The 1900’s were a revolutionary century for American Agriculture thanks to the improvement of industrial technology and other advances in the field. The industrial technology ranged from many things, but machines had now given way for a decrease in manpower on the farms. (Farias, 2012) In 1906, in response to Upton Sinclair’s novel, The Jungle, The Pure Food and Drug Law was created, which required the USDA to inspect the sanitation of agricultural businesses.
While laissez-faire enabled corporate powers to burgeon, farmers and social workers did not benefit from the bureaucratic government. American agriculture endured many hardships during the Gilded Age and was profoundly affected by the technological advancements, government policies, and economic conditions between 1865 and 1900. The declining position of American Farmers was the corollary of novel technology and mechanized agriculture. Because subsistence farming was no longer a viable option, farmers transformed their estates into commercial businesses and became heavily dependent on machinery and producing at commercial scales. Much of the new technology farmers invested in for example, steel plows, harrows, grain binders, threshers, windmills,
Michael Pollan’s alternative to Factory farming has given a huge insight into a better ethics on food. In “The Animals: Practicing Complexity” Michael Pollan writes about a polyface farm and how it works. The goal of a polyface farm is to emotionally, economically, and environmentally enhance agriculture. Everything on a polyface farm has the potential to be helpful to something else on the farm. Pollan states “The chicken feed not only feeds the broilers but, transformed into chicken crap, feeds the grass that feeds the cows that, as I was about to see, feeds the pigs and the laying hens” (Pollan 345).
Industrial farms can make more products than traditional farms and that may be the reason why industrial farms are given more spotlight to and are gradually expanding while other farms are moderately deteriorating. Pollan is more understanding of the technological advances which Berry is not. Berry and Pollan agree and concur at times on the same issues of how the industrial model of agribusiness is
Moi Banerjee 1/7/14 CP: 1 APUSH DBQ Technology, government policy and economic conditions changed the American agriculture drastically in the period 1865-1900. Technology increased hugely over the years but the prices were outrageous to the agriculture society. Because farmers could not afford anything, they lived in poor conditions. Although the farmers were the “front-face” of the society and provided everything for the country, people were forgetting about the, and they were not being represented enough in the government and its policy.
“Industrial agriculture characteristically proceeds by single solutions to single problems: If you want the most money from your land this year, grow the crops for which the market price is highest.” - Wendell Berry Many people question whether or not the morality of treating animals in a humane way outweighs the morality of cheaper food for a nation where 1 in 6 people are facing hunger, and/or starving in any way. Back in the day, a while after World War II, industrial agriculture was applauded as a technological success that permitted an ever growing population to practically feed themselves. Now, many farmers and scientists see it as a blind alley, rather made for factory work.
With no laws to stop it, moral concern surrendered entirely to economic calculation, leaving no limit to the punishments that factory farmers could inflict to keep costs down and profits up.” (Scully, 159). Factory Farming in itself is a way get more profit and lower cost but also put animals in unclean places and with machines that emits lots of chemicals in the air which harms both animals and the environment. One can infer that if these farms have no rules to how the animals should be treated, then how is the food processed, is the meat even cleaned properly? Referring back to the quote Scully says that there are no regulations therefore people in charge of running the farms can do as they please to maximize profit and cut down
Every year innovative technologies and practices are introduced to the agriculture industry, these advancements improve the quantity and quality of crops and can even be the solution to world issues. In this DBQ I will explain why the industrialization of the agricultural industry has been positive. The third document supports my argument because it shows how advances in agriculture have helped big issues like world hunger, Document three covers the green revolution that started in the 1940s. The green revolution introduced two different major branches of development, breeding, and new agriculture techniques. Breeding was introduced to the agriculture industry and created new plant varieties.
Alternatives Factory farming is a major problem throughout the U.S.A that is more popular than one would think. Some ways to stop factory farming involves the people to do the work, like buying from humane meat companies. Other alternatives to stop factory farming involves the law to do the work, like banning gestation crates or requiring all agricultural animals to become free range. A second alternative is planting humane meat industries in local grocery stores, like Cub or Hivee, instead of in specific stores, like whole foods.
Over the years the issues of animal cruelty in factory farms have become a major problem, because of the thriving meat industry. The issues regarding animal cruelty are important because it concerns fundamental moral and economic questions in respect to the way animals are treated, before being brutally slaughtered and later consumed by Americans daily. The topic of animal cruelty raises multiple differing arguments, many concerning religion or possibly a person's geological location in the world. By considering the arguments made by people who think animal cruelty to be morally acceptable, and researching the verified practices taking place on factory farms today, it will be clear that in the United States Animal cruelty is a cruel and unnecessary
Although the issues of race, wage equality, and abortion are topics that have been addressed during this presidential election one of the most important issues in America is flying under the radar. Animal Production is the systematic production of animals for milk, eggs, and meat produced to the highest level which is used to lower the cost and mass distributed to the public for consumption. Advocates of mass animal production such as the blog greengarageblog.org, have argued that animal production is inexpensive due to the food being produced and processed at a faster rate, can offer jobs as it is one of the biggest industries in the United States, can allow for greater variety and availability as the food is so cheap and the biotechnological
The thesis of my paper is clear within the first paragraph. The key points of the essay are developed to support the thesis, with all the key points seeming to be developed thoroughly. However, I think some of the key points would benefit from more evidence from the sources. Originally, the paper was far too long and I had to take some things out to compensate for this, including a few pieces of evidence. Unfortunately, this left the paper lacking evidence in some areas.
I know a lot of people don 't know how to farm nor do they want to. But a lot of people forget on caring about where and how they got their produce as long as it is on the market for them to feed themselves or their families. What they don 't know is more and more these days the animals are living in horrible factories their whole lives. Which means they aren 't being treated wrong. They are neglected with the proper food and are being drugged with medications like steroids.
Slaughterhouses are taking an increasing toll on the environment. As well as it being a main contributor to global warming with its large emissions of Greenhouse Gases, diseases like mad cow, e coli, and salmonella are all originating from the contaminated meat of this corrupt business (Pacelle). Overall, even claims of being good for the animals and environment can be false when it comes to this
Commercial Food Production Essay The question of whether humans should eat meat is a controversial subject that most everyone has an opinion about. To prepare for this essay I watched, Paul McCartney on Slaughterhouses and Earthlings; 101 Reasons to be Vegan, I also chose to watch a third video entitled, A Video Tour of a Beef Plant Featuring Temple Grandin. All three videos shed light on the meat producing industry in different ways. Analyzing the content of these videos helps gain knowledge of the treatment of animals and how they are processed for human consumption.
