HLTH 320

The documentary “The Food, INC gave me insight on food production issues that I was unaware of. The manufacturing companies have a strong hold on farmers that prevents the natural way of farming. Farmers spend thousands of dollars purchasing new equipment to make companies such as Tyson happy. These farmers end up borrowing more money than they actually make. The issues in food production include cheap labor, immigration, e-coli contamination, pesticide usage, the fast food industry, and the sanitary conditions for both animals and workers in factories. Companies such as Smithfield recruit immigrants from Mexico to work in their factories. workers are paid very low wage and endure unsafe work conditions. There is an agreement between manufacturing companies and INS so that immigrants to be deported in small numbers. This is done so that the factory’s production is not affected. I was unaware that immigrants work for these large manufacturing companies for such a low wage. These people are exploited by companies such as Smithfield. Some of these workers have been working in
United States for over fifteen years. The corporations are robbing livelihood of workers and there only means of survival. We as Americans lobby against immigrant’s presence in the
United States. The ham and turkey we buy that is so inexpensive for Thanksgiving dinner is made possible by immigrant workers. The fast food industry has been profitable and around for a very long time. Fast food is described as being a fast way to deliver and prepare food. It is was very disturbing for me to learn how workers were treated during the 1930s. Fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s operated a factory like system. They paid their workers very low wages and felt that workers were dispensable. After watching the documentary it makes me want to reconsider where I spend my money. The cost of feeding a family by shopping for food in a grocery store is expensive but much healthier and goes a long way. The truth is that it is much cheaper and convenient to buy a family of five a hamburger from McDonald’s for dinner.
The economy is so bad that it is sometimes impossible to purchase the foods that support a healthy diet. I am sometimes faced with having to choose between purchasing the medicine that will keep me well or the food that will keep me breathing. That is a choice that millions of people throughout the world are faced with every day. Another issue with food production is the use of pesticides. Pesticides are chemicals that are used to kill unwanted weeds and plants. Pesticide use has become a health issue. Almost every food that we eat has come in contact with some form of pesticide.
Even the apples that we eat has been affected by pesticides and herbicides at one time before being sold in stores. The question is how something that was first used to combat weed problems be so dangerous. The answer is very simple pesticides are chemicals and should not be ingested. We are told by the EPA that foods are safe to be consumed after washing but after doing research I discovered that to be a false statement. The chemicals can remain in a person’s body for years. The EPA has stated on their website that pesticide consumption in small amounts is not dangerous. Acid resistant e-coli is very prevalent in the United States. Foods are cooked to prevent contamination but sometimes cannot be avoided. Many theories have been documented over the years to determine ways to prevent e-coli contamination in cattle. A survey done of 61 cattle was done and showed that cattle fed grain had higher numbers of acid resistant e-coli in their system. With this research being conducted it is astonishing to see that very little is being done with this information. Consumers put their trust into the companies such as Tyson and Smithfield to provide wholesome products. They untold truth is that these manufacturing care very little about the quality of their products. Many animals are mistreated and are fed contaminated grains. The sanitary conditions for workers in factories such as Tyson, Smithfield and Monsanto are herendous. The slaughtering of animals and processing their flesh is dangerous industry where a company’s profit take a priority over a worker’s most basic rights. Today, U.S. slaughterhouses facilities employ over 500,000 workers. In their goal of higher volume and greater efficiency, these corporations jeopardize workers’ safety every day. For decades, the state and federal agencies responsible for ensuring a safe and healthy work environment have thoroughly failed to enforce basic labor laws to protect these workers. The result is an industry where corporations set the rules and government agencies follow. Consequently, workers’ most basic rights and interests are compromised and the animals suffer very much. In conclusion these issues have been going on for decades and there is a lot of work to be done. I feel that the government has to do more to prevent manufacturing companies from mistreating both animals and workers. These laws are put in place by the FDA to prevent sick livestock from being slaughtered must be enforced. This is the only way to prevent the contamination of food with e-coli. In order for workers to have safer and sanitary working conditions is to cite and fine manufacturing companies for wrong doing. Manufactoring companies must be held accountable for their worker’s safety and well-being.

References
General Information. (2014, December 1). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/general/index.html/
Importing Poverty: The Cheap Labor Trap. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://americaneconomicalert.org/view_art.asp?Prod_ID=2074
(n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://topics.time.com/fast-food/
Slaughterhouses. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://wn.com/slaughterhouses
Tyson Foods Injects Chickens with Antibiotics Before They Hatch to Claim. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.naturalnews.com/024756.html
What the future may hold for U.S. farmers. (Originated from KRT FORUM). (1998, September 30). Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-21170938.html?