Chapter 12 Agriculture and Food

Transcription

1 Chapter 12 Agriculture and Food Think of a Food Memory Our Global Kitchen Agriculture and Society Foraging Agriculture: growing of food plants and the husbandry of animals for food Began ~ 10,000 years ago in Middle East Brainstorm: How do you think the food system has changed since then? Early Humans Originated around 150,000 years ago 1

2 Transition to Agriculture Production of food and goods Growing crops raising animals 11,000 BCE: Fertile Crescent 6000 BCE: Animals domesticated 5000 BCE: Practiced on most continents History of Farming We farmed animals before grain Dogs: hunting and herding Sheep, goats and pigs hunted and then corralled Cattle, reindeer, horses donkeys, yaks, camels and llamas used as food and beasts of burden Other uses: clothing, tools, etc. Transition to Agriculture What motivated the shift to agriculture? Change in climate à wild food shortages Population change à increased food demand New technology à agriculture easier to do Effects of Agriculture How did agriculture affect lifestyles of people? Required more time, energy Provided more stable and abundant food supply Spurred population growth 10,000 BCE: 4 million 1000 BCE: 50 million 1 CE: 200 million Clumped growth created cities 2

3 New Technologies and Growth : Population doubles What kept hunger at bay? New imported plants Better food distribution networks Good Climate, fertile soil New innovation Irrigation Plow Synthetic Fertilizers Introduced early 1900s Way more food being grown Population doubles again There were ecological consequences DDT Why Synthetic Fertilizes? Fuel for the new industrial economy! Free Americans from farming so they could join labor force Lower costs of food à increase spending on products 3

4 Traditional Food Production Small Scale Independently owned Access to pasture (fields) Diversified Industrialization The food system in the US became industrialized Themes: Specialized Simplified Routine Mechanical Standardized Consolidated Specialized Corn Monoculture: One crop being grown Biodiversity? Specialized: Beef Supply Chain 4

5 8/5/16 Simpler, Routine, Mechanized Greater Use of Off-Farm Inputs Synthetic Fertilizers Standardized Chemical Pesticides Antibiotics, Hormones Consolidation All food should be the same 5

6 Food Inc. 13 Minutes Lunch Survey Think about what you had for lunch today or yesterday. Put a X next to each of the following factors you considered when you decided what to eat for lunch. q It was fast or easy q It was what I usually eat q It was nutritious q It tasted good q It was a good price q It was in season q My friends liked it q I didn t have a choice q Other: Raising Chickens Circle the individual that is most valued in our society. Put an X over the individual who is least valued Rank the individuals based on who has the most rights. 1 for the highest 5 for the lowest. Are value and rights the same? Discussion Question Do animals have the right to a certain quality of life? Share with a partner, has your view changed? Why or why not? 6

7 Consolidation Only a few large corporations control most of the food industry Over 80% of beef packing industry owned by four corporations Over 50% of corn seed industry owned by three corporations Consolidation Benefits Increased food production Less human labor Lower food prices Usually more efficient Costs Public health concerns Farmers have less choice Companies have influence over laws Environmental degradation Animal welfare concerns Food Inc. 8 Minutes 7

8 What do all these foods have in common? Discussion Question Do people have the right to know what is in their food? Share with a partner, has your view changed? Why or why not? Which is cheaper? (Prices from Giant sales flier) $0.40 per oz $0.20 per oz 8

9 Which is cheaper? (Prices from Giant sales flier) $0.07 per oz $0.02 per oz Measuring Food Environments Diet Related Deaths Heart Disease Cancer Stroke Diabetes Hypertension Measuring Food Environments Types of Stores Supermarket Small Grocery or Corner Store Convenience Store Behind Glass Store Measuring Food Environments Neighborhood Deaths Household Income Family Poverty Rate Avertible Deaths Roland Park Low $90,000 0% 0% Clifton Medium $25,000 18% 46% SW Baltimore High $27,000 26% 57% Avertable deaths are deaths that could have been avoided if all Baltimore communities had the same opportunity at health. -Baltimore City Health Department 9

10 Food System Supply Chain Production (growing food) Processing (Transforming raw material into product for consumers) Distribution (shipping to retailer) Retail (selling to consumer) Consumption Food Supply Chain: Apple What happens to an apple between when it is grown in an orchard and when it is eaten? Think of as many steps as you can. For each step along the supply chain, draw a box, label it and briefly describe the activity taking place at that step. Use arrows to connect each box. Use one box for each step. Food Supply Chain: Apple Growing: apples grown on trees Consuming: apples are eaten 10

11 Food Supply Chain: U.S. Chicken What happens to a chicken between when it is hatched and when it is eaten? Complete the same process as you did with the apple. Hint: you must also account for the chicken s food, which would most likely be corn. Food Supply Chain: U.S. Chicken Corn is grown Consuming: Chickens are eaten Food Supply Chain: U.S. Chicken Food Miles Food Miles: Distance a food product travels from production to consumer. Measure of environmental impact of a food product WHY? Compare: (Bring in 2 foods) What are the main ingredients in each? Where do you think these ingredients are from? How does this impact our ecosystems? Our global economy? 11

12 Top Producers for US Markets Top Producers for US Markets: WHY? FOOD PLACE FOOD PLACE Nuts Country: Nuts Vietnam Pork State: Pork Iowa Wheat State: Wheat Kansas Coffee Country: Coffee Brazil Avocados Country: Avocados Chile Potatoes State: Potatoes Idaho Oranges State: Oranges Florida Blueberries State: Blueberries Maine Chickens State: Chickens Georgia Cocoa Beans Country: Cocoa Beans Cote d Ivoire Food Inc. 9 Minutes Stop at 53:19 You may close your eyes, some scenes are a little intense. 12

13 Discussion Question When deciding what to eat, how much should we consider the workers who pick, process, and transport it? Share with a partner, has your view changed? Why or why not? Fertilizers and Aquatic Ecosystems Eutrophication Nutrient run off à Agal blooms à Dead zones Example of Positive Feedback 13

14 Pesticides and Ecosystems Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification Resistance Similar to antibiotics Deformities in amphibians Declining pollinator populations Immune systems of many animals harmed Dolphins, seals, whales, etc Agricultural Chemicals and Health Cancers Reproductive harms Endocrine disruption Nervous system impacts Poisoning Death Food Inc. 8 Minutes For which product is low cost a priority? What other priorities are there? Backpack Car Cell Phone Jeans Pencil Shampoo Shoes Socks TV 14

15 Discussion Question Does it matter to you which food companies produce your food? Place yourself on the following scale. Share with a partner, has your view changed? Why or why not? Continued 15

16 Loss of Biodiversity Climate Change Insecticides Impacts pollinators Monocultures Growing mostly corn and soy Loss of Farmland Two acres per minute paved for developments Consolidation Issues 16

17 Food Inc. Summer Reading 7 Minutes Discussion Question How we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used. Wendell Berry Share with a partner, has your view changed? Why or why not? 17