This was my final exam essay for my Food in American History course. I reviewed course material and crafted a 1500 word essay about how industrialization of food processes and systems has distanced Americans from their food. This essay may not be for you, but it is if you want to learn about the effects of the industrialization of food. (P.S. I got a 98 🙂
As the American system of producing, distributing, and consuming food has advanced throughout the country’s history, so too have American perspectives about food. This global shift can be attributed, in large part, to industrialization. While new methods of growing and transporting food came out of necessity during wartime, key inventions to accelerate production arose from the capitalist principle of improvement. Indeed, in time reapers, cans, and chemicals turned the American farm into the American factory, while crop surpluses increased the need for new products and fresh marketing strategies. Grocery stores changed how food was purchased, automobiles changed the accessibility of restaurants, and the television changed how family dinners were shared. All the while, the American public was slowly becoming distanced from the food on their tables. Food that was once grown in backyard gardens and by neighborhood farmers—food that people knew—was progressively phased out by unfamiliar but welcome packaged foods. As industrialization has produced more food and more opportunity for the country, it has come at the cost an unsustainable, fragile food system that is hidden from the public eye. To better understand how this shift happened and what can be done to ameliorate it, the gradual changes throughout the American food system should be examined.
           When considering the production of food, there are two major ways that industrialization changed the food supply: advancements on the farm and innovations in the factory. Since its inception, the United States has had abundant land with rich soil. To spur the land’s cultivation, Thomas Jefferson’s proposed the ideal of the independent yeoman farmer who could supply for himself and contribute to his community (Class Notes, 2/3/20). These small farmers working on land grants ignited the early economy; however, the introduction of new, expensive technology steepened the barrier to entry. The McCormick reaper of the 1830s was the first mechanical advancement, allowing farmers to reap fifteen acres a day instead of two (2/3/20). This expensive machine—and others like it—created a divide between the industrial farmer and the yeoman farmer. While prosperous farms flourished, unsuccessful farmers had to find other means of sustenance and purchase their food instead of growing it.Â
Luckily, a surplus of crops like wheat lead to innovations within factories, creating a new sector for jobs. Flour was now mass-produced at a large mill instead of by small farmers (1/31/20). At the same time, advancements in food preparation tools and appliances such as the cast iron stove created new opportunities for women cooks. Making meals and baked goods was now easier but more complicated, so cooking itself became a skill. While women worked in the kitchen, men were now able to seek out jobs in factories, thereby furthering the Industrial Revolution (1/31/20). What began as a boom on the farms ignited brand-new avenue for processed food products, thereby creating a market that rapidly expanded the economy.
This same theme of increased agricultural production followed by the invention of novelty foods appeared again in the beginning of the twentieth century. Perhaps the most significant agricultural development in history came not from the United States, but Germany. Working at separate times on the same concept, two German scientists, Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, discovered a way to turn atmospheric nitrogen into absorbable chemical fertilizer (Pollan, 2004). The 1909 Haber-Bosch process essentially mechanized the farm, making it a system of inputs and outputs as opposed to a balanced ecology (3/30/20). Because farmers didn’t have to wait for essential nutrient restoration by fallowing, crop production skyrocketed. Key chemical companies like Dow and Monsanto entered the fold, furthering the industrialization of American farms (2/19/20). A greater abundance of crops like wheat, corn, and soy led to the boom in processed food production. Companies like Heinz, Campbell’s, and Pillsbury grew rapidly because of their investment in continuous process production (2/21/20). Though an abundance of inexpensive processed foods, widespread hesitancies about adulteration still lingered. To mitigate these worries, food marketing grew to persuade consumers of the safety and health of processed foods (2/21/20). In time, these foods became the norm in American society, furthering the distance between farm and table.
Before further consideration goes into these consumer trends, we must take a step back and look at how industrialization has changed food distribution. Though early agricultural success fueled 19th century economy, the Civil War changed the course of food history. To feed Union battlefield soldiers, innovative factories began canning foods, especially meat (2/10/20). As new packaged, preserved foods fueled soldiers, railroads were being built, extending the distance these foods could travel (2/10/20). Preserved meat and railroad networks collided when the Chicago Union Stockyard opened in 1865. Here, live cattle and swine were shipped from across the Midwest to be disassembled and processed (2/19/20). Live animals were shipped into the stockyard and dressed meat was shipped out. This furthered the need for refrigeration cars to preserve butchered meat, an invention which would eventually lead to widespread distribution of not only meat but other fresh produce (2/19/20). These new distribution methods were very successful, increasing the possibilities for agricultural and economic growth.
Though impressive distribution allowed food to cross state lines, not everybody benefitted. Local butchers, family grocers, and neighborhood farmers suffered from more affordable processed food prices (2/24/20). Small operations that couldn’t compete with national brand giants were forced to close. All the while, though food was becoming more available and affordable, Americans were being further separated from their food supply. This distance furthered with the introduction of a new way to buy food: the self-service grocery store. With Piggly Wiggly leading the charge in 1916, chain grocery stores began opening up throughout the United States (3/2/20). These self-service stores were “Progressive;” no longer would clerks do the shopping, but customers were now able to choose between products by comparison shopping (3/2/20). As the aforementioned national brands competed with store brands, price became a crucial factor to buying behaviors. Local farmers couldn’t compete with grocery store prices, and affordability outweighed quality. Food became more accessible than ever before, though at a cost. Factory farms were producing more food than ever but with great impacts to the surrounding environment and the health of animals (3/30/20). Consciousness of this didn’t reach the public until much later. In fast-paced America, it was about more food being more available at a more affordable price.
Lastly the changing attitudes around food consumption must be explored. To be brief, the greatest change here was the progressive shift from family meals to “fast” food. The consumption of meals in the 19th century was largely centered around the dinner table. Generally speaking, while men worked in factories, women stayed at home. When the man returned from work, the family would unite with an intentionally prepared family dinner (1/31/20). Gradually over the next century, industrialization fragmented the dinner table, favoring convenience over home-cooked meals. The automobile boom synchronized with the emergence of fast food restaurants, making “eating out” a norm for Americans (3/27/20). Successful franchises like McDonald’s and White Castle worked to accelerate this shift. Simultaneously, frozen dinners entered the fold, furthering the ideal of convenience over complicated meals (Hamilton, 2003). Adding fuel to the fast-paced fire, the explosion of television in the late 20th century brought about TV dinners, a development which further split the dinner table (Buford, 2006). In recent years, services like Uber Eats and Door Dash further antiquate cooking and family meals. These changes make the overall trend evident: the more Americans buy into convenient arrangements that support the Industrial Food system, the less Americans care about where their food comes from.
Due to the industrialization of food production, distribution, and consumption patterns over the past 200 years, American society has lost touch with its food. That is, until recently. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on just how fragile our supply chain. For the first time in recent memory, our collective society is thinking about the origins and implications of the food we buy at the store. This is a good thing. And this is why food history matters.
           Without knowing how we got here, it’s impossible to know where we should go in the future. For instance, knowing how meatpacking operations began in the 1860s can shed light on the importance of supporting local farms to bolster food security. Likewise, understanding that frozen foods are a recent phenomenon can spur people to plan for what may happen if nationwide distribution networks shut down (i.e. learning how to grow food may be a helpful skill). If we use this moment of national crisis to educate ourselves about where our food comes from, perhaps we can reconnect with the land we have been separated from. The benefits would be a more sustainable agricultural system, a more stable distribution network, and a greater awareness of who is affected by our buying decisions. This can be the moment that reconnects us with our food. This can be the next phase in American food history, that is, if we’re willing to change.