Today, the world has become a smaller place as a result of globalization. Trade foregoes all types of geographical boundaries as goods and products make it to almost any part of the world. The U.S. being one of the most economically stable nations in the world is no lesser than the other countries. Goods from many parts of the world find their way into the States within the US. Food is one of these commodities that have made way into the states in large amounts. Coffee from Kenya or coffee made from beans from Columbia, sugar from India, and steaks from Argentina, just to mention a few, are some of the most commonly imported products in the US. The use of imported food that has been processed in other areas that are located far away from the end user is, however, an issue of great consideration given the logistics involved regarding preparation, transportation, and conservation. This paper looks at a meal comprising of potato chips, white bread, peanut butter, and apple juice and how it impacts the U.S. both ecologically and economically.
Meal Analysis
Potato chips are made from potatoes. Since potatoes are perishable, potato chips are dried by frying them in oil then salting them. This makes them not to become easily perishable. The white bread, on the other side, is made from wheat flour which has no germ and bran layers. Peanut butter is primarily made from dry ground peanuts but is always mixed with other ingredients like salt and honey to improve taste. It is not perishable which makes it a very convenient product. Apple juice is a drink that is seen as a supplement to the meal. It is made of apples and is also inclusive of other ingredients like sugar. It is taken through a pasteurization process to make it efficient for packaging.
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Source of Identification
Most of these meal components are largely available locally. The U.S. is known to be one of the major producers of potatoes in the world with over 30 states growing it commercially (Bosse, Boland, & Hoyle, 2014). There is thus a high likelihood that the potatoes were grown from the U.S. Wheat is also produce in large amounts in the U.S. today with states like Kansas and North Dakota producing millions of tons each year (USDA, 2016). The wheat used in white bread is thus largely made in the U.S. Similarly, peanut butter is also made from the U.S. The apple juice is, however, different from this other components. Statistics have indicated that China is responsible for 90% of Vitamin C that is consumed in the U.S. (Brotherton-Bunch, 2014). One of the foods transported in large amounts from China is apple juice. Apple juice makes 70% of all the apple juice found in the U.S. (Vien, 2013). This implies that the apple juice is from a firm in China.
Farming and Labour Practices
Potatoes in the U.S. are grown commercially, as earlier stated, in most states. They are mostly planted by individual families. Potatoes are grown by planting other smaller potatoes. Once they are grown, pesticides are used to ensure that they do not get infected by pesticides. They are boosted by the use of fertilizers. Pesticides have, however, affected most of the potato growing and it has resulted in reduced yield. It has also been reported that some employees have been affected by the use of these pesticides. Some became sick, and others developed skin infections especially when they came to contact with the drug. Similarly, wheat and peanuts in the U.S. are also grown using fertilizers and pesticides, and similar instances have been reported: lower yields and negative health effects on employees. Apples in China are also grown using similar products. The main effect of the use of pesticides and fertilizers has been said to be the reason why most of the apples from China are bitter.
Processing, Packaging, and Shipping
The locally grown and easily accessed foods are easily transported from the farms to respective companies where they are processed for end-use. Apple juice is the only commodity that comes from another country-China. Like it was earlier on mentioned, apple juice is made from apples grown in China, which are apparently bitter (Vien, 2013). They are not consumable as apples, and they are thus processed into powdery concentrate. This powdery concentrate is the one that is used to manufacture most of the apple juice. This powdery concentrate is dried to preserve it. It is transported primarily through the sea to the states where it is imported and is used to make apple juice.
Economic and Ecological Analysis of food Choice
Locally grown food is advantageous to the State because it does not result in food insecurity issues (Cooper, 2007). Locally produced food is also not tampered with because it does not have to be treated or undergo preservation due to its direct consumption. The major disadvantage of this is that it results in the preclusion of processed foods (Cooper, 2007). Most of these processed foods contribute largely to the economy of the U.S., and the reduced consumption would affect it negatively.
Food obtained from foreign countries is also advantageous because it lowers the cost of spending on the same. Most foreign countries have petite production costs which imply that they sell products at relatively lower prices as compared to locally based producers of the same product (Bragg, 2015). Nevertheless, the use of imported foods is hazardous in that it could result in food-borne illnesses and deaths. These foods are laced with a lot of chemicals that could have gross negative effects on different individuals which could eventually result in death (Cooper, 2007).
Think Globally, Act Locally
The aspect of thinking globally and acting locally implies that every food choice made by one has a direct impact globally and also locally. It advocates for the preference of locally produced food over imported food as a way to boost the country’s exports as well as ensure that it minimizes issues of food insecurity (Small, 2017). In light of this phrase, I would seek to obtain foods that are just from within. I would obtain potatoes from Idaho, Washington, or North Dakota. As for wheat, I would obtain it from Kansas, Montana, or Colorado. Peanuts would be obtained from Georgia, Texas, or Alabama. Apples, which are currently obtained from China, would be obtained from Washington, which is one of the leading states in production.
As an individual, the food decisions one makes can either form part of the solution or art of the problem. Choosing to buy foods from foreign countries only puts one at risk in terms of their health. It also affects the economic growth of the nation as most of the locally produced goods are foregone thus not having a ready market (Local and Regional Food Systems, 2017). It is, therefore, imperative that one makes food decisions considering the logistics involved. If people have a combined ideology on the making of food choices, that is to shop locally for food; it is going to reduce the probability of food insecurities as well as boost the economy of the respective states.
References
“ Local and Regional Food Systems.” (2017). Grace Communications Foundation . Retrieved on 13 March 2017 from http://www.sustainabletable.org/254/local-regional-food-systems.
Bosse, A., Boland, M. & Hoyle, S. (2014). Potato Profile. Agricultural Marketing Resource Center . Retrieved on 13 March 2017, from http://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/vegetables/potato-profile/.
Bragg, R. (2015). Advantages and Disadvantages of Imported Food. Live Strong . Retrieved on 13 March 2017 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/447978-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-imported-food/.
Brotherton-Bunch, E. (2014). The U.S imports a lot of food from China and you might be surprised what is on the list. Alliance for American Manufacturing . Retrieved on 13 March 2017 from http://www.americanmanufacturing.org/blog/entry/the-u.s.-imports-a-lot-of-food-from-china-and-you-might-be-surprised-whats.
Cooper, C. (2007). 100 miles and counting. Food in Canada , 67(3), 7.
Small, S. (2017). Think Global, Buy Local: A new study looks at the impact of buying local produce on local economies. Food Tank . Retrieved on 13 March 2017 from https://foodtank.com/news/2014/04/think-global-buy-local-a-new-study-looks-at-the-impact-of-buying-local-prod/.
USDA. (2016). Wheat. USDA . Retrieved on 13 March 2017 from https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/wheat/.
Vien, A. (2013). 70% of U.S. apple juice comes from China and laced with arsenic. Living Traditionally . Retrieved on 13 March 2017 from http://livingtraditionally.com/70-of-us-apple-juice-comes-from-china-and-laced-with-arsenic/.
