Nail: Make your food votes count by shopping local

I will never think about the food I eat in the same way again. Ever.

The documentary “Food Inc.” delves into our food system in a way that is intriguing and easy to understand. It explains how agriculture and food policies dictate the state of our flawed food system from seed to supermarket, covering topics of food-borne illnesses, factory farming, nutritional labeling and the control that a few companies have over the food industry. Watching it has forever changed the way my family eats.

Many of you may have already viewed “Food Inc.,” a 2008 film by Robert Kenner. It is a must-see if you haven’t already watched it. The documentary investigates why we have new strains of E. coli that sicken an average 73,000 Americans annually; how our government (not the farmers) is letting us down by subsidizing crops that contribute to obesity rather than healthful eating; and what is in most of our food and how it is produced. Here are a few facts from the film:

In the 1970s, the top five beef packers controlled about 25 percent of the market. Today, the top four control more than 80 percent of the market.

In 1998, the U.S. Department of Agriculture implemented microbial testing for salmonella and E. coli 0157h7 so that if a plant repeatedly failed these tests, the USDA could shut down the plant. After being taken to court by the meat and poultry associations, the USDA no longer has that power.

In 1972, the Food and Drug Administration conducted 50,000 food safety inspections. In 2006, the FDA conducted only 9,164.

The modern supermarket now has, on average, 47,000 products, the majority of which is being produced by only a handful of food companies.

Seventy percent of processed foods have some genetically modified ingredient.

Corn products are found in ketchup, cheese, Twinkies, batteries, peanut butter, Cheez-Its, salad dressings, Coke, jelly, Sweet & Low, syrup, juice, Kool-Aid, charcoal, diapers, Motrin, meat and fast food.

“Food Inc.” is an eye opener into how large companies and government have changed the food we consume. Secretly, I wish I didn’t know some of what is revealed by the filmmakers. Ignorance really is bliss when it comes to the food we eat today. It was a little hard not to feel discouraged by the state of our food system. But, by the end of the documentary, I felt empowered with my newfound knowledge. We can affect change by wielding our purchase power.

Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Farm, put it into perspective.

“The irony is that the average consumer does not feel very powerful. They think that they are the recipients of whatever industry has put there for them to consume,” Hirshberg said in the film. “Trust me, it’s the exact opposite. Those businesses spend billions of dollars to tally our votes. When we run an item past the supermarket scanner, we’re voting.”

Hirshberg’s organic yogurt business went from a seven-cow operation to the No. 3 yogurt provider in the country, attracting the attention of Walmart, which now carries his brand.

Our food system should be a subject that everyone — regardless of political preferences, religious beliefs or general apathetic approach toward national issues — should pay attention to and take action. Everyone has to eat. Shouldn’t we know what it is that we are eating, how it is made and where it is produced?

It is much easier to consume foods that contribute to the problems in our food system or to turn a blind eye. If my parents taught me anything, it’s that doing things the easy way isn’t always the best way. We are fortunate to live in the Midwest where farms are plentiful, and with a little effort, we can find producers of healthy, local foods. The Sedalia Area Farmers’ Market provides a place to find fresh produce and locally produced products twice a week. The market even accepts EBT food stamps to make healthy, local foods affordable to everyone.

I have started making my votes count by shopping local and organic. Watching “Food Inc.” and forming your own opinion of our national food system is a good place to start. Then begin “voting” by buying products you know are good for you and reflect the type of food system our country deserves.

Find out more about the movie at foodincmovie.com.