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MikaelaMagana
English115
ProfessorLawson
16September2014
Exercise2,LettertotheAuthor
WordCount:610
Exercise2:LettertotheAuthor
DearMichaelPollan,
WhenaCropBecomesKingleadmetorealizetheimportantknowledgemost
Americanslacktheknowledgeofhowourfoodisproducedandwhatitconsistsof.Iveglanced
ataningredientlabelonthebackofapotatochipbagbefore,butneverdidIfullyunderstand
whattheproductconsistedof.Letalonehowtopronouncethenamesoftheseingredients.Inthe
beginningofyourarticle,theimageryyouprovideaboutthemillionsofacresoflandthatcorn
inhabitsdoesnotstrikemeasanegativescenario.Afterall,theimageofhighstocksofcornand
vastamountsofitsoundslikeapositiveoutcomeandsolutiontoprovidefoodtoanincreasing
populationofpeople.NeverwouldIhaverealizedthatthesefieldsareheavilyfundedthrough
governmentsubsidies,orranbymeninsuitswhosegoalsaretoreducethecostofproduction,by
ignoringthepotentialnegativeeffectsontheenvironmentandhumanhealth.Iwaspuzzledwhen
Icameacrosstheinformationofcornbeingfedtoanimalswhoarenotphysicallydesignedto
digestit.Myconfusionleadtothequestionof,Willreplacingthedietsoftheanimalswe
consumeaffectus?.InthepastIhaveheardofecolioutbreaksandhaveheardofcaseswhere
childrenandpeoplehavediedduetoconsumingtaintedmeat.However,Iwasunawarethe

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taintedmeatislinkedtoacowsconsumptionofcorn.Iamgladyourarticleaddressestheissue
ofcornbeingintegratedwithinthedietsofhumansandanimalsimproperly.Itleadsmeto
questionifitisappropriatetoincorporatecornwithinmydiet.Afterallasyoumentioned,the
cropisheavilyprotectedwithpesticides,anditspesticiderunoffhasbeenresponsibleforthe
deathsofthousandsofmarinelifeinthepast.Thisevidenceprovidesanindicationofthelackof
safetywithinthecrop.
IamgladyourarticlecalledtoattentionmyknowledgeonwhatgoesintothefoodI
consumeandhowitisproduced.IambecomingmoreawareofwhatIconsumenowafterbeing
presentedcornsnegativehealthcontributions.NeverdidIthinkitsoverproductionwouldhavea
negativeimpactontheenvironmentandsocietyuntilyouprovidedtheexampleofobesityand
type2diabetesrisingduetothetransitioningfromsugartohighfructosecornsyrupinthe
1980s.Ibelieveitsstrangehowweashumanscanbesoknowledgeableinothersubjects,but
whenitcomesdowntothequestionof,Wheredidthisfoodoriginatefrom?,mostpeople
cannotexplainhowtheproductcametobeorhowtheingredientsonthelabelbenefitourhealth.
Bybeingmadeawareofourfoodsupplyconsistingprimarilyofcornthroughwhatyoureferto
ascornification,Iplanonshowingmyoppositiontoitspractice.Iplantorefrainfrom
purchasingfoodsanddrinkssuchascereals,chips,andsodasthatconsistofcornadditives.I
agreewithyourargumentandsupportyourpurposethattheenvironmentandsocietyarebeing
neglectedintheareasofhealthandethicsthroughcornification.Thegovernmentis
inconsiderateofpublichealthbyignoringthenegativeeffectsofthiscornbaseddietonanimals,
andcontinuingtofeedournationinthesamemanner.BeforereadingyourarticleIalways
thoughtcornwasahealthyfood,andsawitasthetypicalAmericancropthatcouldbetraced

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backtothefarmer.Throughmyawareness,Iplantoeducatetheothersaroundmeaboutthe
precautionsandquestionsthatshouldarisewhenconsumingfoods.