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Government: Friend or Foe?

What’s in YOUR food?
Gabe DeGuzman, Reilly Elliot, Samuel Moore, CJ Gallo
Every day we are told to consume three square meals. However, very few people understand what that means.
Some people assume that when they go out to eat pizza, they think they can eat one slice and that’s enough to
count as one square meal of the day. Unfortunately, this rationale is used too much in our daily lives, worsening
our health as time passes.
This common misconception has altered the minds and health of the American people for generations, causing
people to blame others. We should not be blaming each other. It's clear the government has allowed the situation
to get as bad as it is.
In recent years, U.S. organizations have ignored the importance of enforcing proper food, health, and nutrition
regulations. We define real food as food that is as natural and unprocessed, yet we have no systems in place to
tell us which ones are.
Many harmful chemicals are put out into the environment and we don’t know what kind of testing goes into the
food before being put into the market.
Despite the government having power to enforce regulations, they just put them in place, but have no
actual enforcement on them since it’s too costly. The government should be more concerned with the
health and well-being of its citizens, especially regarding their usage of pesticides, unclean water, toxic
wastes and chemicals, and nutritionally poor school lunches.
It is crucial for U.S. citizens to know these things since organizations are unaware of the effect they have on
consumers.
The enforcement of food regulations is very loose, allowing many toxic chemicals to go into the foods. Without
systems of safety inspection for our resources, people will continue to be unaware of what products have
harmful chemicals.
A 2021 newspaper states the concern: “Avoiding pesticides is especially critical for babies and children, experts
say, because of the damage they can cause to the developing brain. A 2020 study found an increase in IQ loss
and intellectual disability in children due to exposure to organophosphates, a common class of pesticides.”
(LaMotte, “Dirty Dozen”).
Currently, there are still bacterias and chemicals added into children's food. As there are still problems
concerning the health of our food products in 2021, this shows that the government has not made much efforts
to improve this issue.
Furthermore, they have also neglected legitimate structures of health and safety departments. A newly released
United States Senate Document has updated information on this. “Each year, the United States uses over a
billion pounds of pesticides… the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1972 (FIFRA),
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contains many loopholes that put the interests of the pesticide industry above the health and safety of people and
our environment.” (Federal Information & News Dispatch).
Following the fact that billions of pesticides are used by the U.S. annually proves that the government hasn’t
undergone action nor had much interest toward the health of its citizens when it comes to our food regulations.
The statement that there are loopholes within government systems that favor chemical research over the health
and safety of the country makes this overwhelming problem more urgent than ever.
Similarly to the problem of contaminated food resources, there is a growing problem with the contamination of
water in the U.S. Specifically, poor or misguided efforts to improve town’s water quality contributes to the idea
that the government needs to adopt a more concerned view on the dietary health of its citizens. An example can
be seen in a congressional decision saying “This would provide over $60 million over 5 years for improvements
to American Samoa's roads, bridges and rights of way. Additional funding grants for the improvement of
drinking and wastewater infrastructure will be available as well.” (Amata Highlights ). Although American
Samoa territories are outside the U.S. mainland, governmental decisions regarding the area can still reflect
mistakes in decision making processes that can impact everyone in the U.S.
The fact that road improvements have exact parameters and water improvements don’t contributes to the idea
that the government is trying to improve, but misses on
key components like informing the public where and
how improvements will happen. This source also implies
that the main focus was on road improvement, yet water
improvement, arguably a more important concern, was
added as a second thought.
According to another publication within the house of

representatives regarding the Clean Water act of 1972,
“In the years immediately following the Clean Water
Act, significant progress was made in cleaning up our
waters. Yet, in recent years, the importance of safe,
reliable, and affordable water systems has, again,
become front page news.”(DeFazio). The fact that there
have been so many situations where the government claims they will act, yet end up abandoning their efforts
part way through is a prime example of the misguided efforts that many impact many governmental efforts in
the U.S. Despite constant failures to meet expectations, citizens still have little choice but to trust their
governments and end up getting hurt because of it.
This isn’t the first time the government didn’t see the health of its citizens as a priority. Due to lack of
regulations the government has let harmful substances get into
the food we consume. In a 2021 article by Sandee LaMotte they
mention that “The testing found 95% of sampled baby foods
contained lead, 73% contained arsenic, 75% contained cadmium
and 32% contained mercury” (LaMotte, “Manufacturers”). Since
there weren't any heavy regulations these companies allowed
toxic metals to slip into the hands and mouths of our future
generation. The government doesn’t have tight enough

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regulations for big companies. If the government was more strict and required companies to test foods before
release, this wouldn’t have happened.
There have also been instances of contamination outside of baby food. Fast food companies have let chemicals
contaminate the wrapping we receive our food in. Stated in the article “Toxic Chemicals may be in Fast Food
Wrappers and Take-Out Containers, Report Says." LaMotte states, “Testing by the groups revealed toxic PFAS
substances -- man-made perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals -- in the food packaging of Burger King's
‘Whopper,’ chicken nuggets and cookies; in Wendy's paper bags; and in McDonald's wrappers for the ‘Big
Mac,’ french fries and cookies” (LaMotte, “Toxic Chemicals”). This leads us to question why there weren't tests
required by the government to maintain clean food regulations. Millions of people eat from these places daily
and since there wasn’t any action on testing countless amounts of people have been potentially exposed to these
chemicals which could cause negative effects in the future.
Our future generation isn’t just affected by the food we eat in the outside world but is even at risk in school.
The regulations put in place on school lunches lead to poor eating habits and nutrition for students, a concerned
author commented that, “Many fast-food chains have capitalized on low budgets for school lunches at public
schools, offering cheap, unhealthy food items to feed students” (Ling). From a young age, students eat from the
school lunch program, not being educated on what is in the food they are eating, which could lead to future
health problems.
Colin Schwartz, a nutrition advocate, shared similar concerns. “Colin Schwartz of the Center for Science in the
Public Interest told NPR last month that the proposals could create "a huge loophole" in school nutritional
guidelines outlined in the NSLP. The changes pave ‘the way for children to choose pizza, burgers and French
fries ... in place of balanced school meals every day,’ he said.” (Biekert).
As a result, new regulations encourage unhealthy food choices, rather than advocating for healthy foods.
“Critics of the proposals also worry that districts looking to meet their bottom line and save money may opt to
serve those starchy foods instead of leafy greens, turning what's now occasional fry servings into the norm,
rather than the exception.” (Biekert). In other words the new regulations allow for schools to be greedy with
their money, they can save a couple dollars by choosing to serve unhealthy lunch choices. While all of these
arguments regarding contamination and poor decisions of policy makers are convincing, there are still counter
arguments that must be considered.
People may believe the government has already implemented laws and policies to regulate health and safety
requirements for its citizens.
“‘Many food chemicals were reviewed to be safe decades ago but it's clear that safety guidance has not been
kept up-to-date with new science and data that have found harmful effects on the health of our families,’ said
Senator Gillibrand. ‘I am deeply concerned that, despite the potential for long-term health complications,
chlorpyrifos continues to be sprayed on fruits and vegetables.’“ (Federal Information & News Dispatch)
It appears that the U.S. government was involved with safety guidelines regarding food chemicals, yet recently,
the importance of this has fallen greatly. Without a proper system to keep families safe from harm, there will be
continuous years of illnesses and disease.

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At a congress hearing one stated that “The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the most sweeping
reform of our food safety laws in more than 70 years, was signed into law by President Obama on January 4,
2011” (House Appropriations). The government has obviously been trying to implement more and more safety
regulations making the food we eat safer every day. With newer technology they have the ability to change food
safety for the better. The governmental efforts to improve public health has already been made clear to many,
but the efforts made by private organizations to decrease public health have received less attention.
The government has done as much as they could to help its citizens with their health. It is the people’s decisions
that are causing their own downfalls and errors.
This can be seen with Nestle’s analysis: “Food and nutrition deserve much more attention from public health
professionals… Everybody eats. Everybody is at risk for eating too little for health or survival or too much to
the point of weight gain and increased risks for noncommunicable diseases. By the latest count, nearly 700
million people in the world do not get enough to eat on a daily basis,” (Nestle).
The health organizations created to maintain proper food and nutrition policies have been ignored by the
organization professionals. From this ignorance, there is no emphasis on the status of what are healthy foods or
what is nutritious for citizens. This causes improper diet amongst millions of U.S. citizens, whether they are
becoming obese from unhealthy foods or they are eating too little because there is no encouragement to eat
enough.
Another example of government intervention is, “The U.S. government has approved more than US$3.62
million for baseline water quality monitoring of rivers that cross the U.S.-Canada border in southeast Alaska.
The funding is also meant to bolster U.S. government involvement in examining British Columbia mining and
contamination risks of rivers that flow into the U.S.”...“U.S. senators have in the past urged closer monitoring of
how mining practices affect downstream U.S. residents.”(Hoekstra). The evidence reveals that there are
consistent efforts made by the government to closely monitor water quality risks for its watersheds. The
problem is not that the U.S. doesn’t do enough to improve the circumstances of its citizens, but that sometimes
it can’t with laws protecting businesses who wish to mine in other countries.
While it is true that there are several examples of government institutions implementing efforts to improve the
cleanliness of its citizens' food, these efforts are often abandoned or defunded before they can finish. Although
some organizations decide to prioritize profit over the health of their customers, it doesn’t change the fact that
the majority of the responsibility must fall to the government since the government can have the most impact on
its citizens.
“Evidence suggests that current benefit levels are not adequate for many households. Some vulnerable groups
have limited SNAP eligibility, and some eligible individuals face barriers to SNAP participation.”...” SNAP
helps close to 40 million Americans afford a nutritious diet in an average month. Nearly 90% of recipients are
in families with children, elderly people, or those with disabilities.” (Keith-Jennings, Brynne, MPP et al.)
Where several different private organizations may have a total access to several million citizens, one
government funded program has access to the livelihoods of 40 million people who possess the most health
risks when it comes to needing dietary improvements. Even with this immense access, the program still falls
short and still needs improvement. This is why focussing on improving this one government program that

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impacts millions would be economically superior compared to improving the decisions of several private
organizations.
When several representatives were confronting the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) about a toxic
chemical in pesticides, they brought up the point that “the EPA announced it would not ban the chemical after
being ordered by an appellate court to respond to environmental groups petitioning to see the toxin removed
from commerce” (Representatives Mike Levin). Even though there’s evidence that this pesticide causes health
problems and many people are trying to get rid of it, the EPA didn’t see the need to ban it and proves they
clearly aren’t doing enough to stop the problem.
Through the lenses of pesticides, water, waste, and nutrition, you have seen the negative impact our
government has had and you might be wondering what you can do to make a positive change for the future.
One solution is starting a petition, which will show to the government that many people are willing to fight for
change to make sure their food is safe. You could even tell family and friends about the problems with the
government’s actions. Doing this will spread the importance of this issue and will likely cause more of the
population to understand what is happening and demand change. Being more aware of what you eat is helpful
too. Every time you buy a product you support a producer's actions and if you’re aware of what you eat you can
choose the right food for you.

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Works Cited
Amata Highlights Legislation Supporting Roads and Water Quality Improvements in American Samoa. Federal
Information & News Dispatch, LLC, Washington, 2021. eLibrary,
https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/2548465296?accountid=143906.
As School Starts, Hartzler Introduces Bill to make School Lunches More Affordable. Federal Information &
News Dispatch, LLC, Washington, 2017. eLibrary,
Biekert, Mary. "Pizza and French Fries for Lunch? Not so Fast." TCA Regional News, 08 Feb 2020. eLibrary,
Booker Announces Legislation Aimed at Banning Dangerous Pesticides from our Agriculture System. Federal
Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano Statements from Hearing on the Urgent Need to Invest in America's Wastewater
Infrastructure. Federal Information & News Dispatch, LLC, Washington, 2021. eLibrary,
Gillibrand Reintroduces Safe School Meals for Kids Act; Calls on Congress to Eliminate Harmful Pesticides
from Produce in School Meals. Federal Information & News Dispatch, LLC, Washington, 2021. eLibrary,
Hoekstra, Gordon. "U.S. Project to Monitor Cross-Border Rivers; Operating and Pending Mine Projects in B.C.
Raise American Concerns Over Water Quality." The Province, 03 Jan 2021. eLibrary,
House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services Hearing. Federal Information
& News Dispatch, LLC, Washington, 2021. eLibrary,
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Hearing.
Federal Information & News Dispatch, LLC, Washington, 2012. eLibrary,
Keith-Jennings, Brynne, Joseph Llobrera PhD., and Stacy Dean M.P.P. "Links of the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program with Food Insecurity, Poverty, and Health: Evidence and Potential." American Journal of
Public Health, vol. 109, no. 12 2019, pp. 1636-1640. eLibrary,
https://explore.proquest.com/elibrary/document/2316996145?accountid=143906,
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305325.
LaMotte, Sandee. "Dirty Dozen 2021: View the List of Foods with the most and Least Pesticides." CNN Wire
Service, 17 Mar 2021. eLibrary,

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LaMotte, Sandee. "Manufacturers Allowed Baby Food Contaminated with Heavy Metals to Remain on Shelves,
Lawmakers Say." CNN Wire Service, 29 Sep 2021. eLibrary,
LaMotte, Sandee. "Toxic Chemicals may be in Fast Food Wrappers and Take-Out Containers, Report Says."
CNN Wire Service, 06 Aug 2020. eLibrary,
Ling, Sophia. "Corporations are Benefitting from School Lunches, but they aren’t Even the Ones Eating."
University Wire, 27 Aug 2021. eLibrary,
Nestle, Marion,PhD., M.P.H. "Public Health Nutrition Deserves More Attention." American Journal of Public
Health, vol. 111, no. 4, 2021, pp. 533-535. eLibrary,
Nestle to Buy Baby Food Maker Gerber for $5 Billion. Getty Images, Inc, New York, 2007. eLibrary,
Representatives Mike Levin, Nydia Velazquez and Others Press EPA on Toxic Pesticide Decision. Federal
US-NEWS-CITIES-CLEAN-WATER-14-MCT. Tribune Content Agency LLC, Chicago, 2019. eLibrary,


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Government: Friend or Foe?

Gabe DeGuzman, Reilly Elliot, Samuel Moore, CJ Gallo

Illegal Publishing Services (IPS)

According to another publication within the house of

Illegal Publishing Services (IPS)

Illegal Publishing Services (IPS)

Illegal Publishing Services (IPS)

Illegal Publishing Services (IPS)

Illegal Publishing Services (IPS)

US-NEWS-CITIES-CLEAN-WATER-14-MCT. Tribune Content Agency LLC, Chicago, 2019. eLibrary,

Illegal Publishing Services (IPS)

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