Eggs.  It’s what’s for breakfast.  Yet, billions of eggs are being recalled for salmonella. Perhaps this is another sign that we should pay closer attention to what we are eating.  Not just what we are eating, but where does this food come from?  We have to ask the question, why are these eggs contaminated? What is the root cause of this problem?

    I guess you could say there are two sides to this problem.  Big powerhouses like Wal-Mart and McDonalds control the supply chains.  They demand the lowest possible price for a product.  The amount of product they are willing to buy causes the suppliers to do anything to win the business, including sacrificing quality.  Consumers are the other side to this problem.

    We have to come to the realization that the cheapest product cannot be the best product nor the healthiest.  This is a difficult realization in cash strapped times. It is ultimately the consumer who decides whether or not our eggs will be contaminated. We can no longer walk into the store and by the cheapest product on the shelf.  We must look at the bigger picture. We must demand more for our money. We must demand a quality product.

    One of the best ways to get a good quality product at a reasonable cost is to buy locally.  When you buy locally, you are cutting down on the transportation costs of the goods.  Go to your local farmers markets, or shop at stores that carry local products.  Meet local farmers and ranchers if they are available.  Go out and see the farm at work.  There are places already that see the need for such products. Yonder Way Farm http://yonderwayfarm.com/ in Brenham, Texas is one such place.  You can tour the farm to see how the animals are raised and they will even deliver their products into the city of Houston. 

    Ultimately, as consumers we have the final say. If we stop buying garbage and asking for better products, we will get them.  It might cost a little more, but isn’t your life worth it? As they say, you are what you eat! Garbage in will produce garbage out! What did you eat today?