(Institute Affiliation)
Ethics is an integral part for any organization as all organizations deal with human beings. Ethical theories are put in place by the system so as to protect human and animal rights. This paper discusses the ethical theories that are prevalent in the agriculture and food industry. The purpose of this ethical code of conduct is to protect the animals, the workers and the consumers. There are regulatory bodies such the FDA and the USDA that were set up to ensure that the companies followed a particular code of conduct. The paper analyzes the popular documentary Food Inc which was produced in 2008.
The documentary Food Inc, addresses the health quotient of processed food while bringing to the fore the hidden truths about large conglomerates that are dealing with processed foods. The documentary begins by focusing on the harsh conditions that the animals are kept in before being slaughtered. It then goes on to highlight how most of the food we eat is processed or genetically modified to lower costs and speed the process in order to earn more money. For example, the food of the chickens is infused with antibiotics that speeds up their growth process and also increases them in size. This speedy growth does not allow for their organs to develop and the excess meat (that is the weight) of the chicken leads to premature death. The documentary points out how these big companies which supply meat to fast food organization have full control over the farming process as well as over the produce. The author questions if this mistreatment of animals is truly ethical. Also, the author brings to the fore that the companies hide this fact from the consumers as all packaged foods claim to be farm fresh where in reality it is produced mechanically.
The documentary then takes up the issue of various diseases that spread because of the mechanization process and the mistreatment of animals in the food industry. The case study of Kevin (a two year old boy who died of E Coli) is referred to, to bring about awareness among the consumers of how companies produce the beef and pork which may be contaminated. Through the story of Kevin the documentary is trying to provoke the viewers about questioning the safety issues of the food they eat. All it says is that the consumer of food should ask where the food is coming from, how it is produced and whether it is safe to eat the food. This addresses the fact that the companies have an obligation towards the consumers, that is, the label should include all information about where and how the food is produces.
In the last segment of the documentary the economic and legal power such as food labeling, profitability of produce based on cheap contaminated food and the usage of petroleum based products such as fertilizers and pesticides in brought to the fore. While the documentary speaks of the regulations of the FDA and the USDA, but at the same time, questions the true power of these regulatory systems. The documentary states that while these authorities were set up to protect the consumers the reality is different as the authorities of these regulatory organizations are usually people belonging to the upper management (on the board of directors) of the very same production companies they are trying to regulate.
The documentary not only shoes the dark side of the agriculture and food industry but provides a solution for the problem. It shows interviews of farmers who have moved out of this mechanized money making system and it is these farmers who believe that the solution is to go back to natural agricultural processes and reduce the dependency on mechanized processes. The author reinforces the fact that it while the consumer may doubt their power to revolutionize the industry the reality is that the consumer creates the demand and companies will have to produce accordingly if they need to meet this demand. The thought left behind at the end of the film is that, if the consumer changes their demand wherein they insist of fresh and organic produce then the companies are forced to provide such products to the consumers. For example, Wal-Mart acquires organic farms in order to meet supply the consumers so that the demand is met. This film marked the beginning of a food revolution which got people to question these industrialized companies.
The purpose of the film maker is to reveal the hidden truths about the food we eat. The film questions the safety issue of food production by examining the corporate farming companies. The question is well stated in the film through case studies and interviews with various people involved in the system such as the farmers, the workers, the consumers and the regulatory authorities. These interviews provide relevant evidence an information from various aspects of the system which gives the viewer a three sixty perspective about the situation. In the film the ethical concepts that can be traced seen are:
- Moral Universalism
This theory is defined as the extent to which organizations go to, to apply moral values and rules of fairness for people and animals. The documentary shows that the companies are morally obliged to work for the welfare of their workers and consumers but it is quite the contrary. This is evident through the farmer interviews where they are unhappy about the way the companies try and control the farming techniques which actually works against the interest of the consumers. Through the interviews we see how the employment of illegal immigrants is encouraged so that they don’t question the system but when it comes to their security and welfare, the company does nothing. With respect to animal rights, the documentary shows how the companies in order to maximize profitability violate animal rights as the chickens, cows and pigs are reared in extremely harsh conditions which lead to production of unsafe food. Another ethical violation brought forth is the right to information which the companies deny to the consumers by hiding the truth behind the process of food production.
- Virtue ethics
Virtue ethics is defined as the emphasis on the role of one’s character and virtues in the process of determining or evaluating ethical behavior. In the case of the documentary, the theory of virtue ethics can be applied to the companies processing packaged food products. Here, the companies choose to highlight or hide certain truths about themselves depending on their convenience. For example, companies market their meats and vegetable products as farm fresh but they leave out the truth about the actual process of food production. This way the consumer is led to believe that the food is healthy and safe to consume whereas in reality they are unaware about the pesticides sprayed on the crops, the antibiotics used to fatten chickens, the corn starch used in all food items and the genetically modified fruits and vegetables. This ethical approach in fact leads violators of moral conduct to believe that they are protecting the interest of the consumers by sharing half truths.
- Consequentialism
Consequentialism is when consequences determine the judgment of the morality of one’s rightness and wrongness. In the film, the film maker portrays the consequences of mechanized farming in the packaged foods industry. Since the consequences lead to cases of ill health and outbreak of epidemics such as salmonella and E Coli, the film maker points out that the practices of the companies in the industry is wrong. There is a segment in the film which addresses how the companies begin to lose their reputation and credibility because of them having to recall their food products due to contamination. By reiterating the number of deaths caused due to food contamination the film maker shows how the unethical ways of the system finally uncovers the harsh truths. The consequences are considered as wrong through the interview of the farmers where they state that mechanized processes are bad and natural food manufacturing processes is the right thing. This is further reiterated with the case of Wal-mart acquiring organic farms which shows that they believed that processed foods need to be flushed out of the system and that organic food should be introduced to consumers so as to promote healthy eating habits.
The above concepts are hinted at by the film maker and it seems like he is n a mission to expose the system so as to bring about a revolution in the industry.
Reference List
- De Jonge and Van Trijp. “The Impact of Broiler Production System Practices on Consumer Perception of Animal Welfare”. www.oxfordjournals.org. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.
- “Ethical Issues Relating to the Food Industry”. www.methodist.org.uk. Web 07 Dec. 2014.
- Gonzalez, Elsa. “Defining a Post-Conventional Corporate Moral Responsibility”. Journal of Business Ethics (2002). Web. 07 Dec. 2014
- Grimm, Herwig. “Ethical Issues in Agriculture”. Interdisciplinary and Sustainability Issues in Food and Agriculture, Vol. 1. Web. 07 Dec. 2014
- Kenner, Robert. “Food Inc”.
- Schwartz, Shalom H. “Universalism Values and Inclusiveness of our Moral Universe”. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
