Meat Packing Industry

Meat - especially beef, poultry, and pork - is an essential part of the American diet and has become such a simple product to obtain in our daily lives that we seldom stop to think about the process it takes to get to our plates. Throughout the long and controversial history of meat packing in the United States, many would believe that we’ve created a better and safer product after years of adapting and perfecting. While there have been positive gains that help the overall condition of the supply, from a fundamental stand point, in such ways as environmental impact, the quality of the meat, and overall safety of the career, the meat packing industry has made merely marginal improvements within its butchering process. The industry of meat packing
Both time periods have problematic methods of production, and within this category it’s the relatively same verdict across the board: while still incredibly questionable overall, compared to the Chicago meat packing industry of the early 20th century, there have been improvements within the specified area. The process of the early nineteenth century is cringe worthy, including scraping the scraps off the floor and into the hopper, poisoned rats and all, and the spread of disease through the tainted supply was inevitable. The general public was not aware of the horrendous conditions of the origins of their food, which is relatively the same in our modern world. While there are some realization amongst the general public of their meat’s beginnings and chemical concoction needed for decent taste, the population still continues to consume it at alarming rates. Today, in the unwavering desire to keep prices low and number of consumers high, the quality and treatment of the product decreases immensely. Diseased and malnourished cattle, even those covered in boils in the early 20th century or fed poultry farm waste today, enter the plant and potentially infect the entire nation with E. Coli 0157:H7. The crude raising methods and treatment of the product exists within both of the respective time
The use of illegal - and unfortunately considered disposable - workers implies that there is less of a concern for these workers and their working environment. Workers in both periods risk losing arms, or contracting diseases, and the death rate is incredibly high, especially in the behind the scene jobs such as the after hours cleaning crew. These workers work in environments where you can hardly see five feet in front of you and thus the potential for injuries skyrockets. Headaches, respiratory problems, and limb loss are common consequences, and the introduction of these plants to an area creates a living situation entirely unheard of previously. Crime and poverty rates soar, as the overall quality of life plummets as the plant rises. Within these eye-opening conditions there has been progress in legislation, such as the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. However, as seen through modern testimonials of the fast food industry, the detrimental impact, comprehensive condition of the goods, and hazardous working conditions are still alive today with inadequate improvement since the shovel-scraping-meat-off-the-floor days of the early 20th century meatpacking business, affecting the millions of oblivious consumers piling into their local fast food restaurants