In 2006, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. was called out for purchasing tomatoes from Florida workers who were underpaid and poorly treated.
Three years later, Chipotle finally agreed to pay the supplier an extra one cent per pound of tomatoes, which was a 64 percent increase.
Chipotle has gained recognition for using only meats that are antibiotic-free and for buying from farms that treat their animals humanely. The company's motto is "Food with Integrity," but they don't always live up to that.
Not that Chipotle is the first or last food chain to take heat for serving food that has less-than-honest roots.
What that means is that, as consumers, we need to be careful about where and what we eat.
It has become popular and appropriate to question restaurants and companies and it is important to our health and to the welfare of laborers worldwide.
Know where your food is coming from. Do you buy locally grown food in order to support farmers in your area? Do you know if your favorite restaurants purchase antibiotic- and hormone-free meats from humane farms?
The United States Department of Agriculture created the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative in order to connect consumers with local farmers.
According to the initiative's mission statement, "Today, there is too much distance between the average American and their farmer and we are marshalling resources from across USDA to help create the link between local production and local consumption."
Otterbein has been catching on to the growing public demand for more knowledge. Bon Appétit has been making an effort to reach out to the campus and educate students on the food we are eating.
Last week, Bon Appétit held an event called "The Story Behind the Food," in which students were taught about issues in the food industry which affect the food on campus.
Apart from attending presentations like these, you can educate yourself by researching companies and restaurants online to see the conditions under which their food is produced and how workers are treated.
The truth can be unsettling, but, it's a truth worth knowing. You owe it to yourself and to workers worldwide to know your food. t&c;
Leah Driscoll is a sophomore journalism major and is a staff writer for the t&c.;
