Agriculture has come along way over the past couple of decades resulting from a high demand of food and the increase of technology. Very few farming techniques include horses, steers and anything done by hand anymore. Most of the work is done by a computerized combine due to the modernized world of agriculture. Small farms are nearly non existent anymore, most large scale farms are ran by the government aided men who sit in an office and hire farmers to do the dirty work. “Why own the farm when you can own the farmers?” ( Pyle, George. Raising Less Corn, More Hell: The Case for the Independent Farm and against Industrial Food. New York: Public Affairs, 2005. Print. pg. xxii, prologue: searching for roots) Growers are forced to sign contracts
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Millions of pigs are raised in pins big enough for them to only stand and lay down in. There are more than 80,000 pigs slaughtered per day. (the book p 16) The big businesses such as Smithfield, Tyson/IBP, Swift, and Cargill/Excel control 64% of the pork industry. Smithfield is one the large major companies used in the hog market, they provide at least 800,000 pigs. (the book p16) When growers complain of hog farming, there is usually no way for them to escape. Considering that beef and pork are provided mainly by four of the same major companies, the growers can not switch from livestock to livestock because of the contracts …show more content…
With both of these coming from unnatural backgrounds, there is no exact proof of it being safe. Along with no proof of it causing any harm. Growth hormones is a daily practice for farmers. The purpose of a growth hormone is to make the animals grow faster. “Either way, the backstory is the same: Agribusiness wants maximum return on investment in minimal time.” (p. 117) Baby calves are injected with hormones. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rGBH) is given to dairy cattle to improve the amount of milk produced. (p.117) The GMO’s that were illegal in Canada, it is the same thing as these rGBH’s. NOT ALLOWED. Antibiotics are also added to the animals diets. “The union of Concerned Scientists (USC) estimates that between 70-80 percent of all antibiotics used in the United States goes for nontherapeutic purposes in animals-that is, strictly for growing bigger cows, pigs, and chickens.” (pg.
Millions of pigs are raised in pins big enough for them to only stand and lay down in. There are more than 80,000 pigs slaughtered per day. (the book p 16) The big businesses such as Smithfield, Tyson/IBP, Swift, and Cargill/Excel control 64% of the pork industry. Smithfield is one the large major companies used in the hog market, they provide at least 800,000 pigs. (the book p16) When growers complain of hog farming, there is usually no way for them to escape. Considering that beef and pork are provided mainly by four of the same major companies, the growers can not switch from livestock to livestock because of the contracts …show more content…
With both of these coming from unnatural backgrounds, there is no exact proof of it being safe. Along with no proof of it causing any harm. Growth hormones is a daily practice for farmers. The purpose of a growth hormone is to make the animals grow faster. “Either way, the backstory is the same: Agribusiness wants maximum return on investment in minimal time.” (p. 117) Baby calves are injected with hormones. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rGBH) is given to dairy cattle to improve the amount of milk produced. (p.117) The GMO’s that were illegal in Canada, it is the same thing as these rGBH’s. NOT ALLOWED. Antibiotics are also added to the animals diets. “The union of Concerned Scientists (USC) estimates that between 70-80 percent of all antibiotics used in the United States goes for nontherapeutic purposes in animals-that is, strictly for growing bigger cows, pigs, and chickens.” (pg.