The origins of current U.S. food regulation primarily date back more than 100 years to the Food and Drugs Act of 1906. Since then significant issues continue to exist and remain prevalent in the United States. In fact, Patrick Paul, member of the Natural Resources & Environment professes that in 2011, THE CDC&P (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) put a report issuing that an estimated, “more than forty-eight million Americans become sick from contaminated food every year, one hundred thousand people require hospitalization due to food contamination and three thousand die from food contamination.” (Paul, 2013) Much of today’s current food regulatory measures stem from the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA) as Paul notes. In …show more content…
The continued safety of America’s food supply should not ask and demand for much. Another paramount importance concerning food safety is how many U.S. rural communities within the last few decades since the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. They have found themselves face-to-face with enormous industrial livestock factories which include farm and rural community associations and environmental organizations. Heather claims several these communities delve into fighting against the corporate livestock factories that include farms, community, associations, and environmental organizations. She studies how anti-factory farm battles primarily in the mid-west U.S. deal with underlying struggles against emerging opposing organizations who invest heavily in livestock productions. Heather mentions what livestock corporations forget to mention openly to the public, however, was dealing with cost revenue and a confinement of animal production and slaughter. “In Sullivan County, Missouri, as in hundreds of rural counties across the country, concentrated and vertically integrated swine production brought problems of unanticipated proportions. The “hog hotels,” (Williams, 370) The emerging struggle against corporate swine production remains an understudied but necessary political narrative in U.S. politics. The fight against farm factories again has expanded throughout time
American society has grown so accustomed to receiving their food right away and in large quantities. Only in the past few decades has factory farming come into existence that has made consuming food a non guilt-free action. What originally was a hamburger with slaughtered cow meat is now slaughtered cow meat that’s filled with harmful chemicals. Not only that, the corn that that cow was fed with is also filled with chemicals to make them grow at a faster rate to get that hamburger on a dinner plate as quickly as possible. Bryan Walsh, a staff writer for Time Magazine specializing in environmental issues discusses in his article “America’s Food Crisis” how our food is not only bad for us but dangerous as well. The word dangerous
Factory farms having locked doors only reinforces what some of us already suspect. That they are engaging in activities appalling to the public. Their secrecy is seemingly sustaining their business. Consumers’ ignorance of the meat production business only encourages inhumane animal husbandry. Foer says, “the power brokers of factory farming know that their business model depends on consumers not being able to see (or hear about) what they do.” (pg. 87) This is why we need to educate ourselves on this matter extensively and start actively demanding where our meat is coming from. Advocating for animal welfare is one way we can begin the process of changing or ultimately ending factory farming.
Have you ever been in a rush, low on cash, and looking for something to eat so you didn’t really have a choice but to grab a burger with fries at your local fast food place? Have you ever paused or stopped to think about where the burger really came from, or the process that went in to be made? The Food Inc documentary investigates and exposes the American industrial production of meat, grains, and vegetables. Robert Kenner the producer of the film makes allegations in this film and he explores how food industries are deliberately hiding how and where it is our food is coming from. He emphasizes that we should find out where our food comes from and why is it that the food industry does not want us to know. Food Inc. does not only uses compelling images, such as hundreds of baby chickens being raised in spaces where they do not see an inch of sunlight, it also includes the speeches and stories of farmers, families, government officials, and victims of the food industry. The four current problems facing today’s food industry are the reformed usage of the false advertisement within the labeling of products , mistreatment of farmed animals, and the harmful chemical in our meats. The documentary Food Inc uses very persuasive tactics that demonstrates strong elements of pathos, ethos, and logos make an effective appeal, while uncovering the dark side of the food industry.
Regulations made to minimize the risk of illness through food are based on the government’s understanding of science. While food businesses consider both the quality and safety of food, the government focuses only on food safety.
In recent years, pork production has become a big business in the United States. In the past, the raising of swine was handled by small farming operations. Today, however, pigs are raised in large factories, some of which have the capacity to hold more than 100,000 animals (Lynch 14). This has created problems in terms of handling large amounts of excremental waste. These problems recently became evident in the state of North Carolina. A few years ago, North Carolina became the primary location for large-scale hog-raising operations. In particular, large companies like Coharie Hog Farm and Murphy Family Farms began locating along the eastern side of Interstate 95. This area was found to be suitable for hog farming because it is a coastal plain "where the land is flat, the rivers wide and human habitation scattered" ("The Brown Lagoon" 24). The state of North Carolina was also favorable for large-scale swine operations because there was a lack of laws regulating that type of business. In order to ensure their ability to operate without being heavily regulated, the major swine companies in North Carolina donated huge amounts of money to the leading politicians in the state. Thus, the major swine farmers were able to gain a sense of immunity as a result of their powerful political connections. At the same time, the state's leading politicians tended to encourage such operations because they were providing employment and thus improving the overall economic welfare of
Summary: Because of food borne pathogens, 5,000 people die yearly and some 76 million are ill. Meat contamination has changed the nations confidence in the food safety system and questioned if the government should scale up regulations. Consumers advocates says the government need to increase inspections of both domestics and imported products and sanction facilities that repeatedly fails. But officials say increased regulations may put plants out of business without increasing food supply. A last minute hitch, however has left fate of that bipartisan legislation uncertain, despite support form unusual alliance of industry and consumer advocates. Scientists can now genetically modify fruits and vegetables as well as livestock and other food
Even though self-regulation hasn’t been successful so far, with incentives that could change. Businesses are run by their owners not the government, and regulations shouldn’t be imposed on them, but current voluntary guidelines could be supplemented by tax incentives, which would motivate the food industries to implement them. They would be persuaded to make better adjustments to their product for the purpose of selling and advertising healthier food items. Bittman believes that “grass roots movements need to make agencies aware that food industry regulations for marketing are needed”, however this is not feasible (1). These are big corporations, their money and comradery will influence the agencies to ignore claims from the grass roots movements. The power of financial persuasion is the method the government should use to get the food industries to self-regulate in a health conscious way. Getting food industries to implement better marketing regulations would only solve a small portion of the problem, education would solve the large portion. It’s up to the parents to educate our kids about eating healthy with the help from the school. The most effective course of action for children or anyone having a healthy diet is being educated about it. The government should
Close your eyes and step into the world of an individual. You are born into a world where nights and days are never constant (attention getter). You are fed three to five times a day, but no one is there to nurture you. Not even the numerous others crammed into your living space. You grow frantic, scared, and sickly. Now open your eyes, to reality. What I have just described is one of America’s worst ghettos. You know this individual who is trapped in this environment. He is your breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is the meat you eat . Today’s farms not only abuse their animals they also produce harmful diseases and environmental hazards that affect each and every one of us, regardless of whether you consume animal products or not. The U.S. government should ban factory farms and require the meat industry to raise animals in their natural environments (preview of points and statement of purpose).
How a national food policy could save millions of American lives discusses the lack of a national food policy in America and how the food industry affects people and the world. Examples of issues that a nation food policy could alleviate include Americans access to healthy food and reducing the carbon footprint from food production. The article also discusses how special interests flourish from issues related to the food industry while citizens and the environment suffer.
Industrialization has revolutionized America’s economy. Mass production allows products in demand to be easily available for purchase. But at what point does this system cross the line? It is one thing to mass produce electronics and clothing, for example, but applying mass production to the meat industry is entirely different. In order to generate the most profit, livestock are killed systematically at a massive scale on an assembly line. These animals are treated as nothing more than objects that can be processed, packaged, and sold to a consumer. For this business to take place with both time and cost efficiency, the welfare of the livestock is placed as one of the last priorities. Factory farming has gotten out of hand, and America is
The role the federal government plays in the food regulation and safety is controversial. Some believe that it’s against their constitutional right for the government to step in and have a say on the food they consume. On the other hand, some believe that it’s part of the government’s job to regulate the food industries and provide health regulations to protect the society. The country is divided based on when the government should intervene when it comes to many topics such as the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act, Nutrition Content Claims, Meat Inspection, and Dietary Supplement Regulation.
Industrial agriculture is currently the predominant food production system in the United States. It is distinguished by large-scale monoculture, abundant use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and meat production in CAFOs. CAFOs are ‘Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations’, otherwise known as factory farms, which aim to cram as many animals in one space to boost efficiency and profit at the expense of animal suffering and environmental hazards.
One may not agree with the government regulating our own food. The government wants healthier food choices, people to be more athletic, and they really want everyone to make better decisions. The government is only trying to get the population to be healthier. People may not agree with the government regulating our own food choices.
Food safety regulations worldwide don’t align perfectly from one country to another, and there are food safety-related issues that arise as a result. Governments don’t all legislate it the same way because scientific evidence for the validity of specific policies isn’t all there is to consider—culture, history and politics included. These same things in tandem with pervasive fear and protectionism factor into how regulations solve certain problems.
The Food Industry and Self-Regulation: Standards to Promote Success and to Avoid Public Health Failures