#7 Fresh

 

Food has always been a staple in survival for humans thru generations and generations. As time progressed food distribution has evolved from simple farming to huge corporations mass-producing everything from produce to bottled water. The movie, Fresh, really deep dives into what is happening in these farming facilities and how things go from the soil onto grocery store shelves. Its purpose is to explore the exploitation of animals and the cheap products used to grow produce. I was already hyper-aware of the corruption happening behind closed doors, but to many, this is a very big eye-opener. This film is projected to educate those who never thought about where their dinner was coming from. Fresh does not hold back on the ugly side of this industry by providing real interviews on both sides of the farming world. It shows the thick line that separates who is farming for the greater good, versus the farmers doing it for the most profit. 

Although I was very hyper-aware of this industry and their cutting corners for more profit, it still educated and managed to shock me with how things are run. This film was very ahead of its time, this film came before the sudden popularity boom of organic and cage-free farming. This film matters because it shows that this is not a newer issue that is being brought to light, this has been an ongoing issue that many have been swept under the rug for the sake of price and convenience. This can no longer be something to be swept under the rug, convenience can only be convenient for so long. It is only a matter of time before health problems arise across the country because of malnourishment caused by cheap food. A farmer in this film states that “real food is not cheap.” His statement puts into perspective how cheaper groceries and fast food are cheap for a reason, it is the additives and preservatives that manage to keep the price so low. The part that stood out to me the most was the food fed to the animals we consume. It was openly stated that the feed that animals in many facilities eat is the dead remains of that same breed of animal. This goes to show that what we are eating does not have the same nutritional value because the animal was in an unhealthy state before being killed, packaged, and sold. Overall this is a film or topic that I feel everyone needs to explore. It is important to know what you are eating and how it got to your dinner table. Food is not something that should be taken for granted, nor should it be negligently be produced.