Student Sample 1
Audience Description
Jack Avens is my Food from Farm to Table teacher and will be teaching me Food Safety next semester. He is well knowledgeable in food safety and production as his degree is in food science. I learned a majority of my food production knowledge from him. We have a positive relationship outside of class and he would be very open to having a critical discussion with me.
Letter
Dear Jack,
This summer I enrolled in English Composition. In class recently I read “Power
Steer,” an article by Michael Pollen written March 31, 2002 for the New York Times . In this article Pollen discusses the time when he bought a calf and took it through the meat production process, which as you know is birth to death. Pollen expressed interest in this
“educational” experience because he wanted to “find out how a modern, industrial steak is produced in America… from insemination to slaughter”. He also wanted to explore illness associated with the food production process and problems associated with
“Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations”.
According to the Michael Pollen website he is a “Knight Professor” of journalism at the graduate school of journalism at UC Berkeley. Pollen also is the director of the
Knight Program of Journalism for Environmental and Science program. He has written several articles about food production, safety and the food industry for major newspapers and magazines including the New York Times and Harper’s Magazine . He is also the author of several books including The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four
Meals.
I thought that you would be very interested in this article and could provide me with the industry’s perspective, as you are very knowledgeable in the areas of food safety and food production. I also thought that you could find value in this article and might even incorporate it into Food From Farm To Table. Articles like this are the reason why I love our shared field of food safety. I hope that this letter will turn your wheels and peak your interest into further investigation of the consumers’ opinions of food production and food safety.
Pollen’s educational experience starts at The Blair Brothers Ranch’s “cow- calf operation” which is the first stage of beef production and the “stage least changed by modern industrialization of meat”. Pollen says the birth of the calves consist of “a succession of subzero nights spent yanking breeched babies out of their bellowing mothers”. Is this true Jack? He explains that for calf roundup the calves first receive branding, vaccinations and castration. I understand the vaccinations and branding but why do we castrate a calf that, according to you, the industry closely monitors for proper customer satisfaction. Does the castration make a difference in the final product?
Pollen stated that in the “cow-calf operation” stage calves are allowed to graze.
He explained the many wonderful things that naturally occur when calves are allowed to eat grass such as the “high-quality protein” only grazers can produce. He stated that this is positive for the environment, the animal and subsequently for the consumer. Pollen

stated that cows raised on grass take longer to reach a proper slaughter weight which is why the industry gives the cows a mix of local grasses such as “western wheat, little bluestem and green needlegrass” along good mix of growth hormones, corn and protein supplements. As a consumer I am a bit concerned about use of growth hormones as it reminds me of what I consider fake meat like chicken on steroids. I am convinced that the processing industry lives on consumer demand. As you said in class, the consumer wants restaurant quality food at drive through speed and the industry is happy to cater to the demand. Which led me to question if consumer attitude changed from “everyday I want to have access to what I want” to “I want the most naturally processed foods” then would the industry change to cater the new demand? Do you believe that consumer demand has reached a point that could potentially fuel this change? If so how hard and how long would a change like this take?
Pollen described a stage called “backgrounding” as a “prep school for feedlot life” that includes teaching the calves to eat from trough and a gradual change of diet from grass to grain. Pollen expressed something that is very important for the fields of food safety and food production…the need for antibiotics. Pollen explained that antibiotics were needed because of the stress caused from weaning but primarily because the grain disrupts the digestive system of the cows. If grain diets are so “disruptive” to the cows why are we feeding it to them? Pollen hints at the fact that grain diets reduce the production process. If that is the case then wouldn’t a grass feed cow yield a better product? Pollen also made it seem as if the food industry was intentionally causing harm to the cows by feeding them grain and corn, which causes “diarrhea, ulcers, bloating and liver diseases”. I feel this is going back to consumer demand and if the demand weren’t so great than the food industry would not have to rush production. Do you agree?
“Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations” is a step that, no matter how hard I try, to except my action as a consumer I have to say this is the industries issue. Pollen discusses that when he went to the “pen” the cows were standing in a deep pile of manure. Pollen stated a good point that “We don’t know much about the hormones in it- where they will end up or what they might do when they get there”. Pollen brought up that E. Coli 0157 is common in the “guts” of cows among other bacteria that get into our food and get killed by our stomach acids, but some have evolved and can now survive our acids. While this true, I thought in Food From Farm to Table you said that extra steps were being made by the food industry to protect us from these bacteria. Are we digesting harmful bacteria or is this something of the past?
My perspective on “Power Steer” has been from the consumer side. Despite my efforts to stay non-bias and objective, I just can’t stop thinking that if consumers would slow down on demand a lot of these issues that Pollen mentions in the article would cease to exist. I feel that the food industry receives its power from the consumers and if consumers could come together and formulate what they dislike in the industry then the food industry would change those issues over night. Pollen quotes Rich Blair, one of the brothers that he purchased his cow from “ If the consumer said, we don’t want hormones, we’d stop in a second.” Maybe I am naive and being too nice to the industry. Who’s to blame for the issues that our food experiences in life? I would have to say the consumer.
The consumer’s lack of education in the field of food production and the lack of demand for education in the food industry is the main problem in my eyes. The consumers have given food producers a green light letting them run with whatever they need to do to make sure that when the consumer goes into the grocery store everyday the are guaranteed to see their favorite cut of steak. This is the problem in food production

because manufactures cannot be lobbyists when they are trying to be competitive in a market that consumers control. As a consumer I am disgusted by articles like “Power
Steer”, but deep down I am a consumer and am taking the responsibility for my lack of action in food production. Maybe I am off Jack. Maybe it is the food industry’s fault for the conditions those animals experience on the road to becoming our food. I would love for you to read “Power Steer” by Michael Pollen and get back to me. I would enjoy more professional incite into the real issue of our consumer “omnivore dilemma” which is our lack of capability to make food related decisions because the consumption of inconsistent information related to the issue, food. I feel that your opinion and views may be different from mine seeing how my experience with food production came from you and that those opinions will give me greater insight “omnivore dilemma”. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Sylvia Baker
Student Sample 2
Reader Description
Ash is a hunting guide in my home town of Pagosa Springs, CO. He grew up hunting and ranching. He has guided hunts for most of Colorado’s game. Ash has been guiding for over 10 years and has owned his own outfitting business for the last 4 years. It would be interesting to hear if he gets a lot of first time hunters. To hear why his clients hunt and to see if they get disgusted when it is time to dress the animals. I also would like to know if he guides just for the financial benefit or if he gets more out of it.
Letter
Dear Ash,
I just read an article titled “The Modern Hunter-Gatherer” by Michael Pollan. I thought you might be interested in this article because it is about Pollan’s first hunting trip. Pollan tells his hunting story and how he feels about it. I feel that he did not quit know exactly why he was hunting but he wants to experience hunting and be able to cook a meal from everything he has gathered. You should read this because maybe you will have some customers that want to do the same. This would be a great introductory for you so you know where they might be coming from.
Pollan writes for the New York Times and likes to experience first hand what he writes about. You can definitely tell that is it Pollan’s first time hunting because he describes how alert he is. Do you ever have to tell hunters to pay attention? He writes that he has blood stains on his jeans and goes into a store and notices that people are

giving him and his hunting partner a lot of room. Does that happen to you or is that just
California?
Pollan grew up much different from us, he says, “One of the world’s great indoorsmen, my father looked upon hunting as a human activity that stopped making sense with the invention of the steakhouse.” I know that you would do that only if the freezer was empty, but yet Pollan wants to go hunting to prepare a meal he has hunted, gathered and grown himself. Just to see if he can do it. I think everyone should see if they can do that. The night before for the hunt Pollan dreams about it and has high hopes and anxiety. He is not sure if he can actually follow through and pull the trigger when the time comes.
Pollan’s hunting partner is European and hunts hogs because they have a good taste. Pollan wants a hog because they are not native to the area and considered pests. I think that is kind of interesting I don’t know of any hunters that kill an animal for being a pest. It feels like he needs an excuse to hunt and almost feels guilty. He compares hunting to meditation stating that they are similar and liked the feeling. I get the same feeling when I go backpacking. Maybe it’s just something about the great outdoors that gives us these feelings. Pollan is able to find a few pigs after lunch. He gives his shot to Richard, another hunter, because he forgot to chamber a round. Richard kills a pig and they head back to the car. Pollan’s guide Angelo is disappointed in Pollan because he was not ready. Pollan goes home empty handed and feels pathetic. I usually do too when I pass up an opportunity like that. Pollan goes on another hunt with Angelo and this time it is only the two of them. Angelo coaches Pollan a little more this time and is able to get one. Pollan felt relieved to have finally killed his first animal. He writes
“The one emotion I expected to feel but did not, inexplicably, was remorse.” I think that is perfectly normal to feel good when you accomplish a goal. Pollan had his picture taken with his pig. Now the time comes to dress the pig. Pollan finds this to be a bit disgusting and compares the insides of the pig to be similar of that of a person’s organs. I know that most of your clients don’t do this part, is it because it’s part of what they pay for or is it because most can not handle it? While dressing the pig Pollan starts to regret that he killed it. He thinks way too hard on why he is disgusted with the insides of the pig. At home Pollan looks at the picture of him and his pig he is very emotional about it and doesn’t like the fact that he is smiling over the dead pig. He figures out why he is so disgusted with himself is because some people really do take a pleasure in killing animals. I never been on a hunt where hunters kill just for the sake of pleasure, but I do get satisfaction in hunting especially when I am successful. Pollan explains why he was ashamed and now feels better with himself after knowing that he is not wasting the meat.
He cooks up his pig along with other things he has grown and gathered himself. He now knows what it is like to prepare a meal solely on the things he has either hunted or gathered.
I want you to read this article because it might help you gain another perspective on hunting. I also think it might help you with some of your first time hunters. Maybe show you why they might be out there. You could even use it as some sort of advertisement for you somewhere along the lines “for you sensitive hunters.” Let me know what you think after you read this. I want to know how many clients you get that are uneasy and disgusted during the hunt. Also keep a running tally on how many hunters are proud and grin ear to ear like Pollan did in his photograph. You should let me know on how many hunters hunt for the meat, just for the sake of hunting, or for that

hunting high as Pollan describes it. Is there anyone that doesn’t come back for next years hunt because they are ashamed or remorseful that they killed something?
Enjoy,
Eliot