Yoga, Food, Inc. Book Overview

Bob Crowther highlights the titles, authors of chapters in the book, Food, Inc.

He also notes the contributions of others that has facilitated public awareness about the organization and operation of the major corporations overseeing our food industry. 

We have been informed from the publication of many books investigating various topics including food production, processing, marketing and distribution practices.

My comments below focus on Food, Inc. - a companion book to a film that initiated considerable discussion and debate on significant food industry issues still relevant today. 

Expansion of Film Documentary

During 2008 a documentary film, Food, Inc., directed by Robert Kenner and narrated by Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan, was released - it examined aspects of corporate (industrial) food practices in the United States.  

This film continued to focus on and extend some subjects discussed in the books - Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (2001) and Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan (2006) - providing commentary on the production of:

• meat (beef, pork, chicken): animal treatment, processing, economics, environmental impact
• vegetables (corn, soy) and grains: chemical treatments, genetic manipulations,  environmental consequences 

It also addressed food safety, food health concerns and food industry regulations.

As with Schloser's book, this film generated wide interest among the public. 

Among many questions raised was the following: How can we make changes to long established industrial food operations to establish more sustainable food supplies within our nation and the international community?

A companion book edited by Karl Weber, Food, Inc. How Industrial Food is Making us Sicker, Fatter and Poorer - And What You Can Do About It (2009) provided an opportunity to address this and other issues through essays organized in three sections.

I have reproduced below the names of well known individuals and representatives of various organizations with informative yet often diverse perspectives for your consideration: 

#1 "Food Inc.: The Film" - two chapters, issues:

• Conversations with Eric Schlosser - "Reforming Fast Food Nation" and Robert Kenner - "Exploring the Corporate Powers Behind the Way We Eat: The Making of Food, Inc."
• Food & Water Watch, "Food Safety Consequences of Factory Farms";  "Food Sovereignty for U.S. Consumers"

#2  "Inside the Food Wars" - six chapters, focus:

• Gary Hirshberg, "Organics - Healthy Food, and So Much More"; Humane Society of the United States, "The Dirty Six: The Worst Animal Practices in Agribusiness"
• Peter Pringle, "Food, Science, and the Challenge of World Hunger - Who Will Control The Future?"; Ronnie Cummins, Organic Consumers Association, "Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods and Crops:Why We Need A Global Moratorium"
• Robert Bryce, "The Ethanol Scam; Burning Food To Make Motor Fuel"; Organic Consumer Association, "Exposure to Pesticides: A Fact Sheet"
• Anna Lappe' "The Climate Crisis at the End of Our Fork"; Cool Foods Campaign, "Global Warming and Your Food"
• Arturo Rodriguez,others "Cheap Food: Workers Pay The Price"; Pesticide Action Network North America, "Fields of Poison: California Farmworkers and Pesticides"
• Muhammad Yunus, "The Financial Crisis and World Hunger"; FoodFirst Information and Action Network, "The Scope of the World Food Crisis"

#3 " What You Can Do About It" - five chapters, topics:

• Michael Pollan, "Why Bother"; American Community Gardening Association, "Ten Steps to Starting a Community Garden"
• Joel Salatin, "Declare Your Independence"; Sustainable Table, "Questions for a Farmer"
• Marion Nestle, "Eating Made Simple"; Sheri White Nelson, "World Hunger - Your Actions Matter"
• Center for Science in the Public Interest, "Improving Kids' Nutrition: An Action Tool Kit For Parents"; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, "Childhood Obesity: The Challenge"
• Preston Maring, "Produce to the People: A Prescription for Health"

The wide ranging topics presented in the book, Food, Inc., continues to be significant in 2014 as our society deals with the increasingly negative health consequences from corporate food industry practices, operations over many decades.

Contact

Bob Crowther

774-272-5760

bob@bobcrowther.com

My intent by citing the authors and titles of the various essays in this book is to facilitate your efforts to find out more details - to become better informed and aware of the many critical food issues we face as a nation.

Take the opportunity to read and investigate further subjects of interest. 

Bob knows of two women in his role as a yoga instructor - both passionate gardeners - that might find several of these essays of interest.

Recent articles on toxic food products and some concerns about two of our government agencies (the USDA/FDA) will be the focus of a future topic.

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