Entry#7: Fresh

“Fresh (2009).” YouTube, YouTube, 30 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=kETHvTPD6Uw. 

                                                                 Fresh (2009)

This past weekend I was assigned to watch Fresh, an Humanitarian documentary released in 2009 that features the food industry and the agricultural crisis happening inside monopolized factories. The film depicts the authentic nature inside GMO and antibiotic- free farms, taking stories from farmers who express their concerns against the modern warfare against bacterial outbreaks and pesticides within the agricultural industry. Initially while watching the movie I thought it would go deeper into depth about specific fast food industries who typically used chemically induced products on its menu but it was reassuring to see the film mostly focused on the production behind the scenes past the industrial unit and onto the farms. Generally with such a large amount of stories about food being called back due to an outbreak, farmers tend to face a ton of backlash about their products. It's quite nice to see people taking the initiative to change the narrative and placing the blame on the people who rightfully deserve it. In this situation those people are the food franchises that are forcing farmers to fit fast production standards on their livestock. Yes this strategy keeps meat stocked on the shelves but in the process, its providing humans with meat that's been pumped with stabilizers. The audience for this film goes to any consumer who eats anything that is produced in a factory. What stood out to me the most was the raw footage included in this documentary. It didn’t feel overly edited and there wasn’t any dramatization. The actors were actual farmers themselves  while the producers and directors remained behind the camera. It's important for more films to document agricultural practices because it's important to know what food you are eating and the possible herbicides you could be ingesting. The most glaring issue is the prevalence of highly processed and unhealthy foods that are laden with excessive sugar, salt, and artificial additives. These products often contribute to the alarming rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related health problems.These chemicals that are going into animals are also going into the people who eat those things which means both animals and humans could be having an reaction to these antibiotics and can be the reasoning behind why humanity is dying at an alarming rate. Obesity levels are constantly rising as less healthy alternatives leave the shelves and artificial products replace them. With documentaries like Fresh, hopefully the food industry will address the challenges they are facing inorder to create a more sustainable and healthier future for both consumers and the planet.