Amy Goodman: Rotten Eggs and Our Broken Democracy

[marmar]

from truthdig:




Rotten Eggs and Our Broken Democracy
Posted on Aug 25, 2010

By Amy Goodman


What do a half-billion eggs have to do with democracy? The massive recall of salmonella-infected eggs, the largest egg recall in U.S. history, opens a window on the power of large corporations over not only our health, but over our government.

While scores of brands have been recalled, they all can be traced back to just two egg farms. Our food supply is increasingly in the hands of larger and larger companies, which wield enormous power in our political process. As with the food industry, so, too, is it with oil and with banks: Giant corporations, some with budgets larger than most nations, are controlling our health, our environment, our economy and increasingly, our elections.

The salmonella outbreak is just the most recent episode of many that point to a food industry run amok. Patty Lovera is the assistant director of the food-safety group Food & Water Watch. She told me: “Historically, there’s always been industry resistance to any food-safety regulation, whether it’s in Congress or through the agencies. There are large trade associations for every sector of our food supply, starting from the large agribusiness-type producers all the way through to the grocery stores.”

The salmonella-tainted eggs came from just two factory farms, Hillandale Farms and Wright County Egg, both in Iowa. Behind this outbreak is the egg empire of Austin “Jack” DeCoster. DeCoster owns Wright County Egg and also owns Quality Egg, which provides chicks and feed to both of the Iowa farms. Lovera describes DeCoster as “a poster child for what happens when we see this type of consolidation and this scale of production.” ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/rotten_eggs_and_our_broken_democracy_20100825/

[endless october]

1. food irradiation could go a long way towards fixing the problem.

however, the word "irradiation" is more scary than food poisoning, which could actually kill you.

[demigoddess]

2. or allowing them to be even lazier than they are now.

i say they should do better housekeeping or we should buy from smaller companies.

[rhett o rick]

3. You missed the point of the post completely. nm

[Donnachaidh]

6. Why give an already bad business yet another tool to stay in business?

We've had enough problems with companies cutting costs on the back of the public's health. Close them down.

[rhett o rick]

7. regulate, regulate, regulate. nm

[glitch]

4. Yeah, THAT's the problem.

http://www.democracynow.org/shows/2010/8/24

The show is well worth a listen.

#
Largest Egg Recall in US History Brings Renewed Attention to Dangers of Industrial Farming

The largest egg recall in US history is bringing renewed attention to the dangers of factory farming and to growing consolidation in the industries responsible for the food many Americans eat. Over half a billion eggs have been ordered off US shelves in the past two weeks following an outbreak of salmonella in the Midwest. Nearly 1,300 cases of people sickened by the eggs have been reported. Despite the size of the recall, responsibility falls on just two factory farms: Hillandale Farms and Wright County Egg, both from Iowa.
# Food_kirby
David Kirby on "The Looming Threat of Industrial Pig, Dairy and Poultry Farms on Humans and the Environment"

We speak with David Kirby about his book Animal Factory: The Looming Threat of Industrial Pig, Dairy and Poultry Farms on Humans and the Environment. "We need more regulations, and we need enforcement of the regulations," Kirby says. "These companies are self-policing, and they are operating on the honor system. And consumers are obviously paying the price."
# Food_misinvestanuradha
Report: Global Food Security and Sovereignty Threatened by Corporate and Government "Land Grabs" in Poor Countries

Since the food crisis of 2008, food justice activists have warned that governments in concert with multinational corporations have accelerated a worldwide "land grab" to buy up vast swaths of arable land in poor countries. According to The Economist magazine, between 37 to 49 million acres of farmland were put up for sale in deals involving foreign nationals between 2006 and mid-2009.

[rhett o rick]

5. We are fucked. Can you spell C A P I T A L I S M? nm