Corn. Dextrin. Dextrose. Maltodextrin

   Who would've thought that corn would be one of the most important aspects of our industrial food chain today?  In the first three chapters of "The Omnivore's Dilemma," Pollan describes the necessity of corn to our industrial society and to basically the majority of the foods we consume.  Although our supermarkets are filled with diversity among the many different aisles, the diversity is lacking in the production of these products.  In the beginning of Chapter 2, Pollan identifies the importance of each individual farm to the production of corn for our society because one farm has the ability to feed 129 individuals.  Although each farm can feed 129 individuals, it is very rare that the farmers producing the corn attain enough profit to make a decent living for themselves.  Pollan visits George Naylor’s farm in an attempt to trace the production of corn until it is processed to when it becomes the food we are familiar with and eat every day ranging from a breakfast bar to the completely processed chicken McNuggets you order from McDonalds.  

            From discussing genetically modified corn to the fall in population of the American Belt, corn has become the number one item on a farm, even higher than necessities such as cattle.  Corn’s production has increased significantly, but with its increase, its cost continues to decrease, increasing the hardships farmers have to experience.  Constrained by the government, farmers are forced to continue selling large amounts of corn, although they rarely make a significant profit.  Corn continues to have an extreme impact on our food chains, acting as an ingredient in numerous numbers of food products.    

Until I read these chapters in “Omnivore’s Dilemma,” I had no idea that corn is in almost everything we eat.  I try to read the labels to see whether what I am eating is healthy or not, but for some reason I have rarely seen corn on the label.  After reading these chapters I went through the food in my desk, and found corn as an ingredient on every item on my desk.  It is actually ridiculous that corn has become so commonplace in so many different supermarket items, especially after learning the process behind the corn production.  I can no longer force myself to believe that all this genetically modified corn, hybrid corn used in the production of our food is actually healthy.  

            It is outrageous that although our society relies so heavily on the production of corn, farmers whose main occupation is producing corn cannot make a living for themselves.  I cannot comprehend how the government is standing by without making more policies benefiting those farmers and the quality of the corn itself.  I will never again be able to think of corn as the long yellow cob I eat at barbecues, but instead I will think of the corn being planted at the beginning of the food chain and the complex process it endures until it becomes the food I eat and enjoy everyday.  

WHY?

At what point and why did corn production become genetically modified? 

Are we getting the correct nutrients that are necessary for our body if corn is present in different forms in almost every item we eat?

Is it practical to expect the government to start taking action to increase the profits each individual farmer makes on the corn he grows?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I commented on this in my response shortly, but I think Maddy brought up a very interesting point dealing with large companies gains at the expense of the small farmers.  Farms are becoming less and less prevalent in society, and large companies rarely hesitate if it means making a profit at the expense of the farmers at the other end of the food chain.