Seven Deadly Myths of Industrial Agriculture

By an eHow Contributing Writer

The seven deadly myths of industrial agriculture are outlined in a book entitled "Fatal Harvest: The Tragedy of Industrial Agriculture," edited by Andrew Kimbrell. The book addresses common myths promulgated by those who are proponents of an industrial agriculture environment. Industrial agriculture involves using tools, machines and other advanced techniques of industry to mass produce food and make farming more scientific and mechanically based.

Myth 1: The Ability to Feed the World

Myth 2: Industrial Food Is Safe, Healthy and Nutritious

Myth 3: Industrial Food Is Cheaper

Myth 4: Industrial Agriculture Is Efficient

Myth 5: Industrial Food Offers More Choice

Myth 6: Industrial Agriculture Benefits the Environment

Myth 7: Biotechnology Will Solve Any Problems

The first myth promulgated by proponents of industrial agriculture is that industrial agriculture will enable us to "feed the world." In other words, people will no longer be hungry and that widespread malnutrition can be solved by industrial agriculture. The book points out that the problem of world hunger is not caused by a lack of sufficient food, but rather by isolation from food and poverty. Further, hunger will actually be made worse by industrial agriculture, because the general cost of farming will increase and small independent farmers will no longer be able to produce food for their families and/or communities.

The second myth is that industrial food is healthy, safe and nutritious. According to the book, the reality of industrial agriculture means contaminated foods and chemicals. The "truth" is that industrial agriculture involves the heavy use of pesticides on fruits and vegetables, as well as the use of growth hormones in milk. This, along with bacteria in the food caused by industrial agriculture, may be responsible for obesity, food-borne sickness, and possibly cancer.

The third myth is that industrial food is more cost-effective or "cheap." The argument rebuts this myth by saying that, when the true cost, including the health effects, the environmental issues and the social costs is calculated, industrial agriculture is actually extremely expensive.

The fourth myth relates to the efficiency of agriculture. The book attempts to rebut the proposition that industrial agriculture is efficient, pointing out that smaller farms actually produce more output for each unit of space than larger farms, and that larger farms require more mechanical tools and chemicals due to their diversity. These larger farms, the book argues, are thus not sustainable and the use of the chemicals and machines is causing environmental damage.

The fifth myth is that industrial food offers an increased selection, or more choices. The book suggests that this sense of choice or selection is an illusion, because we are not making informed choices. Food labels hide the problems with foods, we are unaware of how many varieties of food are lost due to industrial agriculture, and all of the food carries with it the same unpleasant additives like pesticides and genetically engineered hormones.

The sixth myth deals with the claim that industrial agriculture actually benefits wildlife and the environment as a whole. The book states that, in reality, industrial agriculture is the worst threat to biodiversity in the world, because it destroys wildlife habitats and corrupts water and soil.

The seventh myth is that the problems associated with industrial agriculture will eventually be solved by new developments in biotechnology. Instead, the book suggests that the opposite is true: These new developments will worsen the problem and give a few select corporations control over the entire world's food supply.