Sample movie review on america revealed: food machine

My first impression of America’s food system after watching America Revealed: Food Machine was amazement. I was amazed and awed by how much Americans eat and how the farming industry has tried to cope with this need – and successfully, too. However, I guess that saying that the farming industry has coped successfully is quite questionable in that while it does effectively and efficiently meet the dietary needs of Americans, as well as of people from other countries, it doesn’t come without a price.
Watching the video made me realize how powerful technology is. This is very evident in California Central Valley and in the corn fields in Kansas where technologies in the forms of irrigation and pesticides have turned barren lands into productive fields. I’m amazed at how productive they are that the farms in these two states alone are able to supply corn and other produce to majority of the states in America. I was also surprised at how much corn is used and needed in the production of various kinds of food products, not only for humans but even for animals. Indeed, Americans consume so much food that the farming industry is forced to stretch its resources to meet these needs. Food manufacturers also play a role in this in that they find ways to manufacture different types of food products that the consumers will crave for; thus, increasing the demand for food even more.
Although industrialized farming has done a great job at supplying food for the county, it may not exactly be giving people the best and healthiest food. For example, the genetically modified corns and the “ artificially bred” cattle may have chemicals that are harmful for human health. Industrialized farming also stretches the use of natural resources, such as the bees that are used for pollination, the water that is used for irrigation, and the people who are needed for harvesting and delivering the produce. In this sense, I can say that technology isn’t perfect as it still requires the use of natural resources, which ironically, it also destroys in the process. For example, water might run out because of the mass production that occurs. The bees also die possibly from pollinating flowers that have been sprayed with harsh chemicals.
In this regard, the organic way of farming may be a healthier option. The green revolution has come about as a way to provide alternatives to industrialization and technology use. This involves the use of natural ways for growing crops and animals, that is, using natural fertilizers for growing crops and feeding cattle with grass. Undoubtedly, this will result in healthier food products as the crops won’t be sprayed with toxic chemicals and the animals will not be fed with artificial food supplements. People can also grow their own crops and care for animals even in their own homes. However, the disadvantage of this is that it might not be able to cope with the nation’s great demand for food. It will not be able to produce as much as industrialized faming does, which may result in food prices increasing and people becoming hungry.
In this regard, industrialized farming and the use of technology may still be our best bet for now. However, I remain optimistic that technology and mankind will still be able to repair all the damage that has been done while still being able to provide food for the people. As asserted in the video, the field of agriculture continues to evolve and I am inclined to think that changes are occurring even at this moment. As such, I am looking forward to the time when green technology will become the key player in the mass production of food products.