil issues are identified; New Jersey, where US Senator Cory Booker of the Agriculture committee is interviewed; and Montana, where US Senator Jon Tester speaks from experience. The demise of family farms is a by-product of the mergers and trend toward bigger, and the most frightening aspect is in regards to "ultra-processed foods" ... those with additives and artificial sweeteners. These are the driving force behind diabetes, obesity, and other diseases ... and the changes in Brazil diets are especially telling on the last point.

The value in this documentary from Kenner and Robledo is in the information and details. We learn that the big companies are investing in alternative meat and food (such as Impossible Burger), while at the same time taking advantage of research and data focused on sweetness and calories. Foods from science labs may be our future, right along with innovation in "weird" farming sustainability (Stockcropper) and kelp fishing/harvesting in Connecticut. Farm-to-table school lunches in Camden, New Jersey provide us some hope, and we learn about the conflicts with the Fair Food Program and labor relations.

There are no easy answers when billions of people on the globe must be fed. What we must demand is that efforts in the field go towards nutrition and sustainability, and not just profits for a few mega-companies.

Special theater screening on April 9, 2024 and on Digital beginning April 12, 2024.

When I started watching this I thought "well this is good. I'm glad to see someone talking about this". However as the documentary progressed I found myself very frustrated. This is clearly done to promote a vegetarian lifestyle and this is not the answer. We should be looking at the real culprits which are seed oils, sugar and ultra processed foods and the lobbyists that work for the large corporations. These are the cause of diabetes and many other medical issues. Additionally I'm surprised to see that such a well thought out documentary is continuing the use of unfounded data around methane, climate change, and cows.

Our lives depend on healthy food. I believe it's imperative to watch the new documentary Food, Inc. 2 to learn about our food supply system one bite at a time by watching this informative and thought provoking film. You and your family can move forward by making choices to work toward a healthier future which is certainly my goal.

Food, Inc. 2 is an update to 2008's Food, Inc. Which was a groundbreaking Oscar®-nominated expose on the multinational corporations that control our food supply. There has been more consolidation in the food industry since 2008 and Food, Inc. 2 explores how our values should impact our food choices. This documentary emphasizes the anti-trust and monopoly issues encountered in our agricultural system. It highlights the profits of capitalism versus the sustainability of nature and how this directly affects the quality and nutrition of our food. In addition, the movie makes the point that the agricultural labor force is essential, but is often treated as disposable.

Corporate profits have risen at the expense of both consumers and rural America's farming communities. There are definitely concerns for future soil and water quality which impact our food's nutritional value as well as the effect they have on individuals and our communities. I value the information shared by Senators Cory Booker and Jon Tester as they work to improve access to healthy food and to support our farmers. The documentary is also interesting when it chronicles the food additives which affect our taste and metabolism. Most other countries don't have so many highly processed foods and the multinational corporations are looking to change that in their zeal to increase corporate profits. Perhaps there will be added cooperation with international partners on finding ways to improve nutrition and agriculture globally in the future. I really enjoyed learning about the innovative farmers working to improve our food supply from the ground up or, in the case of a kelp farmer, by charting a new course in food supply. I learned a great deal from all of the interviews and contributors to this project and hope that, in the future, there will be more information available to us concerning the impact on health and our healthcare system tied to nutritional and environmental concerns.

Food, Inc. Was released the year I was born and this new documentary, Food, Inc. 2 will hopefully provide further food for thought for a new generation or for those who missed the original film. There may be some viewers who feel that there is not enough differentiation between the original documentary and the new update but this makes it palatable for those of us who haven't watched the original to understand the overview of the food industry and to inspire us so that hopefully our food supply can improve by replicating better standards and not from further consolidation.

Food, Inc. 2 gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me and I recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. This documentary releases in theaters for special screenings on April 9, 2024 and will then be available on digital April 12, 2024. By Selene W., KIDS FIRST!

The film strongly criticizes ultra-processed foods, yet paradoxically it praises Impossible Burgers, completely ignoring the fact that these burgers are also ultra-processed products. Throughout most interviews, the documentary prominently features pro-vegetarian voices who praise fast food chains such as Wendy's for their recent efforts in offering plant-based meat alternatives. Additionally, the documentary highlights Mexico's progressive food labeling regulations, which aim to inform consumers about unhealthy food components. However, overall, the film feels quite one-sided and misses a valuable opportunity to include a broader range of perspectives, including those from the food industry and everyday consumers, rather than focusing solely on vegetarians.