Reading response: "The swine flu crisis lays bare the meat industry's monstrous power"

Whoa. I didn’t know that the mission of agriculture was to kill people by infecting them with virulent diseases. Sarcasm aside, Davis’s article, which contained a few valid points, accused animal agriculture of being a hotbed of disease and devastation. The article however, has very little basis in fact. “Probably conceived in the fecal mire of an industrial pigsty (Davis, 2009)”?? H1N1, deemed “Swine Flu” by the media, dealt a crippling blow to the already struggling pork industry. As Davis points out, H1N1 is a hybrid virus, containing genes of swine, bird and human flus. Swine Flu is an actual virus, and is feared greatly by hog growers. While the actual disease is only fatal in about ten percent of affected hogs, it can often manifest into more serious infections. Nearly all producers take steps to prevent Swine Flu and the complications that arise from it.

Contrary to popular belief, humans cannot get H1N1 from exposure to hogs or from eating pork products, however they can transmit the disease to swine. Last summer and fall, visitors at fairs and livestock shows were asked to keep out of areas where show pigs were being housed in order to protect the animals. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/22/us/22fairs.html

I’ll grant that this article was written early on in the H1N1 scare, however its news stories like this that give animal agriculture a bad name that it most certainly does not deserve.

Discussion questions:

Each year, a different strain of the common flu kills millions of people. H1N1 has not lived up to the hype it was originally given, and is not nearly as threatening. What is your opinion of the handling of the H1N1 situation by the media, government and general public?

We all saw the images of people wearing dust masks in hopes of protecting themselves from H1N1. What caused the mass panic and what does that say about our propensity to believe everything we are told?

E.Coli path shows flaws in beef inspection

We often don’t realize how lucky we are. As Americans, we are fortunate to have the safest food system in the world and spend less of our disposable income on food than citizens in any other country. When something does go wrong, people are alerted and problem-solving action is immediately taken. E. Coli is a product of nature, and unfortunately, will affect people if they are careless when exposed to the bacteria. Ms. Smith, of the NY Times article was one of those unfortunate people, and as a result, one of the largest companies in the agricultural industry has been forced to take the blame. While the article does expose some important truths, such as the need for more careful testing of inputs, it’s also necessary to read this with a grain of salt. If you’ve never seen a meat-processing facility for yourself, don’t base your judgment of the industry on sensational reporting. Most cutting-room floors are literally clean enough to eat off of. And as for hamburgers being composed of feces-tainted meat, carcasses in all USDA inspected facilities; the only ones that can process meat for selling to the public, are handled in a manner that reduces the potential for contact with the hide and hair of the animal. Its also important to realize that the meatpacking industry has a vested interest in keeping its products clean and you healthy; any E.Coli scare is going to reduce meat consumption and thus profits, therefore you can rest assured that your best interest is on everyone’s minds.

Discussion questions

Who should have the responsibility in a case of poor handling on the part of the consumer?

Compare a large modern packing plant to Joel Salatin’s open air killing shed. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Ch. 17

Why do humans feel guilty when they eat meat? We are, after all, animals, more specifically; omnivores for whom meat played a crucial role in evolution. In this chapter, Pollan explores the ethical questions that arise from meat consumption. Since our existence as a species, humans have been hunting. Many people now consider this tradition to be barbaric, regardless of the fact that nearly all hunters are on a quest for meat, not killing for sport. What’s changed? Pollan also raises the question of the different treatment received by pets and livestock. According to his book, 50 percent of dogs in America will receive a Christmas gift, while most hogs, animals that are just as or perhaps more intelligent than pigs, become the holiday ham. Personally, I don’t understand why the dog is treated as a human equivalent, when the role of the dog and pig could be easily reversed. I’ll admit this is an extreme view, and I’d never consider eating my own dog, but it’s a reasonable question.

Another portion of the chapter is dedicated to the argument that by consuming meat of other animals, humans are being speciest. The only way to overcome this distinction is to give up meat, or consume all animals equally, including humans. Assuming that the vegetarian movement wins, what then happens to domestic animals? Swine, cattle and all manner of livestock depend on meat consumption for the survival of the species. The cultural, ethical and scientific aspects of meat consumption are all examined in this chapter, raising some interesting questions.

Discussion questions:

Slaughterhouses are designed to be as clean and humane as possible. Pollan even provides an example of one that lets visitors see the killing floor. Would you prefer to see the process for yourself, or ignore the unpleasant details of processing meat?

Suppose the world stopped consuming meat. How would our bodies adapt to a plant-based diet in terms of both physical structure and chemical composition? Also, how do we utilize the land for which grazing is the only logical method of getting energy?

Check out this link:http://www.grandin.com/inc/animals.in.translation.html

The Pleasures of Eating, Wendell Berry

When did eating become an act of necessity rather than an enjoyable experience? When did people stop taking pride in their ability to prepare a healthy, flavorful meal? When did people stop regarding their food as an agricultural product and begin seeing it as the product of a cardboard box or grocery store shelf? Wendell Berry’s essay asks these questions and more as he tackles issues relating to modern food and agricultural production. He describes the average American as a passive consumer; “sitting down to a meal of pre-prepared or fast food, confronted by a platter of inert, anonymous substances that have been processed, dyed, breaded, sauced, gravied, ground, pulped, strained, blended, prettified and sanitized beyond resemblance to any part of any creature that ever lived.” But, Berry asks, would the consumer be so passive if he or she knew the facts of food production? Berry paints an ugly, albeit extreme, view of production agriculture, and argues that the industrialization of food production is to blame. In order for consumers to escape the trap of passivity, the author suggests that consumers should participate in food production to the extent that they are able. This can be accomplished by growing a small garden, purchasing food from local growers, and learning as much as possible about your food and the way it’s produced.

Discussion questions:

Why and how has the role of eating changed in our society?

Do people really care about the details of food production, and if not, why?

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Ch 8-9

A visit to Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm introduces Pollan’s discussion of organic agriculture. Salatin’s farm relies on a very complex pasture system in which rotational grazing is employed to feed beef cattle, which are then followed by chickens that feed on the grubs and parasites in the cattle manure. Salatin has long been known as an innovator, especially in the case of grazing systems. Not only this, but he is known for being extremely smart and efficient in his use of pasture. While Salatin’s farm is not certified organic by the USDA, in many ways his operation is far more sustainable than most organic farms. Since eating organic has become a hot trend, the agriculture industry has raced to meet the ever-growing demand. This meant that the small family farms that most consumers probably envision their organic produce growing on could never harvest enough to feed the millions who believe that organic food will solve all the world’s problems. In fact, organic agriculture has become a multi-billion dollar industry, as Pollan describes with his accounts of several California farms. These farms employ techniques like biological pest control, while maintaining a high level of efficiency through modern farming practices. Returning to the grazing example, Pollan discusses organic dairies. Most utilize a drylot system, since grazing thousand of dairy cows is extremely impractical from both a feeding and logistics standpoint. In all, the reading demonstrates the disconnect between consumers and producers (i.e. farmers) and our willingness to accept anything that claims to help us live longer, healthier, happier lives.

Discussion questions:

Who, if anyone, is to blame for the misconceptions associated with organic farming? The marketing geniuses, or the consumers who believe that small farms can produce such a high volume of product?

What is more sustainable, organic agribusiness or farms such as Joel Salatin’s? Which is more likely to have an impact on the world food market?

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Ch. 4

In this chapter, the intricacies of the system that provides people worldwide with inexpensive protein are revealed. Pollan purchases a weaned steer from a South Dakota ranch and then follows it as it goes through a backgrounding system to prepare it for the feedlot, then finally arrives on the Kansas feedlot where it will then be finished. He compares the feedlot to a huge city, which it essentially is, given the massive infrastructure that is required to run such an operation. The differences between the conventional method of cattle finishing and alternative methods, including pasture systems such as those used in Argentina, are discussed, although Pollan neglects to mention the considerable time it takes to bring a grass-fed steer to USDA Grade Choice.

I found Pollan’s account of his calf’s bloodlines to be amusing. GAR Precision 1680 was one of the top bulls in the Angus breed when this book was written, yet the author fails to acknowledge what a feat of technology it is for cattle producers worldwide to have access to top-notch genetics and how artificial insemination has revolutionized the cattle industry. Still, as a cattle producer, I found myself commending the Blair brothers for their bull choices!

Discussion questions:

Cattle today are finished in approximately 16 months and emit far less methane than cattle finished with older systems that can take up to 5 years. What are the advantages and disadvantages of different finishing systems in terms of efficiency, climate change, etc?

Beef is graded according to the amount of marbling (intramuscular fat) by the USDA, with Prime being the highest grade. Do you take the grade into account when purchasing a steak, and what other criteria do you base your purchasing decisions on?

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Ch. 1-3

In his introduction to the American food system, Michael Pollan provides us with a detailed history of what is arguably the most important food commodity in the world: corn. The role of corn in settling the New World and giving rise to industrial agriculture is demonstrated through examples of the investments in research and government programs to enable farmers to grow more and better corn. It is interesting to note that the corn, unlike the bison and the Indians that depended on both, was not driven out by western settlers, but rather embraced as a means to conquer the new landscape. With the rise of modern technology and its applications in agriculture, the advancements made in hybrid varieties of corn, better fertilizers and more efficient methods of production have allowed farmers to increase the amount of people that are fed by every acre of cultivated land. Pollan pushes us to see corn as the catalyst that has given rise to environmental destruction and unhealthy eating habits, but neglects to mention what would happen to our stable food supply if it weren’t for the crop. This piece opens eyes about the complexity and sophistication of our food system, and gives a glimpse into the often-overlooked life of an American farmer.

Questions:

Pollan describes subsidies and other programs in place to keep corn prices low. What do you suppose would happen to the food prices if these programs were not in place and how would the average American consumer react?

Corn is no longer used simply for human and livestock feed, but has also begun to take the place of non-renewable fossil fuels. What are the long-term implications of this new development?

Farmers in the Corn Belt (and everywhere else) often are faced with declining commodity prices to which the only response is to produce more product, despite the laws of supply and demand. What does this mean for the agriculture industry in the long run?