Oh, America, have we got troubles with our tummies -- and with the industrial system that pumps junk into them. One in six kids is obese. Half a billion potentially tainted eggs were recalled after sickening thousands with salmonella this year. (On the bright side, it's a pleasant change from summer's usual E. coli alerts.) Giant hog factories make life unbearable not just for the pigs, but for their neighbors in Iowa and North Carolina (although some fight back).
Basically, if you're someone who tries to eat like you give a damn, you can quickly feel like it's all going to hell.
Sure, there are many ways to cheer yourself up. You can devour a pint of protest ice cream (one delicious gut reaction). You can seek out happy stories about New Agtivists and "game changers."
Or, you can get even. While we at Grist like to focus on the positive as much as possible, all the community gardens and organic farmers in the world can't stop the tsunami of 99-cent feedlot burgers and head-scratching political appointments. This is our attempt to root out who's currently keeping America sick, fat, and poisoned: a preliminary list of a Dirty Dozen rotten eggs spoiling our food system. Cast your vote, or write in your candidate in the comments below, and let's see who's food's Public Enemy No. 1 -- and plot what we can do to stop them.
And now, read more about the culprits' crimes on the following pages, then vote for your villain of choice in our poll below:Grist
