Food Inc. and Commentary

Many public television stations aired the documentary, Food Inc. over the course of the last few weeks. The film has spawned a variety of conversations about our food system. One particularly informative debate was broadcast on a Special Edition of An Iowa Journal. Recognizing the importance of agriculture to the state of Iowa, the episode challenged some of the criticisms of our food system expressed in Food Inc.


Although it could be argued that the host should have been more neutral rather than taking on a defense of Iowa agriculture, there was important information provided. Two agricultural experts were invited to reflect on the film. Agricultural law scholar Neil Hamilton, Dwight D. Opperman chair of law at Drake University and Director of the Drake Agricultural Law Center and Craig Lang, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation offered commentary, often providing different perspectives for plotting the future of a successful and sustainable U.S. agriculture.

This special edition of Iowa Journal provides a helpful forum for a discussion of the myriad of agricultural and food law issues presented in Food Inc. It is available for online viewing on the Iowa Public Television website.