In an era when information is so readily available, which sources do you listen to? Bader Rutter established The Intel Distillery to pinpoint the most influential voices in food production, with the idea that understanding the source is often as important as the information itself.

In the graphic below, we map out the leanings of 40 organizations, media sources, industry associations and advocacy groups that frequently report or comment on developments in food production. While far from comprehensive, our sample represents a variety of stances. We plotted the groups according to two factors:

  • Reporting vs. Commentary: Refers to the primary type of content the source shares. While some sources focus on reporting developments in food production, others add more perspective on how their organization is affected.
  • Niche vs. Conventional: Refers to food production methods the source discusses most. “Conventional” sources represent traditional mass food production, while “niche” sources generally represent smaller-scale, progressive production such as organic, non-GMO, antibiotic-free, etc.
Influential sources plotted by stance and style
Click to enlarge

This chart compares some of the most prominent sources we follow and is subject to change. Media outlets include a variety of reporters, and editorial stances may shift over time. And, over time, we’ve seen several groups shift focus from reporting events to interpreting them.

Furthermore, we at The Intel Distillery consider ourselves experts on understanding how these groups relate to one another … but the exact position of any source is still a matter of opinion. We expect you’ll take everything with a grain of salt and welcome discussion.

Stay tuned for more charts like this that address other segments of food production!