US+Food+System+Deindustrialization+Debate+Module

Description:
 * Since the Neolithic Revolution began around 8000 BC man has been revolutionizing agriculture. Our ability to develop new farming techniques has allowed us to create complex societies where a small percent of the population can produce enough food for the rest of the population. Currently our food system has been heavily industrialized to maximize output (and profit) and minimize costs. This had led to an uprising of people that want to de-industrialize our food system for a number of environmental and social reasons. Supporters of an industrialized food system claim that it is the most efficient and cost effective way to farm and produce the amount of food needed to supply the worlds growing population. A sub-topic of this debate is organic farming, an agricultural trend that has recently been getting much more supporters. Proponents of localized farming often support it while those that would prefer an industrialized farming industry mainly discredit the assumption that organic food is better for you than food from larger industrial farms. This debate is one that ties into every aspect of human life and since we need food to survive, how we decide to grow our food is a major decision that will effect generations to come.

In an effort to promote environmental education students will debate whether or not we should deindustrialize our food industry. Students will be given material from which they can base their arguments on and they will follow a college level debate structure. || The students will emerge from this debate with a much better understanding of how a college or high school debate takes place as well as learning about the implications of whether or not the US should deindustrialize their food industry.

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