Social Impacts of Food
With so much focus on the health and environmental impacts of food, it is possible to almost forget that people work incredibly hard in sometimes dangerous conditions to grow, process, and package our food. Unfortunately, the food industry has a checkered history in its treatment of workers.
Some of the longest worker organizing campaigns in U.S. history (such as the famous United Farm Workers grape boycott) have occurred in the food industry. In spite of this organizing, the industry continues to have one of the lowest rates of unionization in the US. Even worse is the continued use of child labor and forced labor in food production around the world. Despite international campaigns, child labor abuses continue in agriculture and food production.
Worker health and safety issues are also a big issue in food and agriculture. The National Safety Council lists agriculture as one of the most hazardous occupations in the U.S., with 700 deaths and 120,000 disabling injuries each year. Pesticide exposure leading to illness and even death is a primary occupational hazard for farm workers. And worker safety risks in meat slaughtering and packing plants remain a major cause of concern for worker advocates.
Just this year, there have been major controversies related to the treatment of workers in the production of cocoa for chocolate, tomatoes for fast food, and even the apple juice we feed our kids. Major food producers such as Dole, Hershey, and Coke have been embroiled in labor controversies. The plight of largely immigrant farm workers in the US reached literal superstar prominence this summer when Stephen Colbert, the TV personality, testified before Congress about his one day experience working on a farm.
With all of these issues and concerns, a number of efforts have emerged to improve labor conditions within food supply chains. The Fair Trade movement seeks to certify farms and products that pay a fair wage, allow workers to organize, and support small independent farms. Fair Trade certified coffee, chocolate, and bananas are growing rapidly in the US. You can learn more about Fair Trade on our Guide to Food Certifications
GoodGuide is working to evaluate the labor and social performance of food companies in our ratings. A small group of food companies have emerged as leaders in these issues. For instance, Newman’s Own Organics, which follows “fair trade” standards for its coffee, and Rainforest Alliance certification for its chocolate, gets relatively high labor and human rights ratings.
On the other hand, companies such as Dole Foods get quite low labor scores in our system due to controversies around anti-union activity in Ecuador, Philippines, Columbia and Costa Rica.
GoodGuide will gradually be adding more information on labor and human rights issues in the supply chains for food products over the coming months. Check back soon to see our ratings of Tea and Coffee manufacturers, and which companies have achieved Fair Trade status.
To learn more about the labor behind your food, check out our slideshow or browse our food ratings
