Essay 1 Proposal

Alex Nelson

Eng 102

Proposal For Informative/Evaluative Essay

            My topic for this informative piece will be over the American food and agricultural systems, and the importance of proper nutrition for all people.  In this essay I will provide the reader with information showing the dark side of the U.S. food and farming industries, and expose the dirty secrets of our country’s largest food corporations.  In a nutshell: the lack of government regulation over the food industry, has allowed large food and agricultural corporations to get away with unethical and destructive business practices, and to deceive and exploit consumers.  These practices have had adverse effects on the health, freedom, and well being of the American people.  These corporations have been, and are still paying officials in all levels of government to turn a blind eye, and to pass legislation that supports the interests of big agriculture.   The American government has allowed this entire industry to be out of control and hold massive influence over our public officials, while the American people suffer the consequences.

            In this essay I would also like to teach the reader the importance of good nutrition, and to tell them about healthier and safer food choices that are available.  Nutrition is a topic that I feel is overlooked by the United States in general, and is the most important factor for human health, and the ability for people to perform well in nearly every activity.  I will go into detail on the importance of quality nutrition for children, and how poor nutrition can stifle their physical and cognitive development, educational achievement, and life-long health.  Children, especially those from low-income families that cannot afford healthy foods are worst victims of the nutritional crisis occurring in the United States. 

            This is a serious problem that affects every single person, and that everyone should become aware off.  Eating is the most primal human activity, and eating food is required for each and every person to survive.  The American people need to be informed of the sad truths of the United States food system.  Every person should know about things such as: the unethical business practices by food corporations, the harmful substances in many of the most popular food items, how the food industry is exploiting children, the negative impact this current system has on farmers, and how our government has failed to protect consumers, among other things.  People, especially those who have children should also be informed about alternatives such as organic foods, food from local farms, and other options that help support the solution rather than the problem.

            The intended audience of this piece is anyone who wants to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle, people who value their freedom, parents and other caregivers, those who work in education, people who work in any part of the food industry, and for anyone who wants to do their part to improve the United States as a whole.  I hope to leave an impression on every person who might read this, but the most important audience for me to reach are the parents and guardians of children.  I care most about this audience because they provide food for young people who cannot yet support themselves.  Quality nutrition is crucial for kids to reach their full physical and mental potentials, especially during the critical developmental periods of infancy, toddlerhood, and adolescence. 

Sources that will be used in the paper:

Nestle, Marion.  Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and       Health.  Berkley:  University of California Press, 2007.  Print.

Schlosser, Eric.  Fast Food Nation.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.  Print.

Food, Inc.  Dir. Robert Kenner.  Perf. Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser.  Magnolia, 2009.  DVD.

King Corn.  Dir. Aaron Woolf.  Perf. Ian Chesney, Curt Ellis, Stephen Macko, Chuck Pyatt, Ricardo Salvador.  2008.  DVD.