Bridgette's Bioblog: January 2011

Do you ever wonder what goes in your food and how it was grown? You wouldn’t be mindful of it. The industry doesn't want their consumers to know because if they knew, they wouldn't want to eat it.

Watching Food Inc. raised my awareness on two contrasting methods of production our food systems practice. Industrial agriculture, or factory farming, can be referred to as the modern form of farming in which manual labour is substituted by machineries. This method of food production exploits animals and the environment as thousands of animals are raised in close confinement for the fastest, cheapest and most efficient way for human consumption.

In recent years, there has been much controversy on the detrimental effects of the industrial food system. The method of production generates harmful effects on the environment. The industrial system’s concern is not so much on sustainability, but on the profit basis of their livestocks. Conventional food production rely on the industrial practices which constitutes our food system. Insufficient growing practices, food processing, storage, and transporting goods thousands of miles are what comprises the negative impacts on our health and our environment.

Take into consideration the sufferance of hens that live in confined, and unsanitary environments. Imagine the dangerous circumstances that will result in the mass production of eggs. Here is a video tackling some of the most controversial issues that arises from industrial agriculture:

An alternative to the standard production method is sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture operates on the basis of their principles and values – environmental condition, economic profitability, and social and economic equity.

Characteristics of this type of agriculture include:

Conserving all resources including water, soil, and air.

Biodiversity. Various types of animals and plants are raised which are rotated in the fields to enrich soil, and help prevent disease and pest outbreaks.

Minimizing waste and environmental damage by limiting or restricting the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers which pose health risks and chemical contamination of water, soil, air, and wildlife.

Animal Welfare. Farm animals are treated humanely and are permitted to carry out their natural behaviors.

Economically Profitable. Farmers are paid adequately. Wages are not dependent on subsidies of the government.

Social and economy equity. Farmers are treated justly and working conditions are safe.

The conservation and sustainable development of animal genetic resources should retract from the narrow focus on a few high input breeds, towards a broad focus on adaptive breeds that survive well in the lower input, high stress environments typical of faming systems. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) urged that the emphasis should now be on how to improve the production levels of such adaptive breeds. The development of highly productive crops and livestock are based on the diversity of species, varieties and breeds. The diversity also allows plants and animals to thrive in the face of harsh climatic conditions, pests or diseases.