Lesson 2: How Does Your Garden Grow?

Lesson 2:How Does Your Garden Grow?

Meat and Milk Production

How is Meat Produced?

Corporate ControlledCorporate Controlled- Huge Corporations Process about 80% Huge Corporations Process about 80%

of Meat in the U.S.of Meat in the U.S.

o TysonTysono CargillCargillo Swift & Co.Swift & Co.o National Beef Packing Co.National Beef Packing Co.o Five RiversFive Riverso Pilgrims PridePilgrims Prideo ButterballButterball

Use of Antibiotics in Meat Production

Used to prevent infection in Used to prevent infection in animals.animals.

Makes animals gain weight faster.Makes animals gain weight faster. In June 2010:In June 2010:

- FDA* urged meat producers to stop FDA* urged meat producers to stop using antibioticsusing antibiotics

- Public Health IssuePublic Health Issue- May cause resistance to antibiotics in May cause resistance to antibiotics in

humans humans

FDA – Food and Drug Administration

The U.S. organization The U.S. organization responsible for regulating responsible for regulating

human and animal human and animal medications, tobacco, the medications, tobacco, the

food supply, medical food supply, medical devices, cosmetics and devices, cosmetics and dietary supplements.dietary supplements.

Large Corporate or “Factory Farms”

Linked to Inhumane Treatment of Animals

Food Poisoning Experiences

Safety Issues With Meat Production

Contaminated food causes:Contaminated food causes:

- 48 Million Illnesses48 Million Illnesses- 128,000 Hospitalizations128,000 Hospitalizations- 3,000 Deaths Annually3,000 Deaths Annually

Linked to unsanitary conditions in Linked to unsanitary conditions in industrial food plants.industrial food plants.

E. coli bacteria is the most E. coli bacteria is the most dangerousdangerous- Found in ground meatFound in ground meat

Greeley, Colorado 2009

380,000 pounds of beef 380,000 pounds of beef were recalledwere recalled

JBS Swift Beef CompanJBS Swift Beef Companyy

Greeley, Colorado 2002

Recalled Recalled 19 Million19 Million pounds of pounds of beef. beef.

Con-AgraCon-Agra Multi-state recallMulti-state recall

August 2011

Cargill pulled 36 million pounds of Cargill pulled 36 million pounds of ground turkeyground turkey

Caused salmonellaCaused salmonella- Found in chicken, turkey and eggsFound in chicken, turkey and eggs

Caused at least 1 death and 77 Caused at least 1 death and 77 illnessesillnesses

Largest recall in historyLargest recall in history This strain of salmonella is This strain of salmonella is

resistant to anti-biotics resistant to anti-biotics

Mad Cow Disease(Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or

BSE)

Neurological disorder in cattleNeurological disorder in cattle Results from feeding cattle meat-and-Results from feeding cattle meat-and-

bone meal from infected animalsbone meal from infected animals In 2010, 184,500 cases of mad cow In 2010, 184,500 cases of mad cow

disease were reporteddisease were reported Three cases were identified in the U.S.Three cases were identified in the U.S.

The Meatrix

www.themeatrix.comwww.themeatrix.com

How is Milk Produced?

Produced by a handful of Produced by a handful of multi-billion-dollar companies.multi-billion-dollar companies.- Many are European ownedMany are European owned- Mega-dairy farmsMega-dairy farms

Dean Foods owns 40 brands of Dean Foods owns 40 brands of dairydairy

- $10 billion dollars a year$10 billion dollars a year- Own Silk and Horizon dairy in ColoradoOwn Silk and Horizon dairy in Colorado

Dairy Farms Can Give Cows

Artificial HormonesArtificial Hormones- Recombinant Bovine Growth Recombinant Bovine Growth

Hormone (rBGH)Hormone (rBGH) GMO Artificial HormoneGMO Artificial Hormone Artificially increases milk Artificially increases milk

production by 10-15%.production by 10-15%.

AntibioticsAntibiotics Highly concentrated feedHighly concentrated feed

Most Cows Raised on Factory Farms

No grassNo grass May have 20,000 cattle on a farmMay have 20,000 cattle on a farm Close quartersClose quarters Life Expectancy is only 3-4 yearsLife Expectancy is only 3-4 years

- Compared to 20 years raised in a Compared to 20 years raised in a pasturepasture

FOOD FACTS

Dairy cow farms dropped from 648,000 in Dairy cow farms dropped from 648,000 in 1970 to 75,000 in 2006.1970 to 75,000 in 2006.

Total dairy cows fell from 12 million in Total dairy cows fell from 12 million in 1970 to 9.1 million in 2006.1970 to 9.1 million in 2006.

The average herd size rose from 19 cows The average herd size rose from 19 cows in 1970 to 120 cows in 2006.in 1970 to 120 cows in 2006.

Milk production doubled from 9,751 in Milk production doubled from 9,751 in 1970 to 19,951 in 2006.1970 to 19,951 in 2006.

- Average milk production per farm increased Average milk production per farm increased twelvefold. twelvefold.