"Public relations is essentially about developing and maintaining structured communications with stakeholders important to a business or organisation's operational and financial performance so they continue to support the business in their own ways."
Paul Hemsley
Subscribe to the RSS feed
Food Inc only a point of view
23 June 2009
Food Inc only a point of view

The movie Food Inc will be screened soon in New Zealand. It’s likely to excite a few, exasperate others, and cause many more to think about the future of our food, where it comes from and what the future holds,  especially the growing number among us who have little or no idea about where our food comes from.

This movie will remind us how important it is to consider the origins of what it is we put in our mouths and feed to our children. As such Food Inc should be regarded as part of a wider debate on food production.

From what we’ve seen and read, the movie is based on a brace of conspiracy theories relating to food production ownership and food quality.  The past is portrayed as good and present as a pastoral fantasy.  As always, the truth will be somewhere in the middle.

The film makes the point that today’s food industry bears little resemblance to that of 50 years ago.  That’s probably not a bad thing when we compare the meat freezing companies of New Zealand 50 years ago with those of today. I know the environment I prefer, so there’s no nostalgia there.

There are conspiracies, and some are potentially damaging to New Zealand, such as the romance spun by the food miles lobby.  Food miles are a thinly veiled trade barrier, the major victim of which are the poorer emerging nations.  Food miles are also in the philosophical mix of farmers markets which in most instances are too “rich” for the average punter. The Otara market is more realistic.

The thing to remember with Food Inc is that much of it is about another country, and won’t apply here - after all we can still get meat with bones (as I’m sure you still can in the US).

Parts of the New Zealand food industry have suffered before from imported shows about food.  Jamie Oliver did a huge disservice to our chicken nuggets when he banged on in his school dinners programme about their very different composition in the UK.  Here nuggets took a hit that was not justified.

For those inclined to see Food Inc, remember it is a point of view, not the only view.

www.safefoodinc.org

 

Previous Posts

Is it time to retire the EQC? (21 May 2013)
When a communication breakdown undermines a key relationship (9 May 2013)
Too big to communicate (1 May 2013)
CEOs less trusted- why might that be? (4 March 2013)
Talking is not communicating (21 February 2013)
Cats and postal deliveries (31 January 2013)
The creeping disease of our language – hyperbole (6 December 2012)
Some lessons in media relations (29 November 2012)
Get with it, Mr Cunliffe, porkies are fine (21 November 2012)
Our own enquiry time as Sandy creates havoc (1 November 2012)
Communicating the poverty message (12 October 2012)
Politics, a game for the superhuman – or the Nixon solution (5 October 2012)
The potent weapon of bullying claims (29 August 2012)
All for one and one for all (31 July 2012)
Greenpeace a global business with the eye for the bottom line (26 July 2012)
The script for higher prices is written in the weather (20 July 2012)
A crass publicity stunt (12 July 2012)
Communication support for families in need (5 July 2012)
Descending to the depths of meanness (21 June 2012)
No thanks Minister (18 June 2012)
We’ve got a problem – let the shouting begin! Or is there a better way? (8 June 2012)
Speaking in headlines, merely for headlines (30 May 2012)
Exposés and rebuttals – are we any the wiser? (30 May 2012)
“The government should do something about that…” (7 May 2012)
Another Kiwi world champion (2 May 2012)
An abuse of power (27 April 2012)
Watch that, or I’ll get YouTube on to you (17 April 2012)
A perverse form of logic (16 April 2012)
Celebrity endorsements play to our laziness (29 February 2012)
Keeping their own counsel may be best course of action (22 February 2012)
The tatty remnants of Occupy (26 January 2012)
Media relationships - it’s important to make them work (20 January 2012)
The spirit of communicating (21 December 2011)
Lessons from a “private conversation” (22 November 2011)
Never mind policy, what’s on the tape? (18 November 2011)
Good on you, Vector (2 November 2011)
A cardinal rule of crisis management lies in the dirt (9 June 2011)
Some French madness – surely? (7 June 2011)
Something to tweet about (2 May 2011)
Litany of apologies, but no humility (13 April 2011)
The tendency to editiorialise – knock it off (7 April 2011)
A campaign to help the country... (29 March 2011)
A storm in an outhouse (9 March 2011)
Cyclone Yasi – the new reality TV show (25 February 2011)
New chums in a unique cause (23 November 2010)
Shredding your reputation for a headline (29 October 2010)
Communications shouldn't mean altercation (14 October 2010)
Finding fairness for all victims is what will define us (24 September 2010)
Entire towns are falling off their ladders (30 August 2010)
The age of intolerance (17 August 2010)
There’s news and views. Is responding to an issue with an ad the way to go? (5 August 2010)
How you respond is a measure of your mettle (30 July 2010)
The perplexing topic of food pricing (15 July 2010)
Lying as part of your strategy (9 July 2010)
Never mind the lost productivity. It’s a rich educational experience (23 June 2010)
The revenge of the people with red hair (27 May 2010)
No cure, but other miracles (19 May 2010)
Another tragedy and chorus call for the Government (12 May 2010)
The fashion of rebranding (28 April 2010)
The tale of two media interviews (24 March 2010)
Clear messages from the golden age of advertising (4 March 2010)
Plenty for the Commerce Commission in the holiday homes market (18 February 2010)
A budget for feeding the chooks (4 June 2009)

Add a Comment

Name: (required)
Email: (won't be published, required)
Website:
Comment: *