Reports of massive contamination of sprouts in Europe, which sickened thousands and killed at least 18 people, highlight our ever-worsening, Frankenstein-like food systems worldwide.
Some scientists speculated liquid manure, used to fertilize crops, caused the near-epidemic. The organic farm said it never used manure, so it might have been inside the seed they bought.
Chemical companies keep pumping out ever-stronger pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to spray onto our food supply. The pests mutate, become more resistant, prompting ever-stronger or new chemicals to spray onto fruits, vegetables and grains. Coincidentally, that costs farmers even more money.
Then, agribusiness gets the idea to genetically modify crops (GMOs) to allow sprays to kill weeds without killing the crop. GMOs are in corn, potatoes, soy, beets and alfalfa. Many of these are fed to livestock, our meat supply.
As our grandmas once said, “You are what you eat.” The only thing that will change this ever-growing, dangerous system is the power of the enlightened consumer.
Our local Farm Bureau has a billboard, “Buy fresh, Buy Local.” Good advice. Fast food and “cheap food” could mean expensive health problems.