Omnivore's Dilemma Summary

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In the book “Omnivore’s Dilemma” , Michael Pollan delves into the the evolution of the industrial food system. There are many parallels that can be drawn from what was discussed in the book and covered in lecture regarding food systems. One example is the importance of corn. The central ingredient to the industrial food system is corn. In fact, Todd Dawson, a biologist at Berkeley describes North Americans as “corn chips with legs” (Pollan, 2007, p. 23). Until reading this book, I was not aware of the profound impact corn has on our lives. The book focuses on corn’s role in North American diets. However, in this course we learned about the significance of corn in certain cultures. In fact, corn is central to the culture and identity of guatemalan people that when they move away they rely on MASECA to continue eating their beloved corn tortillas (Maupin). …show more content…

According to Pollan, the government system designed to protect farmers results in more corn being produced for lower prices. Furthermore, Cargill and ADM, who are predicted to buy the majority of corn grown in America, exert political influence over U.S. agricultural policies (Pollan, 2007, p. 62-63). This is concerning, as these companies will act in their best interest, and not in the interest of American farmers. Americans who work for beef companies, experience a similar inequality. The big beef companies do what is best for them to generate the greatest profit. This is achieved by the abhorrent treatment of their workers. Perhaps, this is why meatpacking is now one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation (Schlosser, 2001, p. 442). One thing is evident politics, plays a profound role in industrial food

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