Inside Factory Farms: Where Does Your Food Come From

By Nathan Young on May 7, 2015

UPDATE: This post written by Beth Kelly

So, this post will be talking about where our food comes from. As you know, we have seen the scandals from McDonald’s where contaminated chicken was used for their products. It’s not just fast-food places, even chicken and turkey farms are having problems with the bird flu. Factory farms are bad news for animals, people and the planet. Overpopulated with animals that suffer brutal mistreatment, factory farms are far from the humane open grazing grounds that food companies show in advertisements.

These facilities pump animals full of hormones and subject them to pesticide-soaked feed, and consumers are duped into buying the meat in markets worldwide. With the extreme density of animal populations in factory farms, these businesses are also among the most damaging sources of pollution causing global warming and destroying the purity of our soil, air and water. There are a lot of great documentaries that discuss this problem, and offer some solutions for people interested in buying safer, healthier meat and more locally-grown fruits and vegetables.

Indigestible: The Film

Released in 2014, this documentary covers everything from the abuse of animals in factory farms to the pollution of the environment and worsening of public health caused by the industry. The film also shows how young people know so little about the origins of the meat they consume. Several experts in animal welfare, environmental stewardship and public health are consulted to emphasize the far-reaching consequences of choosing cheap meat.

Cock Fight

This bold documentary takes viewers into a factory farm chicken coop, where hundreds upon hundreds of birds are confined for the majority of their short lives. Craig Watts allowed cameras into his farm and on his land after deciding he’d had enough of suffering abuses at the hands of the corporate food industry. In the United States, 71% of chicken farmers live below the poverty line. Produced by the independent Fusion network (find out more here), this documentary will make viewers question the human impact of factory farming, as Watts and his family struggle to find a way out of the system.

What’s For Dinner

This film was released in 2014 and explores many of the issues that consumers do not regularly consider about the sources of low-cost meat. Filmed in China, the documentary takes a deep look at how livestock production in the country is changing in response to increased demand for animal products. Dangerous chemicals contained in the meat and pollution caused by the farms are focal points of this film, but Chinese vegetarian cuisine is also spotlighted to show that healthy, affordable, ecologically sound alternatives are available.

Cowspiracy

No stone is left unturned in this 2014 documentary, which looks at the ecological issues caused by factory farming and the disturbing lack of action from our national government and even environmental organizations toward creating solutions. Contrasts between the beliefs of consumers and the ways in which they spend their money are examined, illustrating a shocking dichotomy with consequences for the entire world. Viewers will see how everyone’s actions contribute towards the big picture and learn that everyone, even many vegans and vegetarians, can change their ways to make more of a difference for the environment.

Food, Inc.

This infamous documentary, released in 2008, shows viewers an uncensored look into the horrific environments where modern food is produced. Along the way, viewers meet farmers who focus on local, natural food production and learn about the advantages this way of eating has over the cheap, chemical-laced animal products produced by factory farms. In addition to revealing many secrets of corporate food production, the film shows how eating organic produce can serve health on an individual level and worldwide. This Oscar winning documentary is widely credited as being the catalyst in the current movement to know exactly where our food comes from.