The State of our Food System
Table of Contents
From Farm to Fork
September 1, 2018 · Nutrition Articles
Before World War Two most farming was organic. Since then we have seen the rise of large farming corporations which have disrupted the food system. Small family farms are rapidly becoming a thing of the past as they are replaced by large scale industrial farms. These new farms are more like factories than the farms we used to know. The lower cost of food is not just taking its toll on the quality of food that we’re now eating, but also impacts rural farming communities, our health, and of course, the environment.
There are some positive aspects to this new type of industrial farming:
- For one, our food is now cheaper than ever before. Economies of scale have meant that our food can be produced more cheaply, and part of this saving is passed onto the consumer.
- In some ways our food is now safer than before as we benefit from improved sanitation and hygiene practices.
- Microwavable meals and processed foods mean that cooking times have been cut right down to minutes, instead of hours.
Cheaper, safer and faster food? It sounds good, right?
Unfortunately, the reality is that we’re fatter and sicker than ever before.
Cost of food
It’s true that our food is cheaper than ever before, but what is the true cost? The methods we’re using to achieve this cheaper food is causing irreversible damage to our environment, not only by contributing to climate change but also in a loss of species diversity. It’s creating resistance to antibiotics. Factory farming is making people sick, not only through the food itself, but things like chemical run off are damaging the health of local communities.
The drawbacks are huge
Industrial farms are putting small farmers out of business. In the case of crops, we have seen a shift to GMO. In the case of animal farming we have seen a huge drop in the standards of animal welfare, not to mention that many of these animals are routinely fed antibiotics which is contributing to antibiotic resistance. Overuse of chemicals and pesticides and loss of traditional farming practices like crop rotation is also leaching nutrients from the soil.
Declining soil quality
Factory farms use more water, more fossil fuels, more synthetic fertilisers and more pesticides. These practices are leading to a decline in soil quality. This directly impacts the level of minerals in our foods, making the food we are eating less nutritious than ever before. That’s not all, according to the UN, if these current trends continue, all of the worlds top soil could be gone in 60 years.
Dead Zones
Dead zones are areas in our oceans where the oxygen levels are too low to support marine life. There are over 400 of these dead zones around the world. One of the largest is found in the Gulf of Mexico and varies in size from an area of 5,000 square kilometres to 22,000 square kilometres. Dead zones are caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorous entering our oceans. In the developed world this is largely due to agricultural practices. Heavy usage of animal manure and chemical fertilisers are to blame. Runoff from large farms reaches the ocean, upsets the natural balance and starts the process of eutrophication which leads to dead zones being developed.
What about food miles?
The demand for fruits and vegetables to be available year round means that most of the fruit available in colder climates is being flown thousands of miles around the world to meet demand. No longer do we eat in season. We eat what we want when we want it. This seems like a great perk to modern life but its actually creating a huge load on our carbon foot print.
Loss of species diversity
There is no comparison between a wonderful juicy red vine tomato and some of the pale greenish ones we see in our supermarkets today. Sure we can now get the same foods year round but gone is the flavour of the seasons. Some heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables are making a comeback but many fear that others varieties may be lost forever if GM crops take over. It’s not only the crops – animals too, and not just the ones we farm. When land is cleared for industrial farming natural habitats are wiped out and with them the flora and fauna that existed there.
Organic Farming and Traditional Farms
There are some small holdings and organic farms that are doing their best to keep the old standards alive. These focus on working in harmony with the environment which maintains healthy eco systems and protects wildlife, including bees, from harmful chemical toxins. Organic farms are less dependent on fossil fuels; farm animals are treated with more respect and allowed to live their lives in a more natural way before they are brought to slaughter.
Factory Farming and Antibiotic Resistance
In comparison, many animals in factory farms never see the light of day. They are kept in cramped conditions and often left standing in their own faeces. Then they are treated with antibiotics to prevent the spread of disease or to accelerate their growth.
Overuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance and is a global health concern. According to the World Health Organisation, “Over-use and misuse of antibiotics in animals and humans is contributing to the rising threat of antibiotic resistance. Some types of bacteria that cause serious infections in humans have already developed resistance to most or all of the available treatments, and there are very few promising options in the research pipeline.”
What can we do?
I don’t pretend to have a solution to the vastly complex issue that is world agriculture. There certainly are benefits to large scale farming, but what is the true cost?
For all the convenience of modern life, have we lost the taste of the seasons. For the cheap cost of food, we have put small farmers out of business. For fatter cows, we have threatened our health by contributing to antibiotic resistance. For bigger crops, we have polluted our oceans.
I think the best thing we can do is to question where our food came from. Cut out the middle man where possible and buy food from your local farmers market.
Support your local butcher, fish monger or farm shop. Buy from the people who know where the food they’re selling came from.
Not only does this help to protect our environment, but it gives more meaning to the food you put on the table AND 9/10 times the flavour is better too!
References:
- Arsenault, C. ‘Only 60 Years of Farming Left If Soil Degradation Continues’. Scientific American, accessed 31.08.18. <https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/only-60-years-of-farming-left-if-soil-degradation-continues/>
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2017. ‘Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ is the largest ever measured’. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, accessed 01.09.18. <http://www.noaa.gov/media-release/gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone-is-largest-ever-measured>
- Bielo, D. 2008. ‘Oceanic dead zones continue to spread’. Scientific American, accessed 31.08.18. <https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/oceanic-dead-zones-spread/>
- West, C (Editor). 2011. ‘Dead Zones’. National Geographic Encyclopedia, accessed 31.08.18. <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/dead-zone/>
- World Health Organisation. 2017. ‘Stop using antibiotics in healthy animals to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance.’ News Release, accessed 01.09.18. <http://www.who.int/news-room/detail/07-11-2017-stop-using-antibiotics-in-healthy-animals-to-prevent-the-spread-of-antibiotic-resistance>
- Burton, R. (2018) ‘Farm to Fork’. Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health. <https://www.iinh.net>