The Swine Flu Crisis lays bare the meat industry's monstrous power

The article written by Mike Davis in 2009 discusses how such diseases viruses like the swine flu and SARS are created, and spread. As Davis says, the majority of the illnesses like the swine flu are created by forcing farm animals to live in very close quarters with already compromised immune systems. When this happens, viruses jump back and forth combining and eventually becoming immune to the antibiotics. Furthermore given enough time, all of the viruses are able to jump from pig to human, thereby creating a virus that is immune to most major antibiotics and have the ability to spread to humans.

In a time when industrial feed lots and mass production are the way things are done Davis brings up the questions of screening, prevention and cooperation between governments. Davis believes that more money needs to be spent on prevention of naturally occurring diseases like the swine flu rather that the billions that are being spent now on fears of bioterrorism. In the same vain, because there was little cooperation between the US and Mexico, it took about a week to identify the swine flu, and another week for the US to be informed by Mexico of the potential pandemic.

Discussion Questions:

1. Would the use of early surveillance have been able to pick up on the imminent swine flu outbreak?

2. Should the Feed lots use strong antibiotics in their feed? If not how do you recommend they keep their animals alive and their company economically viable?

The Salami Maker Who fought the law

The reading in Best Food Writing discusses a situation that occurs relatively often in a time where the guarantee of food safety is a number one priority. With the outbreaks of e-coli and other food born pathogens, the USDA has made sweeping changes to standards of production, especially in the meats and produce sector. According to Sarah Digregorio, these regulations are written with the intention of regulating large companies like Hormel or Kraft who are already held to a very high standard because of the volume and potential fallout from a mistake. Unfortunately for the corner butcher who has been curing his meats for years, these regulations force him to show proof of safety that naturally he can’t.

Many major government regulating departments are seem to not understand the scope of their actions when the institute new regulations. They become aware of a specific incident like an outbreak of e-coli and instead of investigating thoroughly how this situation occurred they pass blanket laws that kill the little guys. In fact the only way that Marc Buzzio was able to continue to sell his salami and other aged products was to spend almost 100 thousand dollars and get a lab to individually test it. What happens to the other butchers who can’t afford that? They stop selling their products and possible go out of business.

Discussion Questions:

How can the Government act quickly and deliberately against any food born pathogens but at the same time with enough control that they don’t leave “destruction” in their wake?

Why Vegetarians are Eating Meat

Traditionally vegetarians have decided to abstain from meat for three major reasons. First, in the industry today there are some questions raised about the ethical treatment of livestock. In laymen’s terms the question is “How are animals that are being raised for human consumption being treated during life as well as death?” The second major reasons that people abstain from meat consumption are health reasons. Health concerns can be associated with the amount of fat that most meat has, or it can also be related to questionable use of antibiotics and genetically modified crop to insure the health and weight of the product. Finally there are some people who just don’t believe that meat should be eaten because it means killing a living animal.

This essay discusses two of the three major reasons that people become vegetarians as well as how purchasing local and organic meat may be an answer to these concerns. As stated in the article, unlike conventional farming animals are allowed to roam free as well as are fed a diet more in line with their natural diet. Furthermore because organic farming does not allow the antibiotics and growth hormone, the product is considered to be lower in fat and all around better for you. For these reasons the author argues that people should consider giving organic meat a chance. They may be delightfully surprised.

Discussion Questions

With the recent move towards healthy green living where does organic meat fit into the spectrum?

Omnivores Dilemma

In chapter 11 of the Omnivores Dilemma, Michael Pollan recounts the time he spent on an organic farm with a farmer by the name of Joel. Joel is a man who believes that when given the right circumstances a farmer has no need for any chemically enriched or antibiotic feed for his animals. Instead Joel feels that if you allow your animals to continue on with the natural cycle you will not only save the environment but also a great deal of money on the costs of feed.

On his farm, Joel has set out a system where he will allow his cattle to graze on a piece of land for a couple of days, let it sit, and then allow his chicken. The cycle above allows the land to not be overtaxed by any animal, but at the same time get the much needed nitrogen to re grow. The use of free range allows the animals that Joel raises to not be coupe up like so many animals in the industry.

Not only does this chapter talk about the practices on organic farms but it also contrasts them to that of conventional pig farms. Pollan does a very good job of dissuading his readers from purchasing pork when he discusses the terrible life that they lead. Unlike many books like The Jungle whose power came from many Americans upset stomachs, Pollan is making his readers feel sorry for the swine.

The Omnivores Dilemma

In Chapter 8 of the Omnivores Dilemma Michael Pollan investigates both the social and physical implications fo farming in America today. This chapter is all about opposition in farming techniques. The vast majority of farming done in the US is done on an industrial scale. This industrialization creates a situation where the delicate balance of nature is interrupted. Pollan recounts a story of the time that he went and worked on what he now considers a true organic farm ( that which allows animals to interact with their natural environment in a way that doesn't destroy the ecosystem). The farm that was owned and operated by George Naylor was completely green. Because of his farming practices Naylor had no need for dangerous pesticides or chemical growth hormones.

Even though Mr Naylor was running an operation that was organic he refused to apply for a permit to be considered to be organic. He felt that by allowing new specialty stores to import all of the organic product went against one of the most important aspects of both green and organic living. Instead of buying or selling any of the products need or produced by his farm Mr Naylor has decided to stay local.

Discussion Questions:

Are the ideas of sustainability and organic living truly linked or have they been linked by society today?

Does it matter if a product is grown organic in another country and then brought to the US/ does that go against the foundation of organic living?

Tenderloins A Steal But At What Moral Price?

The chapter that I read in Best Food Writing is talking two major issues that plagues the American People more and more each day. The first issue is the desire for good quality food at a price that the average American can afford. This article does a good job illustrating both sides of the argument. Many people would prefer to buy organic because it is not only better for me but allows me to support more humane practices in industries that conventionally have been the opposite. However the reality of the situation today is that most people can’t afford a 500 percent mark up on groceries to buy organic, so the end up buying the same low quality that they are used too. The second major issue that this article touches on it the tendency for Americans to always want more product at a lower price. This consumer tendency has forced smaller farmers to either become bigger in order to operate in economies of scale or else go out of business. However the animal that ends up suffering is the cow or the chicken. Because there has been a push to such an industrial livestock farming method animals are being treated very poorly and in many cases abused. For example, in the article Kessler speaks about how chickens are de beaked at birth and cows are forced to live in vast industrial farms. The American people need to decide if they are willing to pay more for their food if it means a better life for an animal as well as a better product on their table.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why are government officials not subsidizing organic more than non organic producers?

2. Are their low cost alternatives to big chain meat retailers?