Supply and Demand

When I first started thinking about the question to research, I thought that there would be many conflicts if the food industries were to be strictly regulated. Strictly regulated, in my opinion, means that the industries must provide:

1. Provide at least minimum wages for all workers.
2. Provide health benefit and accidental cost.
3. Make sure that the work environment is safe for the workers.
4. All workers must be eligible to work under the United States law.
5. Make sure that the process of producing food follows the standard for safety and sanitary. 
6. Must have a standard contract that would be beneficial not only to the industry but to farmers as well.
7. Must treat animal in an ethical way (Debatable). 
8. If animals are corn-fed, it must be stated in the label.
9. Etc.

These are some of the rules that I've came up with while watching Food Inc. However, if these rule were to be implemented, it would come with a cost. In order for theses large companies to stay in control, they must meet the demand, implement the least costly method, make the most benefit, keep the product cheap, and constantly compete with other companies. If a firm cannot meet these requirement, they will eventually fall behind the rest of the firms, and it would be forced to shut down. If the regulations listed above were to be regulated, some consequences that may follow are:

1. Increase in the product price.
2. More time consuming to produce raise an animal.
3. Less supply of food or possibly the shortage of supply.
4. Smaller portion of meat (if they were to be raise in an organic way).
5. Etc.

Since large population of the people in the United States consists of a middle class and a lower class, the most concerning consequence would probably be the increase in the product price. Would most people rather have healthier food that would cost more or would they rather keep everything the just the way they are? Are we as a nation willing to risk the possibility of the shortage in food supply?

Of course there are arguments such as the amount of organic farm would increase now that the price of the process food is the same as farm food. However, the amount of organic farms will not increase all over the country within the short period of time. The industries can adapt to changes very quickly unlike small farms. If we were to implement these regulations, we would have the period in which there are less supply in the country until all the local organic farms start opening for business. Even then, we cannot guarantee that people would start the organic farming business just because they can compete with large industries in regard to price.

Questions:

1. Would you rather have healthier food that would cost more or a less healthy food that would cost less? Do you think most people would agree with you?

2. Would you be willing to risk the possibility of the shortage of food supply for future improvements? If so, why?

Huh! I published before you Visoth. Rekt! (Wreck)