Impacts of a Borderless Society
Kristi Burchfield
SC 300-05 Big Ideas in Science: From Methods to Mutation
August 16, 2011

Breakfast
Toast- Horsham-Pennsylvania
Scrambled Eggs-Omaha Nebraska
Sausage- Kosciusko Mississippi
Lunch
Bread- Horsham-Pennsylvania
Boars Head Turkey- Sarasota Florida
Boars Head Swiss Cheese- Sarasota Florida
Duke’s Mayonnaise – Richmond Virginia
Tomatoes- Kingsville Ontario
Carrots- Lakeland Florida
Lays Wavy Potato Chips- Plano Texas All of the products that were eaten during both meals were purchased from Publix Supermarket, a Florida based supermarket except for the sausage. The sausage was purchased from my Uncle’s custom meat locker in Kosciusko, Mississippi. He gets the hogs he processes into sausage from local people who raise hogs. When buying food in the grocery store, we don’t tend to think that the store is actually the middle step of getting the food to the table. We plan a meal without considering where the food originates. It is possible that the food we are eating is grown within the US or even outside its borders. An advantage of buying products that are grown in our borders helps to stimulate the national economy. After some research into what steps there are in the food chain, the most common example seen was that of milk. Milk is collected from a cow on the farm and transported for the pasteurization process. The pasteurization usually occurs in a specific geographical location due to milk having a short shelf life. The shelf life for milk is usually 2 weeks. (Milk Processing, 2007) It’s tested for antibiotics and then pumped into holding tanks where it will be processed within 72 hours of arrival. It is kept below 45 degrees through the transportation and processing time. Once processed it is placed in cartons or plastic containers and loaded on a refrigerated truck. It never travels far due to the refrigerated requirement. Global marketing is the process of conceptualizing and conveying a final product or service worldwide in hopes of reaching the international marketing community. Different strategies are implemented based on the region being marketed to. Global marketing is an important concept for companies that provide products and services that have a universal demand such as food or automobiles. (Global Marketing, 2011) The biggest advantage of global marketing is the profit. In addition, going global increases the sales potential which in turn will increase business growth and presence in the market. (Global Marketing Advantages, 2009). There are still other advantages such as lower marketing cost, brand image consistency, quick and efficient use of ideas and uniformity of marketing practices. (Advantages and Disadvantages of Global Marketing, 2011) Marketing cost are lower while the lump sum cost are higher you don’t have to market the product differently in every country it is selling. Global Marketing allows there to be a consistency in every region where the product is marketed. Ideas can be molded into a strategy and marketed on a global scale. Being global allows a company to keep a degree of uniformity throughout the world. (Advantages and Disadvantages of Global Marketing, 2011) All of these advantages described would have long term benefits for the company. The benefit for the market itself would be lower prices for the products and services along with a bigger array of products and services offered. As in every situation, there are also negative impacts of global markets as well. One disadvantage would be outside the borders of the US, developing countries may develop crops that lead to forward thinking technology. For example, sugar in Brazil, in response to the demand for ethanol resulting in a limited variety of crops. (Dean, 2007) Another negative impact would be the way food is preserved to be transported long distances. Some ways food is preserved is by using waxes, gasses and chemicals such as fungicides and inhibitors. These chemicals help the fruits and vegetables ripen slower to make it to the supermarket and table. Having to be picked so early in the growth process and using chemicals also introduces substances into the body that promote obesity. While the foods start out being healthy for us they turn out to be the opposite of what needs to be in our diet. Fruits and vegetable tend to gain more nutritional value the longer they stay on the vine to ripen naturally. Once things are picked the added value ceases and the products are refrigerated to stop the ripening process. The vitamin content is lost by not only the cooler temperature but also by being placed under fluorescent lighting at the supermarket. (Dean, 2007) Shopping locally for more of the produce we consume has many benefits. We would be receiving a higher nutritional value because there would be no reason to pick earlier and stop the ripening process. It would also stimulate local economy. Buying from a farmer locally, the amount that goes back into the economy would double. (Dean, 2007) An example of the difference between a corporate farm and a local farm is, on a corporate farm, after harvesting, processing, packaging and shipping there is less profit gained by producing the product. As a result, the corporate farmer must produce a bigger quantity of a crop to make a living or just to break even. (Dean, 2007) In contrast, a small farm owner can make more with a small crop or several smaller crops. The small farm sells his products at a slightly higher price at the market and takes the profit and puts it back into his farm. His spending on the necessities or on his farm is good for the economy. (Pretty, 2001) The phrase think globally, act locally means when doing something locally that affects the environment think about the effects of the impact your effort would have globally. The phrase was once used by environmentalists to describe conserving the earth’s natural resources at the local level. More recently Americans born between 1982 and 2003 termed as the Millennial Generation are changing the meaning of the phrase as they pursue the goal one local community at a time. (Wingrad, 2008) After learning more about global markets, I don’t think it will change the way I choose goods. Even though I knew goods did not just magically show up at the store, I only knew a portion of the process involved to get it to the final destination of your table or for consumption. I have always liked the idea of either buying locally or at least in America. I think too many products are made overseas. I understand that most things relocate overseas because of the economic savings to the business but I just think with the economy and the job market the way it is, many people need jobs in the US. The other reason I like buying locally not only is there benefit for the business owner, the consumer knows where the food comes from and what is added in processing. The best example is the sausage I listed. I am from Kosciusko, MS and because my uncle owns a custom meat facility, I get to see what happens from the beginning process of raising the pig to wrapping the meat to sell. No chemicals or additives are injected and there is no need for preservatives because people buy it as fast as he makes it. The only meat we buy in the grocery store is chicken. I travel back home twice a year to stock my freezer. So I have firsthand experience about getting my food locally.

Bibliography
Milk Processing. (2007, Janurary 1). Retrieved August 15, 2011, from Cornell University: http://www.milkfacts.info/Milk%20Processing/Milk%20Processing%20Page.htm
Global Marketing Advantages. (2009). Retrieved August 15, 2011, from Marketing Everywhere: http://www.marketing-everywhere.com/global-marketing-advantages.html
Advantages and Disadvantages of Global Marketing. (2011). Retrieved August 15, 2011, from Buzzle.com: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-globalization.html
Global Marketing. (2011). Retrieved August 15, 2011, from Business Dictionary: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/global-marketing.html
Dean, A. (2007, October 25). Local Produce vs. Global Trade. Retrieved August 15, 2011, from Policy Innovations fora Fairer Globalization: http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/briefings/data/local_global
Pretty, J. (2001, November). Some Benefits and Drawbacks of Local Food Systems. Retrieved August 15, 2011, from sustainweb.prg: http://www.sustainweb.org/pdf/afn_m1_p2.pdf
Wingrad, M. &. (2008). Millennials Think Globally, Act Locally . Retrieved August 15, 2011, from New Geography: http://www.newgeography.com/content/00938-millennials-think-globally-act-locally