It amazes me, after reading Chapter 9, the number of people that insist on buying organic because of the things that are advertised on the label. Organic food labels tell the truth, but leave out many details that may stop people from spending the extra money compared to regular industrialized food. By all means I agree with buying organic, but if you haven't read the Omnivore's Dilemma, then you might be buying things that paint a false picture in your head.
The example that Pollan used which surprised me the most was the "free range" chicken he bought at Whole foods. The advertisement was something along the lines of organic fed, free range chicken. This advertisement I agree would paint the picture that the chickens roam free in a pasture eating grass and seeds that havent been treated with pesticides. I believe this is what most people would picture if they read an advertisement like that, but the truth is quite different. When pollan went to the farm he discovered something that I believe would change a lot of peoples views on organic food. The supposedly "free range" chickens were couped up in a cage until they were five weeks old, then on a pasture for two weeks, and then packaged for grocery stores. This example of organic food seems to the one with most drastic change from the place you think your food is coming from to the reality of it.
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I agree; this lack of truthful information about the real process which these animals were raised is misleading and should not be allowed by the USDA. The USDA should restrict the term "organic" being used on certain products which should have stricter regulations on the process of creation of the product. If anyone someone wants to say that their product is organic and charge more for it, all they have to do is abide by the hazy definition of "organic" the USDA has created.
ReplyDeleteI also, mostly agree with you, I think its a crock how they say that the chicken's have access to their free range..... when he visited the farm he found out that for the first 5 weeks of their lives, they actually don't have access, and the last two weeks before they are slaughtered, they open the little door where one at a time could fit through if they wanted, but after having the door shut for 5/7 of there short lives, the chicken's almost never even go outside because they are accustom to the indoor environment and have no reason to go outside. Why would they when their food, water, and the environment that they are used to is right there inside?
ReplyDeleteGood points all round. Now that you've finished paper 2, do you see a similar connection in the artifact you analyzed?
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