Industrialized farming to the average consumer may seem like a good thing. All of your fruits and vegetables look and taste the same, meats of the same kind are consistent, all of the fresh foods look perfect and are of the same size and color. But what about what happens before crops hit the shelves? Well, according to my research, industrialized farming seems to have quite a few negative aspects to it.
The way farming is looked at today is, "how many animals can be crammed into the smallest space for the least cost and greatest profit?" By the sound of it, the word "crammed" doesn't sound like it should be followed by the word "clean". Such ways of farming have contributed to waste leaking into waterways, lakes, groundwater, soils and airways. The leaking of waste has contributed to environmental problems. Waste seeps into the ground and into waterways that get to crops that overgrow and suffocate aquatic animal life. All of that waste in such a confined area also contributes to disease in animals, which may eventually make it to your refrigerator. Speaking of disease, it is said that many illnesses not considered as food-related may be due to the overdose of antibiotics that chickens receive in factory farms.
Farm equipment is also linked to environmental problems, with transportation equipment emitting greenhouse gasses. Tractors and trucks aren't the only source of air pollution. Livestock machinery is accountable for 18% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, more than that from transportation vehicles.
But what about the farmers?! Farmers on these "factory farms" experience the greatest effects, primarily due to the equipment they use. The noise resulting from farming equipment (chain saws, harvesters, tractors, etc) is responsible for hearing loss, and elevations in blood pressure, heart rates, and respiratory rates among farmers. Tractors in particular are the leading cause of farm-related fatalities, in which farmers are crushed under the huge machine due to "tractor rollover" incidents. One of my sources said, "Industrialized farming is also directly implicated in farm-related diseases and illnesses such as respiratory problems which have resulted from the emergence of confined livestock production technologies." That makes sense, because farmers are exposed to these machines all the time in confined areas.
As you can see, industrialized farming gets pretty bad, and I'm only giving you a brief overview! One way to fix some of the problems is to get the FDA to regulate the crops being sold to consumers. I know that they are now, but I think industrial farms need to be inspected regularly to insure consumers are receiving the safest products. I also thing the EPA needs to crack down on the emissions from farm equipment, and the waste that is leaked. Finally, I think farms need to be regulated so farmers stay safe from dangerous equipment, air pollutants, and noise pollution. I do enjoy my fresh-looking, vibrant-colored foods, but I wish the farms that made them would be regulated more strictly.
Some shocking facts:
- Data from one study indicates farmers are disabled by lung disease more often than any other occupational group.
- Eggs from factory farm chickens contaminated with salmonella caused 2,000 hospitalizations and 60 deaths in the year 2000.
- E.P.A. estimates that almost half the wells and surface streams in the US are contaminated by agricultural pollutants.
- The National Safety Council's (NSC) annual survey of occupations reveals that for the past 20 years agriculture has been second only to mining in the annual number of work-related fatalities.
Wow Nick, your blog was super interesting and very informative. You had some really neat facts, like how tractors are the leading cause of farm-related fatalities. I feel dumb saying this, but I did not know that...but I really didn't stop to think about it either! haha. And the fact about eggs was interesting too. Anyways good blog!
ReplyDeleteGreat facts Nick!!! I primarily touched on the negative aspects of farming in the threat that fertilizers pose the enviroment, but you took a very interesting view on the problems of "factory farms" by talking about the effects of the farms on the farmers. What has happened to America???????
ReplyDeleteGreat job Nick,
ReplyDeleteWow. You definitely have some interesting information there, and the facts incorporated through your blog really make it enjoyable to read. I like how you focused on the different environmental problems and negative outcomes of relying on industrialized agriculture. I completely agree with you on the animal aspect of it. It just doesn't seem logical that you could have such a large number of animals raised in a small space without some sort of problems or negative outcomes.
Hola Nick! Me gusta tu articulo. (I liked your article). As usual, wonderful information in an easy-to-read format. I particularly liked the paragraph covering the negative effects that the farmers endure. I am sure that most of the students only covered the effects on the consumers. You had some very interesting statistics, which are always mind boggling and fun to read. I think most will agree with me in saying that nothing good comes from cramming many animals into small quarters. I did not realize that the waste from the animals effected the crops as well. Overall, great job.
ReplyDeleteNick I liked your article a lot! It had some very interesting facts, some of which I did not know. And as the local Fairview farmer i know that machinery on farms can be very noisey and can cause hearing problems, but i also know that farm equipment is safe if the proper percautions are taken.
ReplyDeleteWow... farmers... lung disease? That was a bit startling....
ReplyDeleteI don't think farm machinery is a bad thing though; I think it helps us more than it hurts us. Farmers should know full well the risks they are taking by using such equipment, and by using the machinery it enables stores to be better stocked and for lower prices. However, I would agree that there are some things that could be improved.
Keep up the good work Nick!