Response to “Hog Futures”

To start off I have two suggestions. Read “The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals” by Michael Pollan and then watch “Super Size Me”. The book basically states that we are walking tortilla chips because everything we eat is processed with corn and all the meat we eat is stuffed with corn because farmers have such an overabundance of corn so that is what the animals are fed. The documentary is a real eye opener about processed foods such as meat. What really got me were chicken nuggets. Due to a surgery I had in December, I have had to become almost vegetarian because meat does not agree with my system any more. I believe that this is almost a blessing in disguise as I read article relating to how the animals are fed and kept. Why are consumers okay with rising prices? Because as a whole we are addicted to meat and people have completely pulled away from the balanced lifestyle of fruits, veggies, and a little meat. Gone are the days of portion control as they have been replaced by super size everything. I think that this is why obesity is on the rise today not just with adults but with children as well. Farmers are having a hard time with fluctuating costs because they can’t compete with meat and the third world countries that sell for pennies. What happened to the good old days of farmers markets and fresh off the vine? I personally would prefer to know that my food was locally grown than shipped across the customs borders. I think that if I lived in a place where a meat processing factory was, I would become a complete vegetarian. The description in the article is appalling and makes me wonder if the meat industry has gotten too big for its britches. At least the farmer’s will stay in business if they keep growing corn!