In a recent conversation with Texas Slim, the founder of the Beef Initiative, we delved into the pressing issues surrounding our food supply. Slim, a seasoned rancher from the Texas Panhandle, shared his insights on the industrial agricultural complex, the importance of regenerative farming, and the alarming trends in our food consumption.
The Industrial Agricultural Complex
Slim highlighted the significant shift in our food supply chain, from community-based production to a global industrial food system. He noted, “Our food used to come from our communities in the United States of America.” However, the consolidation and centralization of mass corporations have drastically changed this landscape.
“There’s a global industrial food shift that’s happening. If you look at the macro level of the world, of the, of, of supply chain lines, of, uh, the consolidations and centralization of uh, mass corporations that do supply us food, supply us the seed of that food, things are changing.” – Texas Slim
Slim also raised concerns about the increasing number of chemicals in our food supply. He pointed out that the FDA approved over 2,000 new chemicals for use in our food supply in 2022 alone. These chemicals, often unpronounceable and unknown to consumers, have long-term effects on our health.
“We’re consuming things that we don’t know what we’re consuming. And a lot of times, these chemicals [00:12:00] that we are consuming, you know, they have a, have an after effect that you don’t see for maybe a decade.” – Texas Slim
In response to these challenges, Slim founded the Beef Initiative, a platform that connects consumers directly with ranchers. The initiative aims to bypass the corporate middleman and provide high-quality beef from ranch to door.
“The biggest bottleneck of them not being able to do that in the, in the recent past is that bottleneck of the processing center. So, whenever we control the processing center, we control the market access. That is what the biggest thing that we offer within the Beef Initiative.” – Texas Slim
Slim’s message is a call to action for individuals to take control of their food consumption. He emphasizes the need for a new form of food intelligence and a shift from competition to collaboration.
“It’s time to wake up. It’s time to say okay I the parent I, the individual that wants to live happy and free and wants to have good health, [00:42:00] I need to probably take a step back and develop a new protocol, and I need to educate myself. There’s a new form of food intelligence that needs to come.” – Texas Slim
In conclusion, Texas Slim’s insights provide a sobering look at the current state of our food supply and the urgent need for change. His work with the Beef Initiative offers a promising alternative, one that prioritizes health, community, and sustainability over profit.
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