2/08/2010 - Omnivore's Dilemma: Sealed with a Barcode

Reading the chapter’s that talk about slaughter house and market in the Omnivore’s Dilemma reminded me how different local and industrial manufacturing of food really are. With industrial food, you get the benefit of having quick, easy, and cheap food. With local food, you get the more authentic and “organic” experience and taste, depends on how your animal was raised. What really interest me is that how certain animals like cow have to go be prepared and package in a federal approved centralized location. This actually increases the risk for them of attaining a harmful disease. When I was reading Fast Food Nation there was a particular chapter where the author speaks with many people working at slaughter houses. They worked in heavy and difficult condition; many of them are low incomes and can’t quit their job because of it job competition, especially to immigrant workers. Many people lose fingers and even arms to accidents that are not fully covered by insurance, most just get it patch up and go back to work. Farmers are making less as money are spent to slaughter animals, packaged, and injecting them with chemicals that help them last longer in a Supermarket. Even though buying these products from your supermarket seems cheaper, much more money is spent trying to clean up problems such as pollution and fossil waste. Weighing out pros and cons of having local food or industrialized products, I have to wonder. What is the best choice?