Food Essay

Grace Leung

10/13/10

Human Geography

Outline

After learning about the production and distribution of food in America, I have had my eyes opened to the disturbing truth about where and how our food comes to us. The food production and distribution shocked me because of the many mistruths perpetuated by the food industry and the government. The mistreatment of both the farmers and their workers as well as the abuse of the animals is immoral not to mention the potential health hazards this process creates for those who are consuming the food. It is unacceptable for a society that was founded on compassion, honesty and freedom to pursue such corrupt ways of commercializing the food industry for the benefit of the corporate owners. Documentaries such as “Food, Inc “ are necessary to enlighten and educate people to the truths about sustainable and unsustainable food production.  

The fact that a handful of food companies are in control of the entire food industry is alarming when considering the effects it has on the farmers and workers. The food companies  are consumed with profit which means that the health and welfare of the farmers and workers is of little importance to them. It is particularly disturbing how much the profit has affected the slaughter process involving cows and chickens. In the name of profit, cows that are sick or dying of disease are still slaughtered and used to make the hamburger meat we eat. Chickens are put in large rooms with no light and given vitamins to make them grow faster. The chickens are fattened so much that they cannot even walk. Many die of diseases in these enclosed houses. Migrant workers are being used to collect these chickens in the dark which threatens the workers’ health. Farmers are forced to produce large quantities of cows and chickens because they are losing money as the price drops for each animal. Generations of farmers are being forced to mass produce their animals or leave the farming industry. Farmers are scared of losing the business and no longer take pride in their farming. The hold that these few large corporations have on the farmer and their workers is similar to a monopoly. Farmers who complain or share their concerns with the press are terminated and lose the business as well as their farms. The poor treatment of farmers and workers appears to be of no concern to the profiting food owners.

Another alarming concern with the profit seeking food corporations involves the health hazards to the consumer. The cows and chickens that are being processes with illnesses will be passed onto the consumer. Many pesticides go into the farming causing harmful impacts on our ecology and in our food. Over and over again, the news has shared with the public that food is contaminated. Consumers are dying because they are getting sick from the food whether it is because of how it was raised or how it was processed. Yet, the food corporations are not taking any responsibility. They are not changing their ways or offering to spend more money by growing organically. Buying organic food is a way out of buying these harmful substances.

The issue of food sustainability is real and important to each of us. Sustainability refers to the continuous production of food without interruption. The freshness of food in terms of sustainability is affected by closeness to where it is produced and sold. A food produced closer to its destination will be fresher and safer to eat. If a product is made farther away, there is a great chance that it will not last as long and could potentially produce disease that could be harmful to the consumer. Many types of meat rot because of the amount of time spent transporting the meat to its destination. As a relative healthy teenager who consumes food on a regular basis, I would prefer to buy the more sustainable food that is produced closer to my home. We have a number of coop groups in our area that allow families to buy directly from the farmer. We also have access to farmers markets. Even though it is more convenient for us to collect our food from a single grocery store than making arrangements to collect it from several farmers, the sustainability of the food we consume makes the latter option the best choice. In addition to choosing to eat from a local coop or buy food from a farmer’s market, I have decided to eat organic because it is less harmful to me and the environment. If I am unable to purchase local produce and meat that are organically raised, then I can check for a USDA tag on the label from the store.