has fluctuated significantly throughout the last century, growth has remained consistent in the meatpacking industry; companies like IBP Inc. reported profits of $198 million on sales of $12.5 billion back in 1997 (Hettena, Seth. 1997). Today, Iowa Beef Packers (IBP) is one of four companies including ConAgra, National Beef and Excel that collectively comprise the meatpacking industry in United States. Excel is a subsidiary of Cargill, which alone controls 85 percent of the market (Gzedit. 2001)
In contradiction to the downgrading tone presented in the previous discussion towards OSHA and its involvement in the meatpacking industry, the implementation of OSHA had some uplifting attributes even though it had minute significance to the cause as presented by the scholarly individual, Dr. Sears, and the two notable muckraker, Eric Schlosser and Upton Sinclair. In cohesion to the upbringing of change due to OSHA, Claire Epstein’s article, “Keeping OSHA Records” enhances the awareness of the
During the Progressive Era, which was known as a large reform movement, there was a widespread across the United States of political reform and social activism. The main focus and goal of the Progressives and their movement was lowering government involvement and eliminating corruption in the government. Progressives reacted to problems caused by large factories and cities. Furthermore, they attacked big corporations, such as the Armour meat-packing company and others, for how harsh their practices
their family find jobs in Packington, the meatpacking industry of Chicago. Quickly they discover the difficulties of surviving in the United States during the early 1900’s through financial troubles, unreliable work, illness, and swindling. Through his novel, Sinclair exploits the dangerous working conditions of the Chicago meatpacking industry, the health violations, and the struggles the workers face to make ends meet. Contrasted with today’s food industry and the fight for Food Justice, authors
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
Eric Schlosser’s novel Fast Food Nation provides a deep insight into the systematic and unified world of the fast food industry. From the title alone, readers develop a clear sense of the author’s intention for writing this book. Schlosser’s purpose for writing the novel is to raise awareness about the impact and consequences of fast food industries on society. The purpose of the novel is achieved by the author’s use of personal stories, and by relating fast food to various aspects of society.
tactics of muckraking and yellow journalism to expose the conditions in the meatpacking facilities took the world by storm. Sinclair’s vivid depictions of life in the Chicago stockyard changed the world in 1906, but it did not bring Socialism into the public eye as he had hoped; instead, it ushered in new regulations and standards in the food industry, but those regulations still are not enough to stop the corruption of meatpacking companies. The central argument of The Jungle is that capitalism is a
what the meatpacking companies and slaughterhouses had done to the meat that you eat everyday? Do you really believe that the magnificent aroma of your patties and hamburgers are actually from the burger? Wake up! The natural products that derive from farms are being tampered by the greed of America and their tactics are deceiving our perspectives on today’s agricultural industries. The growth of fast food has changed the face of farming and ranching, slaughterhouses and meatpacking, nutrition
where Schlosser elaborates on the government’s role and how workers are mistreated. In the article, “U.S. Meatpacking Under Fire: Human Rights Group Calls for Line Speed Reduction, ERGO Standards,” it explains how the working conditions in the meat packaging industry are hazardous and are violations of basic human rights. Although workers are affected by the government’s role in the food industry, consumers are affected as well. The consequences of the lack of governmental oversight, like food contamination
“Do I agree with the recommendations of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) in regards to work safety particularly when it comes to immigrant workers?” I will provide information on past and current safety related issues as they apply to the meat packing industry and immigrant workers. I will discuss the recommendations of the HRW. I will provide my opinion and consider some of the utilitarian and deontological considerations, and conclude this report with a brief summary of the entire analysis, highlighting