The Omnivores Dilemma, Chapter 3

I have been reading the omnivores dilemma by Michael Pollan and was just reading the chapter on the process that meat goes through to get to your plate. He makes the argument that the beef industry has become a factory industry and that beef cows are now simply production machines. They are bred that way they are fed that way and they are raised to produce the most beef for our buck. They are raised on feedlots that have become like "cattle city's".

I would agree with Pollan that we have changed cattle to become faster at producing meat and we have created a system that uses our corn to created the fasted grown meat in the history of agriculture. But in all fairness we need it, we require it. If we did not produce meat the way we did today we could not meet consumer demand. By creating this form of meat we are able to meet a demand that is still growing today.

For example Americas go to McDonalds for a Burger or a Steakhouse for their steak not for their salad our food culture is centered around meat and its availibilty. Therefore I would argue with Pollan if it is such a bad thing or if really we are just producing for a demand.

Americans have been know for their ingenuity and we will be able to figure out the kinks in the feed lot system and make it safer and more environmentally sustainable.

How do you feel about the feed lot system? Positive or negative?

What are our other options?