Corn as Commodity and the Public Health
Corn as Commodity and the Public Heath
Corn as Commodity and the Public Heath
Corn, in its human-induced evolution from unremarkable weed, to staple crop and finally commodity has had a tremendous impact on the United States. This once innocuous weed has become a symbol of American agricultural might, as well as a threat to our health, environment and the animals that sustain us. In Kenner’s Food Inc. (2009), the viewer gets to see first-hand the devastation that can be brought to a family that trusts the food they eat in this country is safe. Barbara Kowalcyk tells the disturbing story of her seven year old son succumbing to a hemorrhagic E.coli infection at age seven. Shortly after eating three hamburgers, Kevin became terribly ill. He quickly succumbed to bouts of violent vomiting and bloody diarrhea. To listen to the anguished voice of this mother describing her son begging for water, as he lay in a hospital bed slowly dying, is heart wrenching. It took Kowalcyk three years of work with attorneys to discover that the meat had been recalled. To make matters worse, the meat was not recalled until 16 days after Kevin’s death. Kevin died just 12 days after eating the tainted beef. Due to Kowalcyk’s work as a food safety activist, Kevin’s Law has been introduced. It would give the USDA the power to shut down factories that are repeat offenders of food safety. After six years in legislature, the law has yet to be passed. This tragic story highlights one of two problems with industrial agriculture and commoditized corn. The use of commoditized corn as animal feed has led to an unprecedented level of dietary diseases and foodborne illnesses.
Problems
The use of commodity corn as feed for all slaughter animals has created a public health crisis; including obesity, diabetes, dangerous strains of E. coli and an ever increasing threat from antibiotic resistant of bacteria. Gone are the days of local sustainable farming and the humane treatment of animals. Before
Corn as Commodity and the Public Heath
Corn, in its human-induced evolution from unremarkable weed, to staple crop and finally commodity has had a tremendous impact on the United States. This once innocuous weed has become a symbol of American agricultural might, as well as a threat to our health, environment and the animals that sustain us. In Kenner’s Food Inc. (2009), the viewer gets to see first-hand the devastation that can be brought to a family that trusts the food they eat in this country is safe. Barbara Kowalcyk tells the disturbing story of her seven year old son succumbing to a hemorrhagic E.coli infection at age seven. Shortly after eating three hamburgers, Kevin became terribly ill. He quickly succumbed to bouts of violent vomiting and bloody diarrhea. To listen to the anguished voice of this mother describing her son begging for water, as he lay in a hospital bed slowly dying, is heart wrenching. It took Kowalcyk three years of work with attorneys to discover that the meat had been recalled. To make matters worse, the meat was not recalled until 16 days after Kevin’s death. Kevin died just 12 days after eating the tainted beef. Due to Kowalcyk’s work as a food safety activist, Kevin’s Law has been introduced. It would give the USDA the power to shut down factories that are repeat offenders of food safety. After six years in legislature, the law has yet to be passed. This tragic story highlights one of two problems with industrial agriculture and commoditized corn. The use of commoditized corn as animal feed has led to an unprecedented level of dietary diseases and foodborne illnesses.
Problems
The use of commodity corn as feed for all slaughter animals has created a public health crisis; including obesity, diabetes, dangerous strains of E. coli and an ever increasing threat from antibiotic resistant of bacteria. Gone are the days of local sustainable farming and the humane treatment of animals. Before
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