Omnivore S Dilemma

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The Omnivore’s Dilemma

Michael Pollan’s ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’ is an interestingly witty book filled to the brim

with knowledge upon knowledge. The writer’s main concern is what we eat, how it is grown and

how we perceive it. His focus is mainly driven towards enlightening the reader on the origins of

the food that he consumes. In this paper we will delve into two of the ways in which he says we

can get our food: organically and hunting and gathering. This knowledge will inadvertently

change the way that you perceive food and you will become even more conscious of what you

eat and subsequently the efforts that are put into the production of the substances that you

consume.

Organic food is often misunderstood as food organizations carelessly slap it onto their products’

labels with a view to driving sales higher among nutritionally conscious consumers. This paper

will try to explain what organic food really is and its benefits and drawbacks. To enable this we

will also seek to comprehend the differences between industrialized food and organic food which

make up the two categories of food in terms of production. We will analyze the production

process for both organic and industrialized food and the manufacturing process for industrialized

food.

In the second part of the book Michael Polan sets out on an adventure to discover the true

meaning of organic farming. This leads him to Joel Salatin’s Polyface farm in Monticello where

he discovered a whole new method of farming that broadened his point of view exponentially.

Joel Salatin’s model of farming is centered on the grass that he grows, building a sustainable

micro-ecological system in which his plants and animals are interdependent. Mr. Salatin refers to

himself as a grass farmer (page 34) when explaining the simple rotational program that his

animals use to feed on the grass while at the same time nourishing it. On top of the grass being

grazed upon by the cattle it is also harvested, dried and packaged as hay. “The problem with the

environmental movement is it has demonized the cow as the instrument rather than demonizing

the management style,” said Joel Salatin during an interview with the Alibi Magazine (Christie

Chisolm). His system of farming puts maximum emphasis on the growing of good quality and

healthy grass which is the core of the system. Feeding on this grass will ensure that the produce

from the animals is free from bacteria and is as nutritional as can be. He also doesn’t supply his

produce to other parts of the country except the occasional order from local restaurants. This is a

distinct feature of his farming method that ensures that his produce is always fresh and

preservation methods are not necessitated as they introduce foreign chemical substances into the

food.

The grass based system of rearing animals differs distinctively from one that is based on feeding

corn to the animals. The advantage of grass fed livestock comes into play when determining the

type of meat to go for. Grass fed livestock has a significantly higher amount of Omega-3s as

compared to grain fed cattle. This is because they are able to obtain it as they feed on grass and

clovers rich in heart-healthy fatty acids (Allison Aubrey). Meat from steers that have been

allowed to graze freely in the field is also considerably chewier that that of cows that have been

cooped up in barns being trough fed with corn. This is because the constant grazing activity lets

them roam and build their muscle.

Joel Salatin also airs his sentiments regarding the paradox that is industrial organics. He displays

his disdain of the whole concept as it robs the consumers of the health advantages of organically

produced food by deceiving them that it is indeed organically produced while on the contrary a

number of chemicals have been used in the process. He gives an example of people buying

asparagus that has been flown in from Argentina claiming to be organic. The inconsistencies in

this claim are that for the asparagus to have been preserved all the way from Argentina to the

United States they must have used preservative chemicals and this practice goes against those

that constitute organic farming. Michael Polan distinctively contrasts Salatin’s farm to George

Naylor’s to bring into light the differences between a more industrial farming system and a

pastoral one. Salatin’s system is one that exploits the full potential of nature to carry out

production functions on its own while George’s substitutes some of these processes. Apart from

the difference in products produced in their farms George uses fossil energy instead of solar

energy and uses mechanical labor from machines as opposed to Salatin’s method where he uses

the animals to clean up after each other and to promote the growth of his grass. The drawback of

George Naylor’s system is that it inadvertently degrades the general ecosystem. “As with any

machine, this one generates streams of waste: the nitrogen and pesticides running off the

cornfields; the manure pooling in the feedlot lagoons; the heat and exhaust produced by all the

machines within the machine- the tractors and trucks and combines.” A farming model that does

not promote the spontaneous functions of nature is one that does not portray qualities of

longevity as it consistently deteriorates the natural order and introduces alien chemicals into the

ecosystem.

“An entity that from one perspective appears a self contained whole, and from another a

dependent part. A body organ like the liver is a holon”. Michael Polan uses this concept to

explain the intricacies that Salatin’s farm works by. Each individual player (animal) in the

system works independently while at the same time contributing to the entirety of the process

that is ensuring optimum conditions for the rest of the players either directly or indirectly. The

chicken in Salatin’s farm, for example, are released into the pasture that the cows had previously

grazed on and shortened the grass to make it possible for them to rummage through. They scour

the cows’ defecation so as to get the worms that have found residence there. This prevents the

worms from developing into parasites that will infect the cows. Their faeces on the farm grounds

introduce high levels of nitrogen that are instrumental in the healthy growth of grass. This is just

one of the examples in which different animals play their respective roles in ensuring that the

pastoral system is a well oiled machine which makes as little use of farming inputs to substitute

their natural abilities. The aspect of interdependability is also clearly evident in activities such as

that of processing the chicken. Joel often brings in members of his local community who are

willing to lend a helping hand so as to make the processing much easier. He states that one of the

true hallmarks of a successful venture is one that members of the community surrounding it

would be willing to support. It shows it operated on the proper scale in terms of social, economic

as well as environmental basis (page 239).

This system however is unproductive for farmers whose desired objective is deriving as much

profit as they can in as little time as possible as is the case in most industrial farming methods.

Building a system as labyrinthine as the one that Salatin has formulated takes time and effort to

coordinate. When compared to more industrial methods of farming such as feeding livestock on

corn where the animals are confined to their barns and fed in troughs on a schedule Salatin’s

model seems to promote the harmonious coexistence of nature in its rawest form. Animals are

allowed to perform their natural functions while at the same time being of service to Salatin and

his farm. He considers the animals the true workers and himself as nothing but the orchestra

conductor, making sure everybody is at the right place at the right time (page 221). Research has

shown that feeding animals predominantly on corn exponentially increases their growth rate as

they are able to convert the corn more easily into fat as compared to grass fed animals. The grass

fed animals therefore take longer to achieve the overall weight that is required in the modern

food market. As a consequence this discourages farmers from participating in grass feeding of

animals preferring to start them off on a grass diet then move them hastily to a grain based diet

for maximum economic gains.

The author takes us through the process of slaughtering the chickens that most consumers dread

to think about but in essence is core in the production process and also in creating a viable

ecosystem for the farm. Unlike conventional slaughterhouses Polyface slaughters their chicken in

the field much to the disarray of federal inspection regulations. Lucky for them the regulations

do not necessarily extend to the slaughter of chicken but are restricted to other animals such as

cows and pigs. He illustrates how the government is the biggest impediment to creating a viable

and sustainable food chain by clapping regulations on the farmers that makes it harder for them

to sell directly to the consumer forcing them to go through large corporations that in turn benefit

the government. Joel states that the way in which he slaughters his chicken, to him, should

coincide with how they have been reared. He also rants about his disparagement about the

government and its rules on slaughtering animals that are befitted to large corporations that

slaughter plenty of animals while disregarding farms that have a more artisan approach to the

whole process. The obvious advantage of having an open air abattoir is that the consumers can,

at their own discretion, choose to inspect how their food is being slaughtered and decide

themselves whether they approve of the humaneness and the cleanliness of the method being

employed. This also enables for a relationship to stem between the producer and his customers

which promotes loyalty and friendship. When compared to industrial farming methods which

produce on a large scale open air processing is particularly difficult as it would require large a

large labor force that would work on close to a regular basis. Also these large farms and

agricultural cooperatives prefer to keep their processes in tight loops therefore do not welcome

the presence of consumers to their abattoirs to view and inspect the slaughtering process. This

however does not necessarily constitute a bad thing as often times the slaughtering process is

messy and repulsive as exhibited during the chicken’s slaughter. This initial repulsion may cause

the consumers to disapprove of the produce by deeming the means as inhumane or brutal without

understanding that it is a necessary phase in the production of the food they consume. Ag-gag

laws have been enacted in several states to ensure that animal rights activists do not capture or

distribute visual or audio media forms from slaughter houses (Jedediah Purdy).

This leads us to another considerably distinct aspect of Salatin’s farming method as explained by

Michael; the distribution of his produce. The industrial farming method that has taken over the

world thrives on sales on large scale and as such sells their produce to supermarkets and stores

all around the world in order to get more profits. In stark contrast to this system is Sallatin’s

artisan approach to farming which in turn influences his choice of distribution methods. He

prefers to sell his produce directly to his customers as evidenced during the slaughtering of the

chicken. This creates a more intimate relationship between the producer and the consumer and as

a result harbors trust between them. This, however, only applies to consumers who appreciate

quality products and are willing to pay extra for them as Sallatin’s products are relatively more

expensive compared to meat that is grabbed from the supermarket shelves. Local restaurants and

farmer’s markets are also avenues trough which he sells his produce.

This however poses the question on whether the organic system of farming will ever take over

industrial methods with inferences drawn from market tendencies and general behavior. It is

observable that modern economics have favored producers that are willing to subsidize the costs

of products and as a result not much attention is paid when it comes to quality. These large

corporations are able to operate and make astronomical profits because of their scale. The

immensity of their operations enables them to exploit the economies of scale thus driving some

costs down such as processing costs per unit. Also to be considered is the capitalization of these

processes that lowers recurrent labor costs and as a result driving total prices down. The time that

it takes to fully grow and process their animals is also reduced thus decreasing the cycle that it

takes for them to process animals. This system is directly antonymic to the organic system that

pays close attention to quality, artisanship and differentiation. As a result of the intense

difference between the two it is highly unlikely that a system can be formulated to employ such

economies of scale to small farms or to increase the scale of these small firms while still

maintaining their regard for quality. The existence of these two systems creates a conducive

market atmosphere for the consumer as he is able to make free choices on which alternative he

prefers putting into consideration quality, artisanship, integrity of the process and ultimately cost

limitations. Nonetheless, the growth of organic farming methods is an inevitable phenomenon.

This is facilitated by the use of technology which continues to connect likeminded individuals

making the world a global village. Organic producers are able to get into contact with consumers

who are willing to pay more in return for the added quality in the organically produced

agricultural produce.

Pollan, at the end of his trip to Sallatin’s Polyface farm, gets to reflect on what he learned during

his weeklong residence there. His decisions on what to buy at the store are inadvertently altered

substantially by his experience. He pays homage to farmers who work tirelessly, just like

Sallatin, to produce high quality food products to the market by buying expensive wine that he

thinks will be a vintage and chooses his vegetables on consideration of whether they have been

grown locally. He contrasts the meal experiences when choosing to eat at a fast food restaurant

such as McDonald’s where the food there is largely industrial produce and when eating with

friends on an organically based diet. The general ambience and feel of sharing a meal prepared

by hardworking and dedicated people with people you appreciate beats that of consuming fast

foods. Also the food tastes distinct and as such is enjoyed even more and can be used to strike

conversation. This is a common notion among almost all people who prefer home cooked meals

to fast food or restaurants. During preparation of home cooked meals people are able to bond and

work as a family to cook to prepare the food. It also brings out the best in food as a person is able

to willingly add ingredients to his liking. (Newcomer)

Arguably the least used and most impractical method of feeding oneself is the personal method.

This is a considerably difficult method to use in modern day society as it entails individually

seeking out one’s food from nature, be it meat or plants. This was the method commonly used by

prehistoric men during the ages of hunting and gathering. They went out into the fields which

were abundant in game and preyed on animals that they killed and consumed. When it came to

plants they consumed what naturally came out of the earth as they had no experience in

agriculture. As a result of the ever increasing population in the world it is impossible to use this

method to sustainably feed all people. There isn’t enough land to carry out these activities and

even if there were modern day society is built upon a system in which people work every day

therefore lacking the time for such duties. Other substantial discrepancies in this method is that

for hunting one requires firepower which one can only use over rigorous training and testing.

Also the lack of knowledge when it comes to plants and fungi that are edible makes one

extremely cautious of what they collect in the wild. This is because most plants and fungi are

conceivably similar thus a mistake may lead to sickness or even death of the person who has

consumed it.

Pollan recollects his adventures while hunting and explains the paradoxical state his emotions

were ensued in. He felt an intense adrenaline rush whenever he and Garro, his hunting expedition

guide, went to the forest in search of boars. The sudden climax of this was on the advent of a

boar kill where he would feel ardently excited. This however was followed by contradicting

emotions of guilt as a result of his actions. This is compared to his initial reaction at the Polyfarm

during the slaughtering of the chickens which after a while he got used to. In this case he was

able to accept his role in the great circle of life.

Michael Pollan uses the book to inform us of the gravity of the decisions that we make pertaining

the food we consume. His in-depth and personal experiences provide an objective view of all

ends of the spectrum concerning the methods that we could use to feed ourselves. His analysis

also provides a roadmap for future sustainability of food produce as world population numbers

continue to grow by the day. It is important for one to choose a method that will properly suit

their preference while at the same time being health conscious so as to improve their living

conditions.

Works Cited

Michael, Pollan. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. The Penguin

Press.

Wright, Asher. Effect of Forage Type and Corn Supplementation on Animal Performance and

Meat Quality. Clemson University

Chisolm, Christie. “What is Grass Farming?” Alibi. Alibi

Aubrey, Allison. “The Truth About Grass Fed Beef.” National Public Radio. National Public

Radio.

Purdy, Jedediah. “Open the Slaughterhouses.” The New York Times. The New York Times.

Logsdon, Gene. All Flesh is Grass. Ohio University Press.

Newcomer, Laura. Kitchen Confidential: The Health and Social Benefits of Home-Cooked

Meals. Fix

Gunnars, Kris. Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed Beef- What’s the Difference. Healthline, 2018.

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