Comments on: Marion Nestle: How the Food Industry Hijacked Nutrition

By: Anita Stuever

Anita Stuever — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:48:14 +0000

The subsidies to corn and soybean producers are actually price supports to keep farmers from going out of business. Unless a farmer starts their own processing plant and marketing business (vertical integration), they can't set the price they receive. They have to take whatever is offered for their crop. The price supports kick in only when the market price of corn or soybeans is below a certain price per bushel. When prices are really low, farmers get the price support on top of the small price they got (which is below the cost of production) and they have a chance at staying in business for another year. So to stop the price support system would lower the cost of food, not raise it as the professor claims. Many farmers would go out of business and the profitable ones would remain. The profitable farms are generally the bigger farms. In order for them to remain profitable, they'd probably buy the land of those who went out of business. People talk about farm "subsidies" as if they are free money from the government, or farmers being paid not to produce. Not true. They are either - price supports for times when prices are really low (usually when there's a short crop because of flooding or some other natural disaster farmers can't control) or - payments to help them participate in environmental programs, for example, to put their land into conservation use (which still requires them to put money into caring for the land in its conservation use) As Stephanie said, consumers need to demand higher quality foods. The problem is, an enormous number of people demand fast foods every day, every time they go to a fast-food restaurant or drive through. I demand lots of fresh fruits and veggies by buying them every time I go to the grocery store. I see lots of people there with carts full of unhealthful foods, and no milk, fruit or vegetables. That's what they're demanding, so that's what the food companies are making. I am not a farmer and I don't work for any food company. I'm an educator with degrees in agriculture who makes sure I get the facts before I start talking about an issue.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:33:58 +0000

A fast approach would be to drop the corn and soy government payout and instead spend that money on school lunch. But to get the money the school have to remove pop from the school property.
Or if you prefer the stick approach, add a sin tax (like on smoking/drinking) to some of the worst additives (corn syrup, fake sugars, MSG) and let watch how fast fast/processed food changes.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:41:48 +0000

Very important, well-written and thought-provoking article. But it's not just the availability of food nowadays (food always was pretty available), it's the formulations of processed food. In the old days, processed food, fast food and sodas were made with real fats and real sugars - and in lesser quantities. Today, they're full of trans fats and fake sugars in huge quantities. It's hard to buy ketchup today without high fructose corn syrup in it! That's why Michelle Obama started her Let's Move campaign with the Grocery Manufacturers. Going back to food that actually molds and rots is a good start. Cutting the sugar out of food that doesn't need it is a great next step. Recognizing that not everyone has a garden or can cook every day is crucial. We must demand higher quality "fast foods" and processed foods.