Chipotle’s Assault on Farms

Chipotle has recently come into the news as the creator of a new TV series, ‘Farmed and Dangerous’. The series sets out to portray a satirical look at industrialized agriculture, but when the satire is created by a corporation set on organic foods it creates more harm than good. Declaring war on “big farms” is a misguided agenda that can only serve to hurt small farms more than hurt big farms. According to a previous blog post that explored the USDA Census of Agriculture, a survey stated that 75% of farms in the U.S. are still operating under 50k a year.

‘Farmed and Dangerous’ is beyond misleading in that what it attempts as satire is actually misguided facts about industrial agriculture. The series takes the smallest portion of the industry and distorts it to relay a message. Chipotle makes attempts to bring in customers by advocating for local farming. Since the majority of farms are still small and local, it is hurting them more than helping them. The only winner in this scenario is chipotle, as the marketing plan is not about eating responsibly — but to eat at Chipotle.

While it is important to utilize sustainable agriculture and conservative techniques, it is also important to gain truth based on facts and information. In the U.S., there is a good chance that you are eating locally grown food, so keep on eating. Just remember that you are already helping out the local farmer without having to buy at Chipotle.

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