Food, Inc. Discussion Guide - TakePart

c h a p t e r 8The VeilS y n o p s i s o f F i l m C h a p t e rIn this chapter, Food, Inc. explores why consumers are unawareof the details of how food is processed and what it contains.The film describes some of the measures taken by businessesand lobbies to protect the image of their products, to holdonto intellectual property, and to avoid providing more detailedlabels or warnings on their food products. It points out someconnections between government regulators and agribusinessand suggests that these connections affect the regulation ofthe food industry. It also shows the seed cleaner (introducedin the previous chapter) defending himself in a lawsuit broughtby Monsanto for “inducing farmers to break the patent law”through his seed cleaning business.R U N N I N G T I M E : 7 : 5 9 m i n u t e sB a c k g r o u n d I n f o r m at i o nFood is a huge industry, with Americans spending over $1.5 trillion a year onfood. 1 Since there is so much at stake, it is perhaps not surprising that foodcorporations—from agribusinesses to food processors to retailers—do everythingin their power to maximize earnings. As described in other film chapters,1 Plunkett Research (2008). Food industry overview, 2008. http://www.plunkettresearch.com/Industries/FoodBeverageTobacco/FoodBeverageTobaccoStatistics/tabid/248/Default.aspx.7 9F o o d , I n c . D I S C U S S I O N G U I D E© P a r t i c i p a n t M e d i a