Main Issues Estabrook Highlights Facing the Tomato Industry - Essay Example

Estabrook’s depiction of slavery and pesticide use and possible solutions Barry Estabrook paints a rather grim picture ofthe tomato industry in the United States due to the harmful conditions in which they are grown. Tomatoes are one of the most eaten vegetable and item that do not miss in our shopping lists. It is even an irony that tomatoes are regarded as a vegetable rather than the fruit that they are. Despite this, tomatoes continue to be a major recipe in many delicacies enjoyed and are therefore an important crop. This has resulted in the growth of a tomato industry in the country, more specifically in the state of Florida, where the country’s winter and spring tomatoes are grown. These tomatoes are grown using industrial agriculture methods and practices that are heavily reliant on modern farming techniques and heavy pesticide use in order to produce large, bright red, tomatoes to be sold in supermarkets and used by various food companies that prepare salads, sandwiches, burgers, and other fast foods. A major downside of these industrially grown tomatoes is their lack of taste, as compared to organically grown tomatoes that re provided with the necessary nutrients and care required. Estabrook gives a rather interesting history of the tomato plant, tracing it back to its original habitat in South America, and provides a great difference between the tomatoes produced today in areas as Florida and those that are grown naturally. The use of industrial agriculture to grow these tomatoes has numerous negative effects to the quality of tomatoes produced and especially to the workers who work in those farms. This paper aims to look at two main issues Estabrook highlights facing the tomato industry and possible solutions to help solve them. Pesticide use Estabrook depicts the state of Florida as the worst state to grow tomatoes given its very poor soils and the high levels of humidity recorded in the state. The tomatoes are grown on sandy soil, which lacks the very important nutrients required for adequate growth of most crops, and therefore farmers have to utilize chemical fertilizers in order to make the sand soil a suitable planting medium. The sunny weather and high humidity in the state provide an adequate atmosphere for the existence of many pests and insects such as spots, blights, and molds that pose a serious danger for producing healthy tomatoes. In order to keep these pests at bay, farmers resort to the use of numerous pesticides and insecticides, some of which are very harmful and require very restricted use. It even gets worse since the workers on these farms end up being exposed to these chemicals as they work and end up having a life threatening health conditions, physical deformities, and rather high rates of infant mortality. The use of pesticides in Florida is very high as compared to other states growing tomatoes. For instance, the amount of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides used by farmers in Florida in 2006 amounted to 8 million pounds, which was 8 times more than the amount used in the same amount of tomato crops by farmers in the state of California, the second largest producer of tomatoes. Slavery Estabrook explains a disturbing picture of modern-day slavery in one of the most democratic country in the world where people enjoy various rights and freedoms. He clearly shows some of the harsh conditions that most laborers working in these tomato farms undergo, especially in Immokalee, Florida, the major growing area for winter tomatoes. Most of these workers are illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico, and cannot speak neither Spanish nor English, which places them at a disadvantage. Some of these immigrants are brought into the country through illegal human trafficking channels and are usually tortured and mistreated and survive in very poor living conditions, mostly without enough food and proper sanitary facilities. They work very hard and are paid very low wages that are paid irregularly. It is very disturbing to imagine a worker who was paid a basic rate equal to that paid thirty years ago. When inflation is factored into their level of pay, their basic pay has actually reduced by half over the last years. The workers are also charged highly for the various poor facilities they are provided with, which in most cases exceed the wages they earn and therefore end living in poverty, subjected to forced labor and servitude. They are also warned against tempting to run away with threats of being beaten up severely. The fact that they cannot speak neither Spanish nor English makes it hard for them to report the torture and mistreatment they undergo to police officers. In addition, they come into the country illegally in search of better jobs and therefore fear reporting to the police and risk deportation back home. These workers also end up being sprayed with the various pesticides used on the tomatoes as they work on these farms, with some of these pesticides being the most harmful available in the market. This has resulted in very grave consequences such as high rates of infant mortality, long-term health problems, and physical deformation. Estabrook shows a good example of the resulting physical deformities and infant mortality caused by these pesticides through three women who worked at one tomato company Ag-Mart. The first woman Francisca Herrera bore a child without legs and arms. The second woman, Sostenes Maceda bore a child with a deformed lower jaw that made the child to be at high risk of death because of choking on his own tongue. Two days after a Maceda’s child was born, Maria Meza bore a child who lacked one ear, one kidney, the anus, and the nose, had a cleft palate, and did not have visible sexual organs. A detailed examination revealed that the child was a girl and the parent had to rename her Violeta from the earlier name Jorge, a boy’s name. The girl dies after three days due to the severity of her condition” ( Estabrook, 37). The authorities in Florida have had a very hard time tracking the perpetrators of these heinous acts, only getting very few prosecutions as some of the state regulators overlooking the issue. Just over 1000 workers have been freed from the forced labor, torture and mistreatment they have undergone in these tomato farms in the last 15 years. In the case of Ag-Mart, a total eighty-eight counts of deformed babies was leveled against the company and it was fined $111, 200, which was subsequently reduced to $8,400. Solutions It is clear from the above issues discussed that urgent remedies are required to help solve the problems arising from the use of forced labor and pesticides within these tomato farms. One such solution is the adoption of organic farming that utilizes biological pest control, and natural green and compost manure for farming. One successful example is that of Lady Moon Farms that practices organic farming without the use of any synthetic fertilizers or chemicals and yet are able to produce food products that are actively sold in leading stores and groceries. In addition, the farm pays its workers at very competitive hourly rates as well as provided the workers with free housing. The adoption of such a farming model is very helpful since it helps to solve both problems as it reduced the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides while also catering for the needs of the workers through proper working conditions and competitive pay rates commensurate with the current economic conditions. The second solution is the need for more stringent regulatory practices and laws that will help to control the used of harmful chemicals and prevent human trafficking and forced labor. It is clear from Estabrook’s book that the authorities did not actively pursue the issue of excessive use of harmful pesticides. For instance, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services did not carry out extensive investigations and follow-ups into cases involving the use of harmful pesticides in the state. It was established that: “The state found regulatory violations in thirty-one instances but issued only two fines. The state failed to adequately investigate poisoning complaints even when a farmworker was seriously injured or killed” Estabrook, 43). There is need for the authorities established to regulate various actions to be stringent and ensure all violations reported are investigated and appropriate remedies undertaken. In addition, an oversight body could be created to help ensure various bodies and officers charged with enforcing certain rules and regulations carry out their mandate as laid out by the law. The third solution is to empower human rights activist and labor groups that fight for the rights of workers who are subjected into poor working and living conditions. It is their right to be entitled to various rights and freedoms as per the constitution and should therefore be able to have access to various basic needs and other amenities. This should be done by fostering better relationships between these groups and the authorities through various legislatures that help to advance their course. Work cited  Estabrook, Barry Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012. Print. Read More