Under the guise of increasing production and profits, we have turned to intensive farming. But intensive farming has taken a heavy toll on our health. Today, the health of all Americans is more at risk than ever from the chemicals we put into our bodies through the food we eat. Cancer, Alzheimer’s and other major diseases are on the rise and are said to be linked to chemicals absorbed by our bodies. Will we ever be able to return to agriculture naturally?

The use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides is widespread in intensive agriculture. Animal farms with overcrowded and polluted conditions lead to animal diseases and illnesses. Intensive farming takes place on most of these working farms, increasing the chances of us consuming unwanted chemicals in our diet.

The disadvantages of intensive agriculture are multiple. The environment is altered with the creation of large open fields to facilitate efficiency and profit. But this alters the natural habitat of the animals that live there. Improper management of large open spaces leads to soil erosion. Using pesticides may give us a ‘healthy looking’ crop but we are actually ingesting residual chemicals left in the plant. Lots of nitrogen based fertilizers pollute rivers and lakes which will eventually destroy our environment.

Animal rights activists have been up in arms against factory farming of poultry for a long time. Overcrowding and inhumane conditions have led to the prevalence of disease among birds. The incidence of ‘bird flu’ cannot be overemphasized here. Even the eggs produced by these birds are still a threat to our health. The excessive use of antibiotics in birds has also affected our health.

We have listed the disadvantages of intensive farming. So it seems that the only advantage to the consumer in intensive farming is the lower price of food that

we are actually paying with our health. If Americans paid a little more for their products, they would actually be paying less for their medical bills. A good example will be our regular ‘Michigan grown’ apple. One is the product of intensive agriculture in which the apple is covered with an invisible layer of pesticide residue that does not wash off. The other is the organic apple, free of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. It is grown by hardworking organic farmers from his hometown who are having a very difficult time competing with the chemical giants. This may sound dramatic, but it is not. Supporting your local farmers supporting your health. The choice is up to you. Do the right one today.