Post 7

            These pieces all discuss the horrific realities of getting food in a commercial sense. The two that seemed to be the most descriptive of the issues concerning the food production were Estabrook’s Tomatoland and the infographic relating to chicken produced by Cook. Tomatoland discusses the horrors of our standards when it comes to commercial produce and the reality of the plight of migrant workers in the tomato industry. The horrors of the standards of today’s commercial produce are the reality that many would chose cheap over taste and nutrition. In the eyes of many the impervious tomatoes discussed in this book are more appealing due to their low price as opposed to the taste and nutritional value of the produce. As for the plight of the migrant workers they are underpaid as it is and are at the mercy of Mother Nature. If there is cold, fog, or rain the tomatoes won’t be ready so the workers are unable to support themselves, let alone their families. Being able to spend their days outside seems to be the one advantage these workers have over the slaughter house workers that are discussed in the inforgraphic that Cook presents. This inforgraphic presented many points that made eating chicken sound much less appealing. As a student who frequently indulges in the made-to-order Sodexo chicken, this article made me rethink my choice. The disgusting working conditions that constantly put people in danger of infection and persisting conditions, such as blindness, are horrific to think about. I feel no one should be put in the position of having to work in conditions like that. Others may view the infographic as a tragedy for the animals that are treated so cruelly in their small pens and aggressive handling. According to Pollan’s “An Animal’s Place” it seems that he would be one of these people who are opposing to the treatment of animals. This article goes in-depth concerning the history of animal cruelty and how in some European nations, namely England and Germany, animals have been gaining rights recently. While I have been a strong proponent of treating animals with respect and kindness since I was a young child; there comes a time when killing animals in an efficient way to feed a population becomes acceptable. Personally it boils down to protecting our own species. If that comes at the expense of other species that cannot outcompete us then so be it, as long as they are not exploited and pushed to inhumane and unreasonable conditions. Sadly these inhumane and unreasonable conditions seem to be the norm in today’s world of commercial food production. It seems the solution to these tragedies may be less commercial food and more homegrown and locally produced food.