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> The Great Lakes are surrounded by 28 million acres of soybean, corn and hay fields. Most of those fields are managed using intensive mono-cropping methods, wh

> The Great Lakes are surrounded by 28 million acres of soybean, corn and hay fields. Most of those fields are managed using intensive mono-cropping methods, which means a single crop, grown in rows for miles on end. It sounds like it's the type of crop raised and method of cultivation used that's more relevant than the size of the farm. I think if people paid more attention to what they eat, and then paid attention to what food their meat ate, we would see way less soybean and corn production. Soybean oil sneakily makes it way into a ton of food, but you can actively avoid it. It's not particularly healthy. Emphasizing free range chicken, and grass fed beef would probably decrease soybean and corn demand as well.

ahelwer 6y ago
Emphasizing tofu would also decrease soybean demand, despite being made of soybeans. For those who find tofu unappetizing - look up dry-fried tofu. Tofu doesn't have to be consumed as a tasteless spongy cube!
- harikb 6y ago
  > tofu would also decrease soybean demand any pointers on why?
  - astura 6y ago
    The vast majority of soy produced in the world is used for animal feed (~80%, IIRC). Eating the soy directly requires less soy overall than continuously feeding it to animals and eventually eating the animals.
xxpor 6y ago
Soybeans aren't a product, they're a platform. They're a almost completely fungible source of protein. Corn is the same thing for carbs. They're in everything. It's likely been years since you had a meal without any corn or soybean derived ingredients.
- alacombe 6y ago
  > They're in everything. It's likely been years since you had a meal without any corn or soybean derived ingredients. Not here, just had some lamb legs from an animal I raised/shot/processed myself.
- halfjoking 6y ago
  This is why I never eat at restaurants and cook 100% of my meals since the pandemic started. WFH has finally given me the ability to eat healthy. All meat I buy is pasture-raised corn/soy free (animals never fed it), shipped frozen since you can’t buy that in stores. I’ve followed a “low-lectin” diet for a couple years but it was pretty impossible to not cheat pre-pandemic. Now my main starches are cassava flour and sweet potatoes. Fuck corn/soy.
  - xxpor 6y ago
    I guarantee the animals were fed vitamins that were derived from corn.

ahelwer 6y ago

Emphasizing tofu would also decrease soybean demand, despite being made of soybeans. For those who find tofu unappetizing - look up dry-fried tofu. Tofu doesn't have to be consumed as a tasteless spongy cube!

harikb 6y ago
> tofu would also decrease soybean demand any pointers on why?
- astura 6y ago
  The vast majority of soy produced in the world is used for animal feed (~80%, IIRC). Eating the soy directly requires less soy overall than continuously feeding it to animals and eventually eating the animals.

xxpor 6y ago

Soybeans aren't a product, they're a platform. They're a almost completely fungible source of protein. Corn is the same thing for carbs. They're in everything. It's likely been years since you had a meal without any corn or soybean derived ingredients.

alacombe 6y ago
> They're in everything. It's likely been years since you had a meal without any corn or soybean derived ingredients. Not here, just had some lamb legs from an animal I raised/shot/processed myself.
halfjoking 6y ago
This is why I never eat at restaurants and cook 100% of my meals since the pandemic started. WFH has finally given me the ability to eat healthy. All meat I buy is pasture-raised corn/soy free (animals never fed it), shipped frozen since you can’t buy that in stores. I’ve followed a “low-lectin” diet for a couple years but it was pretty impossible to not cheat pre-pandemic. Now my main starches are cassava flour and sweet potatoes. Fuck corn/soy.
- xxpor 6y ago
  I guarantee the animals were fed vitamins that were derived from corn.