What is Wrong with America’s Food? Is Our Food Bad?

[Quiet Observer]

Entire herds(within days) of animals have been dying because they ate a crop off a field fertilized with Biosolids?

Because that has happened on multiple farms. The largest one in Texas(if you read the original article I posted).

Approximately 77% of the biosolids applied to land in the United States are applied to agricultural land. This includes land used to grow food-chain crops such as corn and soybeans, land used to grow feed crops for animals, and land used for pasture. Nutrients in these materials help the crops to grow.

Wastewater Division | Mishawaka Utilities

Learn about the Wastewater Treatment Division’s commitment to proper planning, implementation and management.

mishawaka.in.gov

Indiana Administrative Code | Rule 327 IAC 6.1-7 - Land Application of Pollutant-Bearing Water | Casetext

Browse Indiana Administrative Code | Rule 327 IAC 6.1-7 - Land Application of Pollutant-Bearing Water for free on Casetext

casetext.com

How soon after application did the animals graze in the field? How much fertilizer was applied to the field? Are there reports of similar incidents around the country?

Here is information on the PEER group cited in your OP.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Employees_for_Environmental_Responsibility

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility - PEER.org

PEER supports and protects public employees who seek a higher standard of accountability and environmental protection within their agencies.

peer.org

 

[smokingman]

How soon after application did the animals graze in the field? How much fertilizer was applied to the field? Are there reports of similar incidents around the country?

Here is information on the PEER group cited in your OP.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Employees_for_Environmental_Responsibility

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility - PEER.org

PEER supports and protects public employees who seek a higher standard of accountability and environmental protection within their agencies.

peer.org

I do not have an answer for 1 or 2, but I am certain it is in the lawsuit if you want to dig for that answer. It was 5 different farms, not one(in Texas).

As for rather similar incidents happened elsewhere in the USA. READ THE ORIGINAL article.
Why? Because it mentions a few, and why states like Maine have outlawed biosolids on farms(60+ farms shut down with unsafe PFAS levels in Maine)Meanwhile, the state is investigating about 700 more fields for PFAS pollution.

‘Complete crisis’ as PFAS discovery upends life and livelihood of young Maine farming family

Songbird Farm is the latest victim of a growing PFAS problem – and some would say a crisis – that has Maine’s large farming community on edge.

www.mainepublic.org

Texas Farms Detail PFAS Contamination in Lawsuit Over Biosolids Fertilizer

A pair of small farm operations in Johnson County, Texas, allege that their farms were contaminated after Synagro provided a neighboring farmer with a biosolid fertilizer that contained high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS chemicals.

www.dtnpf.com

America’s Dairyland May Have a PFAS Problem

The toxic chemicals have been showing up in milk around the country, prompting midwestern farmers to take a closer look at their land.

www.nrdc.org

EWG: ‘Forever chemicals’ may taint nearly 20 million cropland acres

The toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS could be contaminating nearly 20 million acres of U.S. cropland, according to an EWG estimate.

www.ewg.org

Michigan Farm Is Cautionary Tale of PFAS Contamination and Sewage Sludge Fertilizer

A small cattle producer in Michigan was told he can't sell his beef or cattle because his farm was contaminated with PFAS chemicals that were in the waste-water sewage sludge that was applied to his fields. A Maine lawmaker warns that sewage sludge was a common fertilizer in her state and it has...

www.dtnpf.com

‘I don’t know how we’ll survive’: the farmers facing ruin in America’s ‘forever chemicals’ crisis

Maine’s disaster from PFAS-contaminated produce is causing farms to close and farmers to face the loss of their livelihoods

www.theguardian.com

Farmers Are Losing Everything After “Forever Chemicals” Turned Up In Their Food

“No farmer in his or her right mind would go looking for it, because it would ruin them,” said one farm manager.

www.buzzfeednews.com

‘Forever chemicals’ may have polluted 20m acres of US cropland, study says

PFAS-tainted sewage sludge is used as fertilizer in fields and report finds that about 20m acres of cropland could be contaminated

www.theguardian.com

It is a problem that is not going away anytime soon. The EPA has yet to even ask state ags to monitor or test for PFAS in biosolids or fields. To much money being made.

 

[HoughMade]

Generally, people don't have to worry about where their basic necessities of life come from. Not that long ago, the poor worried about the next day. The middle class worried about next month. The rich worried about next year. Not anymore.

With those kinds of worries pretty much gone, our brains are primed to worry about everything we don't understand, have never heard of or which vaguely sounds threatening...even though there' no real there, there.

My response when I hear the panic du jour:

 

[Ingomike]

Generally, people don't have to worry about where their basic necessities of life come from. Not that long ago, the poor worried about the next day. The middle class worried about next month. The rich worried about next year. Not anymore.

With those kinds of worries pretty much gone, our brains are primed to worry about everything we don't understand, have never heard of or which vaguely sounds threatening...even though there' no real there, there.

My response when I hear the panic du jour:

Agreed. And this topic went a very different direction than I expected. The article I posted as a jumping on point was about gluten allergies, peanut allergies, and the like not prevalent 50 years ago and what has happened to our food that makes so many sick.

I have read that a loaf of bread has over 50 times the gluten of a loaf from the 60’s. And if you ever go to a pizzeria and see their bags of flower it often says “high gluten” right on it. Our food has changed and I for one do not find it surprising it makes people sick.

Nothing is as it was…

 

[penguinship]

I have read that a loaf of bread has over 50 times the gluten of a loaf from the 60’s. And if you ever go to a pizzeria and see their bags of flower it often says “high gluten” right on it.

Please share what you've read that claim the increase in gluten, because I've found multiple academic sources that it hasn't really changed.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jf305122s

Do ancient wheats contain less gluten than modern bread wheat, in favour of better health?

Popular media messaging has led to increased public perception that gluten‐containing foods are bad for health. In parallel, ‘ancient grains’ have been promoted with claims that they contain less gluten. There appears to be no ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

High gluten flour isn't some bogeyman either. Gluten is the name of a protein found in wheat, and high gluten flour is used for applications where a strong, chewy structure is desirable - a perfect example being pizza crust. Lower gluten flour is better for softer things like cakes. You wouldn't want a chewy cake, nor a pizza that crumbles apart.

 

[Ingomike]

Please share what you've read that claim the increase in gluten, because I've found multiple academic sources that it hasn't really changed.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jf305122s

Do ancient wheats contain less gluten than modern bread wheat, in favour of better health?

Popular media messaging has led to increased public perception that gluten‐containing foods are bad for health. In parallel, ‘ancient grains’ have been promoted with claims that they contain less gluten. There appears to be no ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

High gluten flour isn't some bogeyman either. Gluten is the name of a protein found in wheat, and high gluten flour is used for applications where a strong, chewy structure is desirable - a perfect example being pizza crust. Lower gluten flour is better for softer things like cakes. You wouldn't want a chewy cake, nor a pizza that crumbles apart.

I am no scientist and do not still have that article but as I recall it indicated that newer breeds of wheat have a higher level of specific types of gluten that is associated with health problems.

What do you believe is the difference of going through school, back in the day, and not knowing a single student with wheat or peanut allergies but now they are common?

 

[penguinship]

What do you believe is the difference of going through school, back in the day, and not knowing a single student with wheat or peanut allergies but now they are common?

Studies do show that food allergies are more common nowadays, but I can't even begin to speculate on why that is. There are some guesses by the experts, but from what I could find, none of them have enough evidence to be conclusive.

 

[Ingomike]

Studies do show that food allergies are more common nowadays, but I can't even begin to speculate on why that is. There are some guesses by the experts, but from what I could find, none of them have enough evidence to be conclusive.

It is obvious to me that the reasons are in the variables between then and now. I suspect there are multiple issues and the various players hiding in the shell game of not their fault…

 

[tomcat13]

Not meaning to Hijack this thread, but wasn't sure where else to place this PSA:

HOME | INBaconFest

www.indianabaconfestival.com

 

[phylodog]

Remember when the federal government created the FDA to "protect" us?

The FDA is now just a clearing house to get permission to replace food with other substances to increase profit. The same profit going in to the pockets of the politicians who approve and/or deny the requests to feed garbage to humans to make money.

Same story, different compartment of the government. There is nothing they will not approve so long as they think they can make enough money before the truth comes out and any potential problems arise.

 

[Pepi]

Processed baby ... Processed

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I am thankful the Reece's Peanut Butter Cups are still nature's most perfect food.

 

[Mij]

I am thankful the Reece's Peanut Butter Cups are still nature's most perfect food.

Perfect, yes. Getting smaller…….bad. But I just eat 3 to make up for it. Cept those little ones, I open a bunch before I start munching.

 

[INP8riot]

My wife was just telling me a story about a woman in America with stage 3 breast cancer. She always wanted to live...I can't remember where (my wife says I don't listen to her but I don't pay attention). But she moved there and is now cancer free. They attribute it to the food and lack of harmful chemicals that most countries ban but America and the "FDA" allow.

 

[Mij]

My wife was just telling me a story about a woman in America with stage 3 breast cancer. She always wanted to live...I can't remember where (my wife says I don't listen to her but I don't pay attention). But she moved there and is now cancer free. They attribute it to the food and lack of harmful chemicals that most countries ban but America and the "FDA" allow.

A side note if I may. First there a lot, millions if I’m not mistaken, of very healthy Americans. Millions that never see a Dr. other than check up’s or stitches for an accident. Of course we all see Dr’s due to age related issues. They don’t seem to have the same maladies that others have. And I can only assume most live the same or similar lifestyle that others live.

Second point until recently most Americans eat, drank, wore the same garments made in America. Now days almost everything we consume comes from countries such as China. Our foods are likewise imported and from countries that don’t have our standards of health. Could this have something to do with the increase (if there is one) in medical issues? Better diagnostics could also be a factor. Many imported foodstuffs have been shown to contain dangerous chemicals and ingredients. The same goes for children’s toys, and clothing dyes. Well I could go on with my prospective but I think I’ve made my point.

 

[INP8riot]

A side note if I may. First there a lot, millions if I’m not mistaken, of very healthy Americans. Millions that never see a Dr. other than check up’s or stitches for an accident. Of course we all see Dr’s due to age related issues. They don’t seem to have the same maladies that others have. And I can only assume most live the same or similar lifestyle that others live.

Second point until recently most Americans eat, drank, wore the same garments made in America. Now days almost everything we consume comes from countries such as China. Our foods are likewise imported and from countries that don’t have our standards of health. Could this have something to do with the increase (if there is one) in medical issues? Better diagnostics could also be a factor. Many imported foodstuffs have been shown to contain dangerous chemicals and ingredients. The same goes for children’s toys, and clothing dyes. Well I could go on with my prospective but I think I’ve made my point.

I have no doubt it comes from other countries. They know they can get away with sending a sub-standard product here that will be approved by the FDA that other countries won't allow. I also agree that certain people are just prone to certain ailments and allergies to food. My wife has extreme self imposed dietary restrictuons because certain things disagree with her.

 

[Mij]

I have no doubt it comes from other countries. They know they can get away with sending a sub-standard product here that will be approved by the FDA that other countries won't allow. I also agree that certain people are just prone to certain ailments and allergies to food. My wife has extreme self imposed dietary restrictuons because certain things disagree with her.

The FDA doesn’t approve it. The chemicals are added surreptitiously, the FDA tests and discovers them. Then puts out alerts, note one recent instance of baby formula. And the one before that lead paint in children’s toys. The imported vegetables. I understand you have a problem with the feds, most of us do. But I don’t think the FDA is staffed with people just waiting to line their pockets by intentionally poisoning American citizens.

 

[Ingomike]

A side note if I may. First there a lot, millions if I’m not mistaken, of very healthy Americans. Millions that never see a Dr. other than check up’s or stitches for an accident. Of course we all see Dr’s due to age related issues. They don’t seem to have the same maladies that others have. And I can only assume most live the same or similar lifestyle that others live.

Second point until recently most Americans eat, drank, wore the same garments made in America. Now days almost everything we consume comes from countries such as China. Our foods are likewise imported and from countries that don’t have our standards of health. Could this have something to do with the increase (if there is one) in medical issues? Better diagnostics could also be a factor. Many imported foodstuffs have been shown to contain dangerous chemicals and ingredients. The same goes for children’s toys, and clothing dyes. Well I could go on with my prospective but I think I’ve made my point.

One thing to account for is the human body. There is a significant group, say 25% that can smoke, eat bad for you foods, etc. and live to their 90’s. Another, say 25% lived a very clean life but die early of things like lung cancer, though they never smoked. Then there are the middle masses, a group that needs to protect themselves.

Life is far from one size fits all…