It is no secret that almost everything is in the hands of a few, including agriculture; people have no idea about the amount of control corporations have over the food that people consume. Their power seems to be unbridled as it also increases their political influence. They can manipulate the marketplace, which in turn reduces the profit of the family-owned farm produce, which can eventually drive the small farm owners out of business. For the consumers, this means that they have to pay high prices for the fewer choices that they get. Corporate influence is slowly ruining rural communities, public health, local economies, and the water and soil needed to create sustainability in food production. In the United States, corporate influence is abnormally strong, as only a few corporations have control over every sector related to food, including production, processing, and distribution. Forty per cent of agricultural control is in the hands of the top four firms, and the unfortunate part is that every agricultural sector is affected by them.
Family farmers are furious and demand control over where they belong so that they can produce a sustainable living for everyone, including themselves. The farmers have shared their concern about agriculture being capitalized upon, saying that the product will get more expensive over time if the balance is not restored. The markets are being distorted, and the farmers’ and ranchers’ rights are being abused. Generational farmers are being put out of business, resulting in their lives being uprooted by the greed of corporations. This, in turn, is threatening food security as the consumers have to pay higher prices for the products that they can acquire at a reasonable price. Corporate power needs to be eradicated if the world wants to achieve food security (FarmAid, 2015).
The Organic Blindfold
The Age of the Internet has brought an immense amount of awareness to the people, allowing them to discern their rights. Social awareness has been on the rise in every aspect of life, including food. People are becoming more conscious of the food they consume, and many are rejecting food that may be processed or has been produced using fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. People are demanding organic food so that they can live an optimal healthy lifestyle. Surprisingly, their demands have been met as many companies are claiming to introduce organic food lines for such people, and not so surprisingly, these organic foods come with a big price tag. People who want to eat healthier pay extra for their so-called organic food. Many online websites are claiming to sell products made of organic ingredients, and everyone is gobbling up their claims; however, these claims are only just that; “claims”.
No one checks these claims, and it was revealed that organic crops could easily become tainted if the farmer of the neighbouring crop uses any chemical, as the fumes can easily travel in droves. So, the farmer who grows this organic produce would not be lying if he says that his crops are organic; however, if the farmers around him use chemicals, then his claim, although true, would hold no legitimacy. This is also true for grass-fed meats, as no one is going to get the meat they purchased tested every time they buy it, and there have been many accounts of companies that are falsely selling normal food in the guise of organic food. People simply ask the vendors, “Is this organic?” or “Was this grass-fed?” and then buy the product without a second thought. Of course, the seller is going to say yes, as they need to make sales. They do not care if the product is organic or not. These types of claims threaten the attempts of governments to bring nutritious food to the citizens, as the greed of a few is threatening the health of many (Parker, 2021).
Your Food is Showing Your Privilege
The modern world has brought us many things, and one of those things is the vast choice of food that we consume. In the United States, there are many cultures, and those cultures create diversity in food options that are available to us. You do not want to eat steak? Then, order Chinese food or maybe Indian cuisine. No, too spicy? How about takeout from McDonald’s? The options are endless. This is called social privilege, and where the first-world countries have a plethora of options, many third-world countries do not have the same luxuries. They are thankful even if they can get a single bite of food every day. Every drop of water and every bite of food is sacred to them. However, the citizens of developed countries do not seem to know the value of the food that they are eating and wasting.
According to the United Nations, about 17 per cent of food is wasted globally, and this percentage does not account for the food destroyed due to failed crops or food production mishaps. This 17 per cent only points towards the waste produced by people. 13 per cent of this waste is from retail, food services contribute 26 per cent, and households waste 61 per cent of the food. Interestingly, most of this food wastage happens in developed countries as they do not value what they have. Even with numerous food options, people look for something new, and if they do not like something, they simply throw it out. Food waste contributes to global starvation and threatens global food security, so if you cannot eat something, do not put it on your plate (Worsley, 2018).
References
FarmAid. (2015, May 7). Corporate Control of Agriculture. Farm Aid. https://www.farmaid.org/issues/corporate-power/corporate-power-in-ag/
Parker, I. (2021, November 8). The Great Organic-Food Fraud. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/11/15/the-great-organic-food-fraud
Worsley, S. (2018, November 28). Social Privilege and Its Impact on Food Choices. Eco & Beyond. https://www.ecoandbeyond.co/articles/social-privilege-and-its-impact-on-food-choices/
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