The Price We Pay

The transformation of America from an agrarian culture to one that is almost completely industrialized has created many domestic and global problems that lead many skeptics to wonder if our new food system is sustainable. We were once a society that depended on local, integrated food systems, but that has been mostly replaced by industrialized, mono-cultured agricultural production that is controlled by a handful of large multi-national corporations. These corporations produce large quantities of food which is often subsidized, resulting in huge profits and greater control of the global food supply.

This cultural shift has led to an overwhelming number of unprecedented social and environmental side effects to include soil erosion, poisoned ground waters, loss of biodiversity, global malnutrition, toxic chemicals in food and fiber, food-borne illnesses, loss of species and wildlife habitat, loss of beauty, as well as countless other problems that are largely unacknowledged. Moreover, the crisis is no longer confined within the borders of America. In our attempts to bring all of the nations together in one global market, we continue to export a failing industrial system of food production to countries around the world.

The effects of marketing have led many to believe that industrial food is the way of the future and should be embraced for its efficiency and progress. Bromides such as “better living through chemistry” and “progress is our middle name" have led many to believe that we have achieved desirable progress in global food production. The modern food industry promotes industrial food as being desirable, despite the dependence on chemical and biological inputs, massive mono-cultures, and factory-life farms that are driven by financial incentives that often ignore environmental and ethical concerns in an attempt to increase profit. Despite the illusion of efficiency, the results that we see today must be acknowledged if we are to achieve true progress.

The transformation of our food system has evolved with little challenge because of a lack of social awareness regarding the true effects of modern industrial agriculture. With our hands and minds no longer linked to the soil, we have become naive consumers that buy products based on effective marketing and packaging strategies; rendering the general public mostly ignorant about what we are truly consuming. The disconnect between consumer and food production creates an overwhelming lack of understanding of the social and environmental consequences implicit in the industrialization of our food supply.

The logical outcome of the progression of industrial agriculture is grim, and very few with objective knowledge of how the system works would vouch for its sustainability. There is hope, however. As public awareness increases we have the ability to stand behind numbers and ensure that our voice is heard. Education is the key to ensuring a future where food is no longer something that people must fear; neither based on its contents nor a lack there of.

Read Planning for Sustainability by Stephen Wheeler!

In a capitalist society, the consumer is all-powerful. Consumer demand drives production. The implication is simple enough. The solution to our food problems lies in the hands of the consumer. Through education, we can collectively awaken from the grip of corporate powers by supporting businesses that are socially responsible and environmentally friendly. There is never a reason for individuals to be forced to make decisions based on misleading information provided by marketers that are trained in psychological manipulation. 

By introducing these ideas in our education system and teaching our children to be discerning, marketing strategies that once swayed consumers into poor decisions will no longer be effective, and therefore will no longer be used. Educated consumers will understand that their demand drives production of a product and each purchase is a vote to keep that company in business. If capital is going to continue to serve as our incentive and primary power, it is only reasonable that all humans would have a thorough understanding of the market that they represent.

Subscribe via Email

Jamie Oliver TED Prize Wish: Teach Every Child About Food

References:

Kimbrell, A. (Ed.). (2002). The fatal harvest reader. Sausalito, CA: The Foundation for Deep Ecology.