Heart of Ag: Countering the Netflix Show “You Are What You Eat”

By Amanda Radke

I don’t pay too much attention to Netflix propaganda, but other people certainly do. I think it’s prudent to remain aware of what the general public is hearing about animal agriculture.

A new Netflix documentary, “You Are What You Eat,” is making headlines. Not surprising – it’s the same tired, old animal rights activist propaganda pretending to be nutritional advice.

Produced by the same people behind the “Game Changers” documentary, which has been largely debunked, one can quickly see the same approach was taken with the “You Are What You Eat” series.

In the series, a Stanford twin study was evaluated, and before we take the results too seriously, folks need to know the lead researcher behind the study was funded by Beyond Meat, a plant-based company with its eyes set on eliminating animal agriculture.

From their own website, Beyond Meat says, “Imagine a world where we’ve taken the animal off of the table, while still delivering the meaty, plant-based, better-for-you meals you crave. That world is this one, and those meals are Beyond.”

The study looked at identical twins and evaluated two different diets – vegan verses omnivore.

Naturally, and aligning with the funding backing this research, the study highly favored the plant-based diet.

The controls in the study were ridiculous though. There were no caloric numbers set, and one twin ate way more food than the other. Exercise, sleep and other variables weren’t considered either.

The study also only lasted eight weeks – a short period of time to really evaluate the impacts and benefits of a plant-based diet versus a meat-based diet. 

But of course, it wouldn’t be a compelling documentary without drama, and the fear-mongering, generalizations and outright propaganda were hard to stomach at times.

Documentaries of this ilk fall in a long line of shows which have been created to disparage animal agriculture and the hard-working farmers and ranchers I know who have committed their lives to being stewards of the land and the livestock.

It’s incredibly frustrating, but there’s hope.

We have a compelling story. The truth is on our side. People are hungry to learn more about where their food comes from. 

They want to connect with farmers and ranchers. They want to feel more connected to the land. They are tired of negative propaganda that makes them feel anxious, worried, confused, guilty and fearful when they walk into the grocery store.

Instead, consumers want to feel empowered, engaged, educated and connected. 

This is where we come in. We are the solutions we seek.

There’s no storyteller in Hollywood who can tell our story like we do. There’s no media pundit, influencer or celebrity who can fight for our future as hard as we can. It’s high time we utilize our sphere of influence – whether it’s in our own communities or sharing on social media platforms. 

I truly believe if we share our stories and people see the heart and intention behind our work, they will lock arms with us and fight for the future of agriculture and food with us.

I was reminded recently cows and acres don’t equal votes, so we need the voting public to join us in this fight. There is true value in keeping animals on the land and meat, dairy and eggs on the dinner plate. And, most Americans would agree. 

So let’s team up, build relationships and bridge the gap. Ignore the propaganda and lead the way. The people we aim to serve are waiting for us to invite them to the conversation.

Amanda Radke is a rancher, author, motivational speaker and podcast host. For more from Radke, visit amandaradke.com.