Image credit to Mike Keefe of the Denver Post, 2008
Hello again everyone!
I think a good place to begin looking at the true cost of our food is to consider the impact of subsidies based on the U.S. Farm Bill.
Even though that conventional pear has a price tag that tells you it costs 20 cents less than the organic pear right next to it, that is not really the case.
The money you might think you’re saving by purchasing non-organic food has actually already been spent by you on subsidies for large-scale, industrial agriculture when you pay taxes.
As author David Becker points out, “Conventional farmers receive subsidies in the Farm Bill: more than $3 billion per year for corn and wheat alone… One calculation estimated the national all-in subsidy for industrially grown agriculture at $80 billion per year. That’s $725 per American household.” In other words, American families are already spending hundreds of dollars every year to fund the crops that form the base of unhealthy, processed foods.
Of course, you will still have to pay those taxes even if you are buying organic instead of conventionally-produced food – pretty discouraging!
But that’s why it’s so important we fight to change the agricultural subsidy policy and level the playing field… And now is a great time to fight, because the U.S. Farm Bill is soon due to be revised.
This bill is the most influential legislation shaping our country’s food system, including not only agricultural subsidies, but also issues such as food stamps and conservation. Legally, it must be renewed every 5 years, and the current bill will expire in 2012 – now just months away.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Farm Bill, check out this clip of Ken Cook (president of the Environmental Working Group) delivering his presentation “Turning the Farm Bill into the Food Bill”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6T37m4r3yo&p=CE159C603C7ED781
If you want to voice your opinion about the upcoming bill, click this link to “tell your representative that you want a fair, equitable food system that begins to help the country heal its dietary and environmental woes”: http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1913&utm_source=2011q1update&utm_medium=email&utm_content=third-link&utm_campaign=fund
Some further reading:
David Becker’s complete article: http://friendofthefarmer.com/2010/03/rich-people-need-organic-food-to-survive-right/
Dan Imhoff explains the 2007 Farm Bill and why it matters to everyone: http://www.ecoliteracy.org/essays/food-fight-2007-farm-bill
Mark Bittman’s ideas about how to improve the Farm Bill: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/dont-end-agricultural-subsidies-fix-them/?ref=farmbillus
