As a society we have seen more muckrakers emerge since Upton Sinclair than ever before. The Jungle was only the beginning of an exposé on the food industry that is still relevant today. Great writers and journalists continue to try and educate the public on just where their food is coming from. Michael Pollan presents the reader with his own work of food journalism in the form of Omnivore’s Dilemma, in which he defines industrial logic and how this idea motivates industry to produce the food we receive today, then offers the alternative of local food chains to combat the distrust in supermarkets.
Industrial logic is the force that persuades the agriculture market to transform into one that relies increasingly on industrial means to mass produce …show more content…
There are many negative externalities that come from this “industrial logic”. There are obvious one such as the health factor of the food that we put in our bodies. There is excessive use of antibiotics and chemicals that are fed to the animals that we eat to shorten the time needed before slaughter. This ensures that the big businesses are getting the most profit possible. Another reason Pollan finds companies use of industrial logic undesirable is because there is environmental damage that occurs with large farms that are akin to Tyson and Monsanto. The world is being overtaken by corn, which is not a huge surprise if one looks on that back of almost all grocery items. But this creates a problem that is known as monoculture, which means the world is becoming too dependant on corn. There are risks that come with monoculture, such as bug infestation and plant disease. Companies avoid these problems by spraying crops with large amounts of pesticides and similar chemicals. The chemicals can enter runoff and eventually end up in bodies of water ranging from oceans to our drinking supply. The same can be said for animal waste. The chemicals that large CAFOs give to their animals ends up polluting their waste, and eventually their waste will become a dangerous part of the environment. One argument that Pollan uses while explaining the ways industrial logic has a terrible effect on us is the treatment of the animals. “Though the industrial logic that made feeding cattle to cattle seem like a idea has been thrown into doubt by mad cow disease, I was surprised to learn it hadn’t been discarded.” (Pollan, 76) The industrial logic that allowed such a practice is the same one that is being followed by almost all food manufacturers. It was a cheap fix to feeding animals, therefore it seemed like a good idea. Because it was the most profitable answer to a question whose other
Industrial logic is the force that persuades the agriculture market to transform into one that relies increasingly on industrial means to mass produce …show more content…
There are many negative externalities that come from this “industrial logic”. There are obvious one such as the health factor of the food that we put in our bodies. There is excessive use of antibiotics and chemicals that are fed to the animals that we eat to shorten the time needed before slaughter. This ensures that the big businesses are getting the most profit possible. Another reason Pollan finds companies use of industrial logic undesirable is because there is environmental damage that occurs with large farms that are akin to Tyson and Monsanto. The world is being overtaken by corn, which is not a huge surprise if one looks on that back of almost all grocery items. But this creates a problem that is known as monoculture, which means the world is becoming too dependant on corn. There are risks that come with monoculture, such as bug infestation and plant disease. Companies avoid these problems by spraying crops with large amounts of pesticides and similar chemicals. The chemicals can enter runoff and eventually end up in bodies of water ranging from oceans to our drinking supply. The same can be said for animal waste. The chemicals that large CAFOs give to their animals ends up polluting their waste, and eventually their waste will become a dangerous part of the environment. One argument that Pollan uses while explaining the ways industrial logic has a terrible effect on us is the treatment of the animals. “Though the industrial logic that made feeding cattle to cattle seem like a idea has been thrown into doubt by mad cow disease, I was surprised to learn it hadn’t been discarded.” (Pollan, 76) The industrial logic that allowed such a practice is the same one that is being followed by almost all food manufacturers. It was a cheap fix to feeding animals, therefore it seemed like a good idea. Because it was the most profitable answer to a question whose other