reflection essay

Brian M

October 15, 2010

Food essay

I think that food being produced in foreign lands is unreliable but necessary. The need for foreign foods is becoming more and more an issue because the big name companies are becoming greedy saving money any way they can. In the case of the Beef industry feeding cows from which is cheap but unhealthy for the cow. Farmers as forced to use corn to keep up and be able to produce massive amounts of beef produce. Which is needed since they ship all over the world.

The food industries will also become less sustainable because of the cheap and unhealthy practices their soon to be food is subjected. As in the beef industry the cow is made to eat corn which is not the cow’s natural food choice. The corn helps the cows grow faster but is unhealthy because the corn is not totally digested and is a breeding ground for parasites such as e coli. These parasites can decimate the population of the cattle and wreak havoc on the human consumers. This is one reason customers buy organic products, to stay healthy and to stay away from chemically altered meat.

Farmers that grow their cattle the healthy way, by letting them graze and eat crass like cows are supposed to. These farmers will have sustainable forms of food because outbreaks of parasites such as e coli will spread very slowly. These farmers are proud to call their meat 100% organic this means not chemically altered or containing added vitamins and supplements. These farms also have better living conditions where the cattle are not up to their ankles in their own feces as they are at the huge mega farms.

Much of our food is grown not here in the U.S. but in all the other countries from all over the globe. Some food such as tomatoes are shipped when green and injected with chemicals to keep them ripe for sale in the U.S. Other foods such as meats, fruits, and vegetables are kept edible with preservatives while being shipped overseas. These foods are mostly shipped to us when they are not in season in the U.S. therefore in very high demand. Although these foods are unhealthy they stay in high demand because they are out of season.

Food distribution is a method of distributing or transporting food or drink from one place to another; it is a very important factor in public nutrition. It can also help prevent famine and malnutrition. It also provides a source of food if the local food becomes contaminated. This is important because if one big source of food is out of commission for a period of time the consumers cannot get that product.

As you may be aware organic is always healthier but also pricier.  The difference between organic and non-organic is organic food must be free from all synthetic chemicals. The farmer cannot use any petroleum-based fertilizer or chemically altered material in his soil. Manure and compost are acceptable natural products. An inorganic food is food that has been added to or altered in some way. Inorganic foods have some vitamins added to them for nutritional value to attract the uneducated. In this way the little vitamins added win over the consumer but there is still the unhealthiness of the chemicals and other factors.

Many consumers are aware that food grown according to organic principles is free from exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides, but that is only one small part of organic agriculture. A larger aspect of organic agriculture involves the health of the soil and the ecosystem in which crops and livestock are raised. Organic farmers recognize that healthy, vibrant, and live soils and ecosystems significantly benefit crops. Natural, undisturbed soil is alive with macrobiotic organisms that exist in harmony with the native plant life and the inorganic minerals that provide the soil.

An organically cultivated pepper will be healthier and more nutritious than a conventionally cultivated pepper. By growing in a living soil where macrobiotic activity constantly breaks down organic matter and solid minerals into nutrients a plant can use, an organically cultivated pepper plant always has exactly what it needs to grow from the soil. As a result the plant will be healthier throughout its lifespan than a conventionally grown pepper plant.

A fact surprised was that in 2002 approximately 90% of all farms were owned and operated by individuals and families. Only 3.5% were owned by corporations, but many small farms operate under contract to corporations. ( http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2170/Farm-Animals-FACTORY-FARMING.html) The farmers may sign away ownership of their animals and be paid to raise them to a contracted age or weight. Then the animals are turned over to the companies for finishing or slaughtering. Agribusiness underwent much consolidation between the 1950s and 1990s. For example, according to the research company Mintel, only three companies controlled nearly 80% of the U.S. cattle slaughter/packing market in 2002: Tyson Foods Inc., Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., and Swift and Company.( http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2170/Farm-Animals-FACTORY-FARMING.html) Many corporations have vertically integrated their operations. In other words, they not only own facilities that raise animals, but they also own the facilities that produce feed for them and the facilities that slaughter and process them. Economies of scale—that is, larger volumes—allow corporations to spend less on each of these steps than small farmers do. The overwhelming advantage of the factory farming system to society is economic satisfaction of the demand for meat at acceptable prices. Factory farming provides the United States with a continuous and relatively inexpensive meat supply.

I am going to change my diet, but will make very slight changes that will make a big difference. My changes will be; if there is a food that I can get from the organic aisle as well that is where I will get it from no matter the cost. Further if I can I will get local meat and other produce such as fruits and vegetables. If possible I will first learn where the company gets their product from before purchasing, then make an educated decision on whether I am going to buy it or not.