Michael Pollan

It's the way we've organized the incentives. And we make it very easy for farmers to grow lots of corn and soy, neither of which are foods directly. They have to be processed. This is not corn on the cob we're growing or edamame. These are industrial commodities, raw ingredients. And they get broken down and teased into all those ingredients that become ultra-processed food.

So we're subsidizing the unhealthy calories directly, and we don't have to. And we could, in turn, instead subsidize people who are, you know, pasturing their animals, you know, letting them live outdoors. which produces meat that is more flavorful and more nutritious. Can you do it at the same scale? Well, I think we have to look at that scale. I don't think we want to do it at that scale.

So we're subsidizing the unhealthy calories directly, and we don't have to. And we could, in turn, instead subsidize people who are, you know, pasturing their animals, you know, letting them live outdoors. which produces meat that is more flavorful and more nutritious. Can you do it at the same scale? Well, I think we have to look at that scale. I don't think we want to do it at that scale.

So we're subsidizing the unhealthy calories directly, and we don't have to. And we could, in turn, instead subsidize people who are, you know, pasturing their animals, you know, letting them live outdoors. which produces meat that is more flavorful and more nutritious. Can you do it at the same scale? Well, I think we have to look at that scale. I don't think we want to do it at that scale.

It's just way too much. I mean, meat for most of history has been a luxury food. And we're treating it as a three meals a day food. And that's just not sustainable. I remember reading years ago a study, and I think it was World Watch or somebody, was looking at trends in meat consumption in China, where, of course, they're eager to eat meat at our rates.

It's just way too much. I mean, meat for most of history has been a luxury food. And we're treating it as a three meals a day food. And that's just not sustainable. I remember reading years ago a study, and I think it was World Watch or somebody, was looking at trends in meat consumption in China, where, of course, they're eager to eat meat at our rates.

It's just way too much. I mean, meat for most of history has been a luxury food. And we're treating it as a three meals a day food. And that's just not sustainable. I remember reading years ago a study, and I think it was World Watch or somebody, was looking at trends in meat consumption in China, where, of course, they're eager to eat meat at our rates.

And their rate of meat eating is going up very quickly. In fact, we're growing a lot of their meat now. They're too smart to want to grow the feed for it. So they let companies like Tyson take on all the environmental and labor problems. And then they just ship over the sides of pork. That's right, Smithfields.

And their rate of meat eating is going up very quickly. In fact, we're growing a lot of their meat now. They're too smart to want to grow the feed for it. So they let companies like Tyson take on all the environmental and labor problems. And then they just ship over the sides of pork. That's right, Smithfields.

And their rate of meat eating is going up very quickly. In fact, we're growing a lot of their meat now. They're too smart to want to grow the feed for it. So they let companies like Tyson take on all the environmental and labor problems. And then they just ship over the sides of pork. That's right, Smithfields.

Smithfields is now owned by the Chinese, yeah. But it's very much of a colonial situation where we keep the pollution and they get the meat.

Smithfields is now owned by the Chinese, yeah. But it's very much of a colonial situation where we keep the pollution and they get the meat.

Smithfields is now owned by the Chinese, yeah. But it's very much of a colonial situation where we keep the pollution and they get the meat.

Yeah, in a lot of ways, they are. And so... Oh, yeah. And the study found that if the Chinese... we're eating meat at the rates we do, we would need 2.3 more worlds to grow all the grain necessary. And that's just not going to happen. So we need to, you know, if the Chinese are going to eat more, we need to eat less and a lot less. So I just think

Yeah, in a lot of ways, they are. And so... Oh, yeah. And the study found that if the Chinese... we're eating meat at the rates we do, we would need 2.3 more worlds to grow all the grain necessary. And that's just not going to happen. So we need to, you know, if the Chinese are going to eat more, we need to eat less and a lot less. So I just think

Yeah, in a lot of ways, they are. And so... Oh, yeah. And the study found that if the Chinese... we're eating meat at the rates we do, we would need 2.3 more worlds to grow all the grain necessary. And that's just not going to happen. So we need to, you know, if the Chinese are going to eat more, we need to eat less and a lot less. So I just think

The goal should not be one-to-one convert from feedlot agriculture to pastured agriculture. But I think we have to just re-examine the whole system. And this move toward synthetic meat is- Lab meat, you talked a lot about that in the movie, yeah. Yeah, is an effort to confront this.

The goal should not be one-to-one convert from feedlot agriculture to pastured agriculture. But I think we have to just re-examine the whole system. And this move toward synthetic meat is- Lab meat, you talked a lot about that in the movie, yeah. Yeah, is an effort to confront this.

The goal should not be one-to-one convert from feedlot agriculture to pastured agriculture. But I think we have to just re-examine the whole system. And this move toward synthetic meat is- Lab meat, you talked a lot about that in the movie, yeah. Yeah, is an effort to confront this.

The premise of the industry, and this goes for both the people making plant-based meat and the people making what's called cultured meat, which is actually meat. meat cells that are fermented in a laboratory, basically. And this is starting to hit the market. And all these companies are founded on the premise that the way we're eating meat now is unsustainable and it should change.