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The Industrial Food System Sustainable? Why Or Why Not?

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The Industrial Food System Sustainable? Why Or Why Not? Sustainability Problem-Solving Sustainable Food Production Old MacDonald Had a CAFO? • Is the industrial food system sustainable? Why or why not? • What are some of the pros and cons of the industrial food system? • What are some of the hidden costs of factory farming? Core Content Connections Image: Wikimedia Commons Common Core Standards Text Types and Purposes W.CCR. 7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused “Get Big, or Get Out.” questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Contrary to the popular image of the quaint and picturesque CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.9 Integrate information family farm: the red wooden barn, cows grazing in a grassy field from several texts on the same topic in order to and a farmer in overalls riding an old tractor, the center of our write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. industrial food system is dominated by huge agri-businesses. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas “Old MacDonald” of the well-known children’s song could never CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.9 Analyze how two or compete today on a large scale with his “oink, oink here” and his more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by “quack, quack there.” Today’s factory farms usually grow or emphasizing different evidence or advancing raise only one thing, and lots of it – called a monocrop. different interpretations of facts. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.9 Analyze a case in Many experts agree that we cannot provide enough food calories which two or more texts provide conflicting for billions of people without industrial farms. Yet this type of information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or farming has detrimental effects on natural resources such a water interpretation. and soil. What is the answer? Comprehension and Collaboration The famous words of former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Earl CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.3 Delineate a Butz, to American farmers during the 1970’s were, “Get big, or speaker’s argument and specific claims, get out.” He was a proponent of industrial farming, with the distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. justification that it would make food cheaper and more plentiful. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.2 Analyze the America’s food supply would be secure. Has this goal been purpose of information presented in diverse accomplished? media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation. pg. 3 Sustainability Problem -Solving Sustainable Food Production Introducing the Industrial Food System Two very useful resources recommended for use to teach and learn about the industrial food system include Michael Pollan’s book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: The Secrets Behind What You Eat” (Young Readers Edition, 2009) and the documentary films “Food, Inc.” (2008). An excerpt from “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” describing an industrial potato farm is included in this unit. As an opening activity, use a class discussion to determine students’ existing awareness about food production, and then have students read and react to the following excerpt from Michael Pollan’s book. Discussion Intro: Ask students to picture a farm. What does it look like? How big is it? Who works there? What kinds of plants and animals are being raised? What kinds of tools does the farmer use? Have students turn and talk to share their ideas with a partner. (You might want to let students draw and/or write down their vision as well, depending on how much time you have for this activity.) Let students share as a class and record/display their responses. Now ask students where the crops go that these farms produce. To a farmers market? The grocery store? A restaurant? A slaughterhouse or processing facility? Then have a little fun…ask where the materials for specific foods come from. Start with the “easy” stuff and then move on to the more confusing items: Hamburgers? Tomatoes? Bagged lettuce? Frozen fish? Hot dogs? Spaghetti-O’s®? Cheetos®? Skittles®? Twinkies®? Once their interest has been piqued, it is a perfect time to read and respond to the excerpt from “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” Next class session, view the documentary, “Food, Inc.,” and start learning about the different places our food really comes from… Key term: Agricultural subsidy – Tax dollars paid to farmers and large agribusinesses as additional income to allow the government to manage the cost and supply of specific crops. In the United States, corn growers receive the most federal assistance, resulting in an abundance of corn being grown and then sold at a low price. Other subsidized crops include soybeans, wheat, rice, sugar and cotton. For a quick explanation of commodity crops and an overview of some of the pros and cons of farm subsidies: http://www.hampdenparkcoop.com/node/904 2 Sustainability Problem -Solving Sustainable Food Production Excerpt from Omnivore’s Dilemma Michael Pollan is considered a leading authority on the American food industry. Read the excerpt below from the Young Reader’s Edition of his book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.” in Idaho, where most of the managed from a bank of Before I began working on french fries you’ve ever eaten computer monitors in a this book, I never gave much begin their life as Russet control room. Sitting in that thought to where my food Burbank potatoes. There I room, the farmer could, at came from. I didn’t spend visited a farm like no farm I’d the flick of a switch, douse much time worrying about ever seen or imagined. his crops with water or what I should and shouldn’t It was fifteen thousand whatever chemical he eat. Food came from the acres, divided into 135-acre thought they needed. supermarket and as long as it crop circles. Each circle One of these chemicals was tasted good, I ate it. resembled the green face of a a pesticide called Monitor, Until, that is, I had the tremendous clock with a used to control bugs. The chance to peer behind the slowly rotating second hand. chemical was so toxic to the curtain of the modern That sweeping second hand nervous system that no one is American food chain. This was the irrigation machine, a allowed in the field for five came in 1998. I was working pipe more than a thousand days after it is sprayed. Even on an article about genetically feet long that delivered a if the irrigation machine modified food – food created steady rain of water, fertilizer, breaks during that time, by changing plant DNA in and pesticide to the potato farmers won’t send a worker the laboratory. My reporting plants. The whole farm was out to fix it because the took me to the Magic Valley “There I visited a farm like no farm I’d ever seen or imagined.” chemical is so dangerous. But these pesticides mean They’d rather let that whole people can’t eat the potatoes 135-acre crop of potatoes dry while they’re growing, either. up and die. After the harvest, the potatoes into French fries. That wasn’t all. During the are stored for six months in a growing season, some gigantic shed. Here the That’s how they grow potatoes? chemicals gradually fade until pesticides get inside the I had no idea. potato plant so that they will the potatoes are safe to eat. Only then they can be turned kill any bug that takes a bite. 3 Sustainability Problem -Solving Sustainable Food Production Discussion Prompts for “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “Food, Inc.” Use the following discussion prompts for whole class and/or small group discussions, individual written responses, headings for written conversations or graffiti boards. “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” Excerpt: obesity-in-america.html How does your region compare with other areas? • 15,000 acres is roughly about 24 square miles. Do you consider an operation of • Who do you think is responsible for the this scale a farm or a factory? Explain. growing obesity problem in the U.S.? Who or what can be blamed for rising obesity • Workers are not allowed in fields for rates among children and adults in the five days after pesticides are sprayed. United States: U.S. food policy? Harvested potatoes must be stored for Individuals? Parents? Fast food restaurants? six months to allow pesticides to Portion sizes? Sedentary lifestyles? Cultural dissipate so they are safe for human norms? Advertising? Something else? Or is it consumption. What are your thoughts a combination of factors? on the heavy use of toxic chemicals to grow food? In a small group or with a partner, determine who or what is responsible and • What do you know about the Irish why and then present your thinking to the Potato Famine from 1845-1852? (If you rest of the class. don’t know much about it – time to do some research!) How could this relate? • Most agricultural subsidies are for crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, sugar • How is a farming setup like the author and cotton. Why do you think this list does describes more cost effective than a not include fresh fruits and vegetables? small farm or a mixed crop farm? What about organic farming? Food, Inc. Read the following excerpt from Daniel • In the film, we are introduced to the Imhoff’s book, “Food Fight: The Citizen’s Gonzalez family. What are some of the Guide to a Food and Farm Bill.” Does his factors that affect their food choices? Do viewpoint align with the information in “Food, you agree with their decisions? Why or Inc.?” Do you agree with his stance that farm why not? subsidies should be redirected to food chains that produce locally grown foods instead of • Learn more about obesity in your industrial farms? Why or why not? Do you region, and the associated health costs: think the author has a bias? http://www.getamericafit.org/statistics- 4 Sustainability Problem -Solving Sustainable Food Production Excerpt from “Food Fight: The Citizen’s Guide to a Food and Farm Bill” by Daniel Imhoff What about the Food Pyramid? Unfortunately, eating a diet high in cheap calories doesn’t necessarily ensure that one is Very little of the agriculture we subsidize is well-fed.
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