The hidden secrets..

Chapters 11 & 13 of The Omnivore's Dilemma explores the treasures which come with producing food organically rather than on an industrial scale. Specifically, Pollan allows us to explore the hidden benefits which come from raising livestock naturally in an "ecosystem" rather than raising one species "unnaturally". With the former, the farm's success is dependent on the interaction of all life forms for e.g. the role chickens play in picking pests from cow manure and spreading rabbits' urine into fertile land. If one component changes, the whole ecosystem changes and thus, the whole system is only healthy if each component is thriving. Meanwhile, with industrial farming, the same process is repeated over and over again with a limited diversity. As a result, biological issues such as disease arise, ruining the quality of the meat.

Pollan then goes on to reveal the reason that organic food is cheaper is due to the hidden subsidization which accompanies industrial food. As a result, people are rarely aware of the fact that the food which they buy have hidden external costs such as pollution, wastes. Nevertheless, on a more positive note, the numbers of farmers market are rising from "1755 a decade ago to 3137 at last count" (P248). Artisanal production is also rising and thus, more people are becoming aware of this fact.

Personally, I feel that the government is actually cheating its people by hiding these costs from them - consumers have the right to know the facts of the goods which they buy, which include its origin and how it is transported. In addition, much of the global warming blame is pinned on our (general public) usage of energy when in reality, the government is actually plays a great role in this catastrophe by hiding this industrial process from us.

Questions which I have concerning this troubling topic is:
1) Is it legally wrong that the government deprives us of information concerning the food we buy?
2) Instead of "trucking food" would it be possible to "fly" large packages of food (which will be more ecologically friendly as more food is delivered in a faster amount of time)?