Lec 08

Question 1

Society’s Modern Food Chain?

Answer 1

Every link dominated by 2-10 multibillion, multinational corporations.

EXCEPT 1: Small ind. farmers (01’ 250K -> 21’ 190K)

Investors buy land and resell it for cheaper
Shift towards amalgamation + larger farms + slight trend towards broader corporate ownership.

As a result, being a farmer young is tough.

Question 2

Trends in Globalization and Agriculture?

Answer 2

Farmer importance going down
B/c of oligopolies keeping prices down.

Question 3

Moving Beyond Food Production?

Answer 3

Nutrition + nutritional value increasing in discussion.

ex. Corn
- Cattle feed
- Biofuel
- Corn
- Corn syrup

Rise of obesity in the USA, directly tied to Corn!

Question 4

Ecological Impact on Overpopulation and Population Growth?

Answer 4

Ecological impact of more affluent nations, based on diet.

ex. Water
- 4200 gallons of water for meat-eating diet
- 300 gallons of water for plant-based diet

Problem: some eat excess food/calories, while other are malnourished
AND, population control only helps the poor + underprivileged.

Counter-Argument: More people = more chance for innovation

Question 5

Deforestation?

Answer 5

75% of global forest lost due to agriculture

• cleared for crop growth + livestock
• Brazil, India, Indonesia = largest contribution

Question 6

Biodiversity Loss?

Answer 6

Removal of natural habitat (ex. Deforestation) impacts biodiversity.

• Increase in Mammal + bird species for livestock BUT, implications for disease as a result.

Question 7

Freshwater use + Water pollution/Quality Impacts?

Answer 7

Increase in reliance on irrigation for an increase in efficiency.
70% of global freshwater is used for agriculture.

Fertilizer + pesticide can contaminate water.
78% of ocean + freshwater eutrophication is tied to agriculture.

Question 8

Soil Degradation + Antibiotic Use + Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Answer 8

500 yrs to produce 1” of topsoil.
Topsoil loss increase at rapid pace b/c of agriculture.
Tilling fields encourages topsoil loss + nutrient loss.

Wide application of antibiotics
-> leads AMR (anti-microbial resistance)
-> many antibiotics persist

Agriculture creates nitrous oxides from fertilizers, decomposition, cultivation etc.
Methane from Livestock.
Carbon Dioxide emitted from decomposers + consumed by plants/agriculture.