Eye Opener: CSPI

For this eye opener I decided to visit the webside where a person can Tour the Food Supply.  I read about several specific topics dealing with the supply of food, such as: the feed lot, slaughter house, factory farm, irrigation, pesticides, supermarket and a couple others.

I couldn't believe that the feed lot itself polluted the air with harmful gases and the water with manure.  I always thought these places were stinky but I guess I didn't take into consideration that these awful smells could actually do some harm to the environment.  I also wasn't aware that these cattle in the feed lots are fed high energized grains which messes with their diets and cause health problems.  Feeding cattle these type of grains also raise the fat content in their meat supply.

After I read about slaughter houses it made me second guess the type of meat I buy at the grocery store.  I guess it is known that poor sanitary practices mixed with the dangerous bacteria from the left over animal pieces can be life threatening if a consumer handles the meat improperly or if it is not cooked at a high enough temperature.  It is also so sad that cattle, pigs, sheet, and chickens are being killed inhumanley and are jammed into trucks with inconsiderable amounts of food and water.  It just makes me sick to think about it, since I am a semi-big animal lover.

One last topic that has a connection with food supplies is pesticides.  I read that in 2001, 181 million pounds of pesticides were used in farming.  That is over 1/3 of all the pesticides being used!  They used these pesticides with feed grains, hay, and pastures.  Sure, pesticides kill weeds, but they also kill important insects that nourish the environment.

Overall, this website brought to my attention how the United States food supply is hurting our environment.  After reading these facts I feel that the government should put some effort forth to better the way our food supply is ran and take into consideration the benefits for our environment if changes are made.