US government policy keeps healthy food expensive ?!

[funchy]

One of the concerns I hear people say about eating healthier is the cost. It costs so much more to buy fresh, whole foods compared to say the Taco Bell drive-through.

In the US, the price we pay for food at the grocery store is not the actual price of the food item. The US government heavily subsidizes certain food industries while totally ignoring others.

Check out the USDA food pyramid vs the US subsidies on their favored industries:

"The Farm Bill, a massive piece of federal legislation making its way through Congress, governs what children are fed in schools and what food assistance programs can distribute to recipients. The bill provides billions of dollars in subsidies, much of which goes to huge agribusinesses producing feed crops, such as corn and soy, which are then fed to animals. By funding these crops, the government supports the production of meat and dairy products—the same products that contribute to our growing rates of obesity and chronic disease. Fruit and vegetable farmers, on the other hand, receive less than 1 percent of government subsidies.

The government also purchases surplus foods like cheese, milk, pork, and beef for distribution to food assistance programs—including school lunches. The government is not required to purchase nutritious foods. " (source)

So our tax dollars aren't even feeding people -- they're being used to feed animals instead? At a time when some kids go to bed hungry? How can we afford to buy sacks of animal feed when 12% of American families right now are below the poverty line?

MSNBC follows up with a story on the unbalanced farm spending:

"Link farm policies to nutrition goals:
As those foods, commonly called “junk food” in the United States, become progressively cheaper, the prices of fruit and vegetables rise...." (source )

And can someone tell me why in the world we're subsidizing the tobacco growers? Am I reading this right -- $1.5 BILLION?


I am posting this in hopes to raise awareness. Our government claims our system is free-market, yet they're quietly giving out favors to their buddies in certain industries.... while American citizens go hungry.

[Writertype]

You make an excellent point here. As taxpayers you and I should wonder why we are paying people tax money to grow (or not to grow) certain foods. "Free market" should be more than just political rhetoric!

[sk8joyful]

Originally Posted by funchy

One of the concerns I hear people say about eating healthier is the cost.

The US government heavily subsidizes certain food (meat, dairy) industries, while totally ignoring others.

So our tax dollars aren't even feeding people -- they're being used to feed animals instead?
When some kids go to bed hungry, How can we afford to buy sacks of animal feed
when 12% of American families right now are below the poverty line?
Quote:
"Link farm policies to nutrition goals:
As those foods, commonly called “junk food” in the United States, become progressively cheaper, the prices of fruit and vegetables rise...." (source )
Fruit and vegetable farmers, on the other hand, receive less than 1 percent of government subsidies.

And we're subsidizing the tobacco growers? -- $1.5 BILLION?

I am posting this in hopes to raise awareness. Our government claims our system is free-market, yet they're quietly giving out favors to their buddies in certain industries.... while American citizens go hungry.

Thank you for making people more aware.

These, and many more reasons, is why some people have pooled their financial resources, and developed "Intentional communities", wherein they grow more of their own foods, plus sharing additional resources...

It only seems more difficult now, but there are individual families, still buying their own little plot of ground &
growing their own nutritional foods; yes, even in these times this can & is being done.
.