Boise News

Your local online source

Follow NewWest on Twitter

Boise Contributors

Community Bloggers


The State of Local Food with Dean Williamson

Food For Your Brain

Criticism of the American industrial food system continues to grow.

By Dean Williamson, 6-08-09

Michael Pollan started it, at least on the national scale it has reached today . . .  and the criticism of the American industrial food system continues to grow.  That’s good news, I would think, for everyone.  More information means we can make better and better-educated decisions, in this case, about what we eat.  And, what’s more important than what we put into our bodies?

Information and revelations like Pollan’s may mean that we think twice before heading for a fast food drive-through, but then, what’s wrong with thinking twice?

And, so it is today, that the attack on the American industrial food system continues, with the release of a new documentary:  Food, Inc.  For a review of the film, check out what the New York Times has to say.

Food, Inc. has a limited release, so don’t rush out to the theater just yet.

But combine these with King Corn and the Future of Food , and Super Size Me, and there are enough food films to make you consider never eating again—at least, never eating food produced from the industrial process.

While we’re touting information, I highly recommend Fast Food Nation, an unflinching look at every aspect of the fast food industry, from the harrowing slaughterhouses to the marketing campaigns . . . well worth your time

Of course, there is the Bible of food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, a riveting look at the ethics and consequences of the way we eat---and an unapologetic call to know what you are putting into your body.

What all these have in common is an urgent call to reveal what is in the food that we are eating. Sure, there will be lots of outcry, especially from big food producers, but those are largely the sounds of fear and paranoia—that their practices are being exposed for the unethical, unhealthy, unsustainable house of cards that they are.

As usual, local is the way.  Know your farmer—know your food.



Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.

Back to the NewWest Boise page

Comments

Add your comment below

By Kitty, 6-09-09
By Wayne Shoemaker, 6-10-09
By matavils, 10-13-09

Comment Policy

NewWest.Net encourages robust and lively, but civil participation from our readers. By posting here, you agree to the NewWest.Net terms of service. You agree to keep your comments on topic, respectful and free of gratuitous profanity. Contributions that engage in personal attacks, racism, sexism, bigotry, hatred or are otherwise patently offensive will be subject to removal.

Other than using a filter that scans for comment spam, we do not moderate contributions before they are posted and we do not review every thread, so we ask that you help us in keeping the discussions civil and appropriate. Please email info@newwest.net to notify us of comments that may violate these guidelines. Thanks for your help and cooperation. Click here for some tips on how to best interact on NewWest.Net.

Your Comment

Name

Email

Remember my name and email address.

Notify me of follow-up comments.