Most Americans live under the assumption that food production companies will produce a humane and safe product supplied to the local grocery store. If not the U.S. government will step in to protect the public and correct any harmful methods or additives used in the process. Unfortunately the U.S. Government is failing us, and the food companies only provide consumers with risky and unhealthy choices without correct labeling. The growth of our food is made for mass production, as cheaply as possible, using chemicals and genetically engineered crops, with only one main goal, money. Even though food prices are low, the actual costs are kept from buyers, by the food industries which poison Americans and the natural habitats surrounding us. To turn this around it is our responsibility as consumers to look at every dollar we spend as our personal vote for the food production we support. "We must stop poisoning ourselves now. We must remove chemicals from the process of growing, harvesting, and preserving food. We must demand organic, and we must do it now " (Rodale 39). Because industrial farm techniques operate with complete disregard for health, and the environment; citizens must know the consequences resulting from use of such dangerous and harmful methods which quite simply outweigh the benefits.
It is important for consumers to realize that the price of their bill from the local food store does not reflect the destructive path taken along the way to a finished product on store shelves. Industrial farms advertise they manufacture food the only way possible in the world today, using mono cropping techniques, an abundance of chemicals, and biotechnology. Applying these methods bring environmental costs, health costs for growers, consumers, and animals. Tax subsidies for industrial agriculture are funded by tax payer's money in the billions every year. "Among the most outrageous subsidies is the $659 million spent each year just to promote the products of industrial agriculture "(Kimbrell 55).
