Thesis

Changes in meat production has been innovated and has increased availability of meat while lowering its cost. However, these changes in processing have negatively impacted our food safety, public health, and environment.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EATA documentary by Matthew Boylan

Introduction

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”

Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, 400 B.C.

Where it all began

At the turn of the century Upton Sinclair documented the dangerous working conditions of beef industry workers

In addition what came to light was the industry’s processing of sick animals and the overall filth of the processing plant.

Insert video of the Jungle

The Impact of “The Jungle” The “Jungle” and the campaign that

Sinclair waged after its publication led to landmark food safety law.

It awakened the nation to the dangers in the supply but also to the role that government could play in keeping it safe.

Things got better…

Conditions got better in the beef production factories and inspections were done regularly.

The next big impact came when the beef industry changed its processing methods in response to the demands of the large grocery chains.

When things changed…

The meat industry changed after WWII when meat companies started to mass produce meat products for supermarkets.

The industry changed again dramatically in the 1950’s in response to the burgeoning fast food industry.

Insert video about impact of fast food industry on production

The meat industry is highly efficient…

The price of beef today is half the cost of beef in the 1970’s.

U.S. Agricultural policies subsidize the corn used to feed cattle which enables the industry to keep costs way down.

Changes in Food safety practices..

In 1998 the beef industry successfully lobbied to change the regulations for beef inspection.

Instead of government inspectors they regulate themselves through the use of sampling.

Since the new system has been put in place the incidence of e.coli and salmonella has gone only slightly.

Other changes you may not suspect…

The beef industry feed cattle primarily corn but also leftover cattle parts. This has caused the animals to become carnivores instead of herbivores.

This change is correlated with a higher level of intestinal parasites and other bacteria.

The industry has responded by treating the animals with antibiotics and other vaccines.

What about inspections…

Instead of inspections, the beef industry has been “bleaching” meat as part of the production cycle.

100% of beef provided to fast food chains and “donated” to schools has been bleached.

The industry believes this process has made its product safer than ever.

Insert slide showing bleaching of meat.

New York Times reports:

“Potentially harmful E.coli and salmonella pathogens have been found dozens of times in ammonia-treated beef.”

The use of this ammonia treatment is what the industry used to avoid inspections of any kind… this “bleached” meat is exempt from federal inspection laws.

“Last year the beef industry sent 5.5 billion pounds of this “bleached” meat to the federal school lunch program.”

No official studies have been conducted on the potential impacts of this additive on humans.

We are nutritionally starving..

U.S. agriculture policies have subsidized corn and other “feed” products for the beef industry at the expense of other crops such as fruits and vegetables.

This is why a burger and fries is cheaper than a head of broccoli.

Impacts on the Environment… The impact of the beef industry is

significant.

It takes 2.6 pounds of grain and 436 gallons of water to raise one pound of beef.

By 2050 it is estimated that the demand for beef will double.

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to the vegetarian diet”

Albert Einstein

O.K. so we all have to be vegetarians?…

A really great start is to eat half as much beef, and when you do, buy from responsible, local providers.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EATAfter all….