Food Production, Environmental Impact, and Sustainable Alternatives

This essay examines the environmental and ethical concerns surrounding modern food production, drawing heavily on Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma." It explores the shift from traditional farming to industrial agriculture, highlighting issues such as the use of corn in feedlots, the impact of government subsidies, and the rise of food safety scandals. The essay discusses the consequences of these practices on both human health and the environment, including rising rates of obesity and diabetes. It also highlights the growing movement towards sustainable agriculture and alternative food economies, exemplified by farmers like Joel Salatin, who advocate for practices that prioritize animal welfare, soil health, and local markets. The essay questions whether large food corporations will adopt these practices and the challenges facing the new generation of farmers. It concludes by emphasizing the need for transparency and a shift towards a more ethical and environmentally responsible food system.

The food safety scandals that included the mad cow’s disease that emerged in England
and the contamination of E. coli in the fast food in hamburgers raised so disturbing questions
about meat production in the area. The increasing rates of obesity and the type 2 diabetes made
many people wonder whether the Americans had come up with national eating disorder of a
given kind. The kind of food that was expected to give people sensation and pleasure was in
contrast making them sick and anxious (Pollan, 2012). The book discuses where food that is
consumed comes from and concerns about its production procedure. The author goes ahead and
points out that if the citizens would see what lies far side of the increasingly high walls of the
industrial agriculture, then they would for sure change their eating habits.
There has been some eminent changes that have occurred in the nourishment and the
rural business since the vast majority of the general population have started asking themselves
"where does my sustenance originate from" gauges demonstrate that there are more than 8000
markets for the agriculturists in America and this demonstrates a 180% expansion from the year
2006.there are more than 4000 school areas which have homestead to cultivate projects and this
is an extraordinary 430% expansion from the year 2006 (Pollan, 2012).during this timeframe, the
offer of pop fell by 14% between 2004-2014.The sustenance industry has been surging towards
the reformulation of many items with a point of evacuating high fructose corn syrup and other
sustenance fixings the buyers are not ready to endure any more. The offer of natural nourishment
have multiplied since 2006 from $ 16 billion to more $ 40.the grass completed meat and the fed
eggs created by Joel Salatin at the polyphaser homestead were colorful in the year 2006 and the
national deals for them didn't exist.

These days, you can locate these sort of sustenance in numerous stores and the two
classifications are presently, and the two classifications are developing twofold consistently.
From California Georgia, there are many firms which are demonstrated on polyphaser.
Movement of creatures (Pollan, 2012). Salatin himself has turned into a universal VIP rancher
and a sort of a social sort that did not exist in 2006.
The new age of ranchers is working eagerly to fabricate an option nourishment economy.
The new economy is contained the ranches providing nearby markets, the work of natural and
other feasible techniques and furthermore the creation of the distinctive sustenance stuffs of all
classifications. The firm has likewise subscribed to the CSAs.no one is sure of the span that will
be taken by these nourishment economy however the business is developing at a moderately
speedier rate than the past one (Pollan, 2012). The last has come to fruition because of the
laborers buckling down towards creation and shortening of the evolved way of life and answer
the inquiry “where does my food come from”
The destiny of this up and coming economy is still up for snatches. There is no
conviction that the new agriculturists will make it or even the want that we need to eat from a
less complex and shorter evolved way of life wont in a way be coopted by the sustenance
business. The enormous sustenance is eating up the craftsman firms that are referred to have
situated themselves as being moral alternatives. The act of homestead washing whereby the
profoundly industrialized sustenance items are showcased as ones which originated from little
firms is ascending in the grocery stores and fast food outlets (Pollan, 2012). The huge sustenance
is in a specific way talking some great amusement through the guarantees that it will enhance the
welfare and eating routine of a few creatures, leave the anti-microbial, rearrangements of their
items and help the agriculturists. Be that as it may, the central issue is whether the guarantees

will be kept. The guarantees are however influencing the sustenance to esteem an honest to
goodness move in the nourishment framework one in which authenticity a straightforwardness
are given. There is however far to go. The corn edit was a record softening up the most recent
years comes about since they broke 14 billion bushels and this would sound good to the users
since they all realized that corn is the premise of feedlot cultivating (Pollan, 2012). The
administration endowments and the projects that help the firm tilt vigorously on the fields of the
agriculturists in America and the farmland dedication is bigger than it was in 2006.
The administration endowments and the help programs are tilt on the fields of American
cultivating towards monocultures of corn and soy which are the building squares of nourishment
and meat. There is these days an option for nourishment economy in America.
The large food retains its grip on the levers of the government which are used in the
determination of the policies of farming in the nation and the rules that offer the food choices
that we have. The grip receives challenge from the food movement.
The desire the people had to “vote with your fork” has made much contribution to the structure
of an alternative economy in a relatively more vibrant manner. Salatin shares his dream
concerning the massive movement from the supermarket and he is also noted reading his letters
to the customers (Pollan, 2012).
2) There is development in the profound rich soils of the American breadbasket which is
amazing a decent measure of corn. There is hen the channeling of the grain into the cultivating
and mechanical juggernaut known to create anything extending from hamburger to eggs. The
essayist contends that the last isn't a triumph of innovation in innovation the common history of
four dinners is putting our wellbeing and the soundness of the land into untold risk (Pollan,

2012). He says that "On the off chance that we could perceive what lies on the furthest side of
the undeniably high dividers of our modern horticulture, we would most likely change the way
we eat."
Pollan deals the dividers and looks or options among four diverse cooking strands of the
assembled conditions of America.as he proceeds with his main goal, he controls an eight column
grower spidery through the cornfield of Iowa and buy a cow at that point finishes the excursion
conditions that are mind desensitizing that has a place with the advanced encourage parcel and
after that ascents at a young hour in the morning to group chicken in the homesteads in Virginia.
He executes wild pigs in the California wide open and furthermore rummages (Pollan, 2012). He
gives a portrayal of how organizations change over corn to fructose, citrus extract and regular
raspberry enhance. He gives a remaking of the MCD supper demonstrating that it contains
fixings which are exceptionally lethal, for example, butane.
The investigations leave profound stresses in Pollan. He needs ahead and says that
"America's corn-bolstered natural way of life resembles an unalloyed calamity," inconvenience
comes in when with the presentation of the administration appropriations since they keep the
costs or the corns underneath the cost of generation (Pollan, 2012). The ranchers are then left
with a choice of just planting an ever increasing number of corns with a point of social affair
enough benefits (something which decreases the benefits much further.). "The torment of shabby
corn continues, devastating agriculturists… corrupting the land, contaminating the water, and
draining the government treasury," as pollan puts it.

When we think about the creature feedlot, the creatures are perfectly adjusted by the
common choice to living on grass and they should be adjusted by us to spend their lives on corns
since they offer the best calories (Pollan, 2012). Most steers in the feedlot class. A large portion
of the feedlot steers are influenced by the eating routine and need anti-microbials and some
different types of treatment.
There is however a superior approach to manage the last mentioned. His master Joel
Salatin who is a staunch rancher close Staunton develops cornucopia. Pounds of meat and pork,
ovens chicken and considerably riper springier underneath. Serious administration of the grass is
the key to the dynamic achievement (Pollan, 2012). Salatin relocates moves together with his
group of steers to the fields for them to encourage so the fields would become back effectively.
He thus brings back a portable henhouse with the goal that chickens can eat the grubs and
hatchlings fly out the cowpats. The last spreads the fertilizer and takes out parasites and adds
nitrogen to soils which are rich in soils as well. Salatin spreads a few cans which are loaded with
corn developing heap of wood chips and excrement that is in the horse shelters.

Reference
Pollan, M., 2012. The omnivore's dilemma. s.l.:Da Jia Chu Ban She..