Most small farmers live very humbly – they don’t make a lot of money. But they’ve got a big job. On the other hand, big farms are SUBSIDIZED by the government. The government uses consumers’ tax dollars to fund their operation. Furthermore, big ag’s job really isn’t as back breaking as small farm work. Everything is mechanized in big agriculture, whereas most everything is done by hand and very personally in small farming.
So, what’s the problem with this?
Well, for one, big ag food systems are gross. Like the way our food animals are raised and taken care of is just plain on unsanitary, and we are paying for it to be that way!
Big Ag gets away with selling mass quantities of food for super duper lower prices BECAUSE they are not paying for the business themselves – we are!
Small farms struggle to get by, not only because they have to brunt the costs, but they also have to try to entice people to pay more for their product. When a consumer can get an already cooked rotisserie chicken from Costco for $5, but has to pay $20 for a raw chicken from a small farmer, unfortunately most consumers will choose the later.
Now, what’s wrong with that??? Well, Big Ag food is just plain out not as nutritious. I don’t even need to list out resources supporting this straight out fact. But, I will.
Shapiro, S. A. (2017) OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS: REGULATION AND TORT LAW. Environmental law (Portland, Ore.). 47 (3), 557–581.
Hauter, W. (2012) Foodopoly the battle over the future of food and farming in America. New York: New Press.
Dolan, R. (2017) Farm To Factory To Table. Health Affairs. [Online] 36 (2), 378–378.
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It took me not even to find just these few.
It’s pretty common sense. If you were to live in a damp, musty room your entire life, you’d be unhealthy. If you were hanging in your own poop, being force fed with no exercise, you’d be unhealthy.
When you EAT unhealthy thing, you’d be unhealthy. When the things you eat ARE unhealthy, you’d be unhealthy!
Okay so then what’s the problem with that?
Well, now we circle back to everyone’s angel and demon alike: MONEY.
When you’re unhealthy, it costs a lot of money. Not only do you have less energy to contribute and build wealth to society, but you probably have a lot of medical bills. Heart disease, diabetes, CANCER! The big ones – all heavily attributed to diet.
Moral of the story – you might be buying a $5 chicken, but be prepared to spend $5000 later on to your doctor. Support your local small farmer.
In Soil We Trust,
Tiffany
Bring Back Soil 