North Carolina State University was founded as an agricultural institution in 1887, something that has remained a cornerstone and a vital academic department for the University; however, since that founding year many things have changed within the world  – this is obvious.

What isn’t obvious is how the things we eat affect our Nation’s health and how the things we eat are affected by the farmers who grow them.

The latter has a direct consequence to N.C. State’s agricultural students because what they learn in school now will either change some of the problems that America faces or continue shaping the food industry and public with what’s already in play.

For example, cases of eating disorders, type 2 diabetes and childhood obesity are ever increasing and seem to point toward something larger that is happening in America, and judging by the results on people’s health, it isn’t good.

Why are these things happening? Why are carrots more expensive than chocolate? Why have their been unprecedented outbreaks of E coli, some with fatalities, from such cases caused by spinach?

This month Technician will feature a weekly series focusing on America’s food industry, exploring topics that may hold answers to these questions.

WEEK 1:

Corn Nation. A look at how corn is in everything, from the golden twinkie to the cheeseburgers ordered at Cook-Out. Corn is also something that is sold below it’s production cost putting other farmers in the world out of a job as they can’t keep up with America’s subsidized corn prices. In total, corn is a crop that should be looked at and scrutinized in its use.

WEEK 2:

Meat, it’s whats for dinner, and lunch and breakfast. This will be on how much meat people consume and how farmers are pushed to make hard decisions in keeping up with demand. This article will also look at how the high demand affects animal life and health.

WEEK 3:

Organics; are they as holy as promoted? Is buying organic better than buying commercially grown foods? When considering what the product is and how far away it came from, the answer may be suprising.

WEEK 4:

Trick or treat? What to do with so many voices and opinions on health. Daily, students are flooded with ideas and points-of-view on how to eat, live and participate in society. How does a student deal with that, and based on previous articles, what can be gleaned?