Lights, Camera, ACTION! Portrayal of Agriculture in the American Media
Thomas Jefferson once said, ¨Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.”(Jefferson, 1787, para. 1) Agriculture has changed a lot throughout the history of America, along with technology. Due to the advancements in both areas, the stereotype and portrayal of agriculture has also changed. Agriculture is something that America was founded upon, and for centuries it was seen as a positive field which held the very basis of the country. However, as technology has advanced, agriculture has been portrayed in different ways and sadly, those portrayals have changed into a negative manner. Although this
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Throughout American history, it is seen that agriculture is something heavily valued, and yet the current view of agriculture is negative, and this change is all an impact of the media and technology that is available at the fingertips of the American people. Bailey Hoerbert completed a study in 2020 about how agriculture is portrayed and affected by the media. Hoerbert states, ¨Studies have shown that Americans tend to fear food production and production agriculture. This fear stems from not understanding what farmers are doing and why they are doing it¨ (Hoerbert, 2020, para. 1). This clearly demonstrates the issue that agriculture is facing caused by the modern media portraying agriculture in a negative manner, and also it stems from not having the coverage that is deserved. Hoerbert continues to explain the reasoning behind the fear of agriculture as well as why those who are not involved with it find it so disturbing and perceive it negatively. Hoerbert states, "Younger adults have more trust in technological sources such as bloggers, and TV personalities than information from industry professionals. While information is becoming more available at faster rates, not all media information is accurate¨(Hoerbert, 2020, para. 1). With young adults being the majority of those using the media on a daily …show more content…
Not only is it harming how agriculture is seen today, but it is also harming the way the world trusts agriculture and how it will progress in the future. Agriculture has made major developments all throughout history which have led to the modern farmer, but the modern farmer is portrayed so negatively that it is harmful, and those who are advocating against the spread of a negative perception are the reason agriculture is going to be able to continue. Although there are agriculturalists who are working to better the name of agriculture, there is still a possibility that it will continue to grow as an issue in the
Nevertheless, with the progress of the times, people will change the rules in order to discover the new and efficient way. Pollan writes, “A coalition of political and business leaders who for various reasons thought America had far too many farmers for her (or at least their) own good” (50). Nowadays, the high technology is capable of using the machines to plant a wide range of yield; therefore, there are less people engage in farm and the owner can get more profits from
“Industrial agriculture characteristically proceeds by single solutions to single problems: If you want the most money from your land this year, grow the crops for which the market price is highest.” - Wendell Berry Many people question whether or not the morality of treating animals in a humane way outweighs the morality of cheaper food for a nation where 1 in 6 people are facing hunger, and/or starving in any way. Back in the day, a while after World War II, industrial agriculture was applauded as a technological success that permitted an ever growing population to practically feed themselves. Now, many farmers and scientists see it as a blind alley, rather made for factory work.
In his Statement, Thomas Jefferson addresses the issue of an agriculture-based economy. In support of the Yeomen farmers, Jefferson stresses on the fact that farmers should cultivate their land and supply their necessities.
When one thinks of the basis of American society, many imagine the working class, free market or even slave trade. But what most Americans do not understand about American society can be summarized by a quote from Michael Pollan: “We North Americans are walking corn chips”. Pollan was able to make this all-encompassing statement about America’s relationship with corn since corn’s high versatility as a crop has helped it become a major part of daily life without the vast majority of the populace being any wiser about it. However, with this major reliance on corn comes a massive amount of pressure placed on farmers, tying their hands in an almost impossible way as the need for corn grows exponentially with the growth of population and industries. Recognizing this issue is vital to
In addition, the American society of this time was mainly agriculture oriented. Most people engaged in farming which was important in providing their daily needs and supplying to other people (Boyce, 2010). However, during the early nineteenth century, the focus of agricultural industry changed significantly towards commercial agricultural from subsistence agriculture. They produced excessive crops and livestock and sold those for cash in the distant regional as well as in the international market. The Eastern United States provided an expansive area where the farmers could intensify their farming methods and enhance productivity.
Famous oil baron and philanthropist Lloyd noble once said: “No civilization can survive the time when its agricultural community is destroyed”. Why? He said this because agriculture may well be the single most important facet of the United States industry. Agriculture feeds people. And the biggest producer in agriculture?
Americans once heavily relied on agriculture but all that changed when slaves were emancipated and planters could no longer rely on
The Civil War had already ended when agriculture began to develop, bringing about changes across the country, particularly in the West. American agriculture began in rural regions that were urbanized, resulting in a surge of people in the fields and cities where employment and hard labor were supplied manually. It has grown significantly as a result of advanced economic and social changes towards its industrialization for expansion. It increased production among the families of farmers, who served through hard and difficult situations. Throughout the period of 1865-1900, American agriculture changed rural inhabited areas, expanding prospects for migration and urbanization, industrialization growth with advanced machinery, and evolved farming
Have you ever thought about the jobs that agriculture provides? Agriculture gives us food, clothing, and jobs? Correct! Agriculture reflects on everyone’s job, especially those who govern agriculture daily. Agriculture is the base of society itself, and is a very reliable source.
It is impossible for me to not see the importance of agriculture stewardship and advocacy as the son of a 27-year agricultural science teacher. Growing up my life focused on the appreciation of agricultural education. From timber to cattle, cotton to corn, everything we use, consume, or create comes from the earth in some fashion. Without agriculture we would not exist.
During the period from 1865 to 1900, American agriculture underwent significant changes due to the influence of technology, government policy, and economic conditions. A variety of factors went into this and influenced the way we live in America now. Technology played a key role in transforming American agriculture during this period. The invention of new machinery and tools, such as the steel plow and reaper, allowed farmers to increase their productivity and efficiency.
This picture is formatted as if it was to be a flyer with statistics related to agricultural throughout the states. The audience this image attracts would include women, and others interested in agriculture, and possibly even some men who are very set strong in the traditional ways. With the use of statistics this image from the USDA provides the audience with an obvious use of a logistics
The three essays assigned this week had several common threads running through them. The strongest core theme is the rapid change in the food cycle in America and the vast changes that have taken place in the way by which we grow, produce, and process the food that average Americans eat. The food we eat now is drastically different from what our grandparents grew up eating and the three essays each examine that in a different way. Another theme is the loss of knowledge by the average consumer about where their food comes from, what it is composed of, and what, if any, danger it might pose to them. “Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear” by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele is a harsh look at the realities of food production in a country where large corporations, like Monsanto, have been allowed to exploit laws and loopholes to bend farmers and consumers to their
“Today in the United States, by the simple acts of feeding ourselves, we are unwittingly participating in the largest experiment ever conducted on human beings.” Jeremy Seifert certainly knows how to get viewers’ attention, as exemplified by the film blurb describing his 2013 documentary, GMO OMG. The frightening depiction of the food industry is one of many efforts to expose consumers of the twenty-first century to the powerful organizations that profit from national ignorance and lack of critical inquiry and involvement. Seifert effectively harnesses the elements of rhetoric throughout his phenomenal argument against remaining complacent about the food industry’s act of withholding of information about genetically modified organisms from
There are many today who decry scientific advances in food production, insect control of crops, and bio-engineering crops to be resistant to drought and disease. Some espouse only growing food organically as would have been done in Moliere’s time. Were they preaching only to their choirs and leaving the scientific establishment alone to feed the rest of the world, it would be easily overlooked but some have become powerful advocates in positions of mighty influence on the political stage and in mass media. But for purpose of greed alone and not because it is good for man as proof abounds that ancient farming techniques fall far short in feeding a burgeoning world