I strongly recommend that you watch the NetFlix docu-series “Rotten“. Each episode addresses issues that should concern you, if you’re informed enough to understand the reason for concern.

Do you know where your food comes from?

Do you know what chemicals, antibiotics, and additives have been sprayed on or injected or mixed in your food?

Do you know if a local or overseas farmer grew and harvested your food, or if a prison inmate played a role?

Do you know the environment and health of the animals that you cook, plate and serve to your family?

Do you know how much farmers are earning on the food that you eat, compared to how much the large corporations that distribute and “bring to market” that same food?

Do you know why the rate of food allergies has skyrocketed over the last 20 years?

Do you know that avoidance of food may be increasing the rates of food allergies, and now scientists are strongly encouraging consumers to eat the peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, seafood, etc to reduce and possibly eliminate those allergies?

Do you know where your beloved garlic is coming from? It may say “a product of the US” when it actually came from China, and if already pre-peeled, it could have been peeled by Chinese prison inmates.

Did you know that although the US allows local prisons to use inmate labor to produce, assemble, and package goods (including your food) here, yet it refuses to accept imported food that was raised, grown, prepped, or packaged by foreign prison inmates? Same unethical practice, yet it’s like the hypocritical saying, “do as I say, not as I do“. So small local farmers in China and small local farmers in the United States are forced to compete with huge corporations who can outpace and outperform them.

Did you know that the honey you love, on and in just about everything, may not even be honey? It may very well be a syrup that is modified to resemble honey.

Did you know that a huge supply of our honey comes from China, squeezing out local beekeepers and fattening the pockets of large corporations that want to meet demand with supply—and with the US being the highest demand market, these corporations are cutting corners to make you think that it is actually honey that you pour in your tea, spread on your toast or biscuit, slather on your ham, or drizzle on whatever you can think of—when actually it is not.

Did you know that traditional dairy farmers are disappearing by the dozens? Many who are still around usually have one or more key players working an off-site job in order to pay household bills and help the farm cover operations costs.

Did you know that selling raw milk (straight from the cow not processed and pasteurized) is illegal in 15 US states and illegal to sell across state lines?

Yet some farmers continue to sell raw milk even though scientists show through research that the bacteria in raw milk causes illnesses and death. However, there is a growing demand for raw milk as the bacteria our bodies lost due to trying to eat and drink “cleaner”, is the bacteria in raw milk that can aide in healthier living. There are hundreds of people who claim that raw milk reduces and prevents allergies and ear infections. Many argue that you can’t compare raw milk production of the 1800s to the production from today’s raw milk farmers.

Those who have gotten sick and the family members of those who have died from raw milk consumption, would argue otherwise.

This will of course be an ongoing debate.

Why are farmers being forced to pay high costs to be certified “organic”, when we know the positive impact on humankind? Why do consumers have to pay a premium for “organic” but can get low-quality for cheap?

Do you know if the fish and seafood that you are eating is really what it says on the label?

Do you know if it is fresh or if it has been frozen, thawed, and refrozen upwards of 6 times before you purchase and take it to your home?

Do you know if the fish and seafood that you’re eating was farm-raised or caught in the wild? Do you know if it’s from domestic or foreign waters?

Sadly, for most of us we will never know. Because unless you go directly to the docks and pick your fish and seafood directly from the fisherman’s wharf or boat, you end up with a lot of unknowns.

Here’s the trailer to the documentary just in case you want a sneak peek…or in case my words aren’t enough motivation:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_ot6W_7hvrM

With various industries, such as garlic, being self-regulated not government-regulated, corruption is hard to fight. Then again, with some politicians and governments accepting bribes from corporations, even government-regulated industries and markets are plagued by corruption.

Everyone needs training and career-long development in ETHICS! We should be doing what’s right not just what’s profitable, because when your focus is on the former the latter will happen.

Greed has destabilized and pimped our food industries, and the consumers are the victims. Small domestic and foreign farmers are victims, as they can’t fairly compete with large domestic and multinational corporations.

Watch the Netflix series “Rotten“, educate yourself, and encourage others to do the same. Knowledge and use of that knowledge is power.

~Natasha