The main concern regarding Americans health and environment is not oil and gas drilling and refineries, but the massive unsustainable increase of factory farming in the United States. Around nine billion land animals are farmed and slaughtered to satisfy consumer demand in the United States each year, and according to the ASPCA, 99% of these animals are raised on factory farms. Factory farming is one of the main causes of climate change, water pollution, and leads to widespread health problems leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths per year. The regulations that are being enacted do not do enough. Public opinion is not on factory farming’s side, and despite rapid production and demand for meat and dairy products, the average farmer is …show more content…
It ends guaranteed payments that farmers receive regardless of their harvest quality or crop prices. Ending direct payments are a positive for the taxpayer, but could have effects based on the market. The substitute for the direct subsidies were payments for crop insurance. The government makes cheaper crop insurance which covers less than previously. Though it makes farming risky, the risk shifts to the federal government, which are more responsible if crop prices plummet or if a disaster hits. Good for average farmers, but risky for the economy.
Consumer Awareness
The bill, in terms of the animal agriculture industry, took an incremental step in the right direction toward the consumer awareness problem. A passed amendment, according to CNN, “backs a new requirement that pork, chicken or beef sold in the United States must include details on where the animal was born, slaughtered and processed.” While this is an important step for consumers, it certainly does not do enough. Not to mention that it was fought vehemently by the meat processing industry. With the increasing public opinion in favor of localized food, they will lose money, and it is more expensive to label and track where their product is from. According to a 2015 Harris Poll about buying food locally, “50% (of US consumers) say it is an important factor in their purchasing decisions …show more content…
These requirements are also standard for imported meat products. The original 1906 Act allowed the Secretary of Agriculture to inspect and condemn any meat products that were found to be bad for human consumption. Enforced accuracy standards on food products. The law reformed the meatpacking industry, mandating that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspect all cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and horses both before and after they were slaughtered and processed for human consumption. This gave significant advantage to the consumer, knowing that their food would be safe. The main concern is that chickens, and their eggs, have no protection under these laws. Chickens and poultry aren’t covered by FDA regulation, and this has led to massive public scrutiny coupled with salmonella outbreaks and product recalls over the last few