Green Revolution

In the 1940s, the Green Revolution was introduced to the world. The Green Revolution consisted of new methods of harvesting crops, fertilizers and pesticides were introduced, and companies were able to mass produce crops. This revolution started when the Rockefeller Foundation launched a research project to hope to improve the agriculture in Mexico#. New technological advances helped the revolution spread on account of the fact that a new, more effective and productive way to harvest crops was invented.

Thesis: Even though the Green Revolution helps companies mass produce crops so consumers can purchase them at a low cost, the overall price at the end is much too costly because of the environment and economic deterioration.

Companies of several sizes started to sprout throughout the United States.

The companies that became successful were the ones that were able to purchase fertilizers and pesticides for their crops. Fertilizers are mixed into the lands and the soil would be rich with nutrients and minerals so crops can be grown better. Pesticides were invented because insects and bacteria were ruining the crops. With pesticides, insects were killed when they stepped into the crop radius and protected the crops from bacteria that might eat away at them.

New methods of harvesting crops came about as well. Machinery and technology replaced the traditional oxen and plow method. Now tractors and even computer controlled machines would run through the fields and would harvest the crops 4 times as fast as the oxen and the plow. Then factories are able to package these crops and export them and a huge profit was made. It is because of the mass production that led to the prices of these crops to drop. The decrease in price was great news to consumers because now, instead of paying money to buy crops from small farmers, they can pay less and buy them from bigger companies. On one side of the equation, this is a plus. However, on the other side, where the small business owners and the local farms that cannot compete with the bigger companies and luxury producers are, suffered.

Our economy can be compared to dominos. Once the bigger companies who are now successful and have gained most of the consumers’ attentions, what else is left for the small business owners? Local farms and business owners are now out of business because they are not able to stay in this agricultural race.