Chris Jones
Food and Farming
Professor Heald
December 12, 2011
Final Paper There are many different types of farming methods that are used today, all of which have diverse positives and negatives. As Secretary of the Department of Agriculture I am designing a new program that combines the best points of two existing programs. These two programs, factory farming and organic farming, when united can create a more sustainable and ethical way of farming. Added guidelines, precautions, and laws prohibit any of the negatives of these two programs from happening. This new program will enhance the farming industry and will be a very large part of the future of agricultural. There are many different points that can prove positive with factory farming. One positive to factory farming is that there is very little cruelty or suffering towards the animal when they are put down. If the animal doesn’t have to suffer in the process than it makes the working environment a more pleasurable place to be for both the other animals and the workers. Also, if the animal is put down with as little suffering as possible it is said that the meat tastes better because the animal went through less stress. Another positive to factory farming is that it creates cheaper meat prices. When meat prices are lower it makes the poor people of the community able to buy the product which creates for a better economy and helps out the business. Another plus for factory farming is it decreases the unemployment rate. Since factory farming is such a big business and the farms are so big in general, they require many workers which produces many job openings. One more thing that is great about factory farming is that with the large amount of cows they produce plenty of manure. With this manure, farmers can use it to fertilize the soil which makes for better crops. Just like factory farming, organic farming has many positives as well. Firstly, organic farming is good for the environment. Since organic farms don’t use pesticides the wildlife around it will not be harmed. It promotes wildlife protection and allows for habitats to remain for other animals. Also, organic farming uses crop rotation which helps richen the soil and air around the area. On top of that, organic farms use less energy and produce less waste promoting eco efficiency. Secondly, organic farming is better for the food producers and consumers. Since there is no use of pesticides the farmers don’t get exposed to the chemicals and the consumers don’t intake the harmful contaminated food. This provides for less disease and illness in foods. Thirdly, the food is healthier for you. Food that is grown organically is dramatically superior in nutritional value than non-organic foods. Lastly, organically grown foods tend to last longer, and spoil less quickly. “Organically grown plants are nourished naturally, rendering the structural and metabolic integrity of their cellular structure superior to those conventionally grown. As a result, organically grown foods can be stored longer and do not show the latter’s susceptibility to rapid mold and rotting.” (Advantages and Disadvantages Organic Farming...). For my farming and agriculture program I plan to include the positives from both organic farming and factory farming. Some guidelines and laws that are used to regulate the program are put into effect to decrease the negative affects of each. The first law states that there has to be a cap on the price of organic goods. The reasoning behind this is because generally the price on organic goods is between 50% and 100% more expensive than traditional goods since they are better for the environment, producer, and consumer. The second law declares that there is to be no production of genetically modified food. Genetically modified food is an unnatural way to produce food and is bad for the economy therefore it needs to be put to rest. The third law proclaims that all animals on the farm have to have a living