Immigrant Farm Workers: Ethical Consumption

local food production is not an example of ethical consumption. This is because the definition of ethical consumption according to “What is Ethical Consumption?”, “stresses the role of the consumer in preventing the exploitation of women and children in seatshop factories overseas and in the U.S.” this would mean that the workers would have to be treated right when they are working and not be treated unethically though this is not always the case.

Many of the farmers are mexican immigrants that are only trying to support their families. WNYC news published an article titled “Immigrant Farm Workers, the Hidden Part of New York’s Local Food Movement” that said, “ The reality of agriculture is that a hefty percentage of the people who plant and harvest New York’s local food are immigrant workers, many of whom put themselves in danger to cross the border into the United States to work the land.” though they come here they are not treated as well as they expected. One of the workers Antonio Valeriano that works at a farm in hudson valley originally from oaxaca said he has to be at work at 6 A.M to 8 at night or even to 10 P.M. Valeriano another worker said, “the work is hard, ‘and we almost never rest,’” though they have a

very important job you would think they get paid better or at least would be treated better but instead they live in a grower provided labor camp which on this farm means a run-down old house on the property where they sleep three to a room.
Though many people think buying locally helps many people can't even afford this.

With the rise of food stamps being used by americans by 58.5 percent over only three years is the reason why, “17% of americans - more than 50 million people live in households that are ‘food insecure’.”(what food says about class in america by lisa miller) meaning that they don't know if they will even eat the next day. But why does this even happen, “‘Essentially,’ he says, ‘we have a system where wealthy farmers feed the poor crap and poor farmers feed the wealthy high-quality food’” this means that the farmers that work so hard to get money eat stuff that's worse than what they work on while the make high quality food they are given food that is essentially

“crap”.
Though there are many reasons why locally grown food is not ethical it helps conserve energy. According to the article “11 Reasons to buy locally grown food” it stated, “the average distance our food travels is 1500 miles, mostly by air and truck, increasing our dependence on petroleum.” this would help save money for the owner of these farms and help not waste as much petroleum as we do on transport. But does this really help the farmers that are overworked and underpaid in the article it also said, “local food is about the future.” this was their 11th reason but seeing how things are going what kind of future are we going to have when the workers we depend on the most are not treated fairly or ethically.
In conclusion, should we support local food production when it is not an example of ethical consumption if the article “What is Ethical Consumption?”said that ethical consumption is , “ the role of the consumer in preventing the exploitation of women and children in seatshop factories overseas and in the U.S.” then we should not because many farmers are not treated well as we think, as the WNYC news article said, “This is an issue that is not only a human rights issue, it’s a labor issue, it’s a moral issue. No matter how you slice it, this issue is a no-brainer because we need to give these people some rights” and they are right because they are treated unethically and we shouldn't be supporting it when we know it is not right.