I am against subsidies, but do not see your point here....
The price of a bushel of U.S. grown corn is about a dollar below the cost of producing it. This is kind of a long story that goes back to the inflation and high food prices of the 70s. Earl Butz wanted to reduce food costs so he urged farmers to "plant fence row to fence row", Consolidate (mono culture) and get big or get out" He dismantled the New Deal system but gave farmers direct payments that subsidized any potential losses from over production. So, over production has been the story ever since with policies designed to find uses for all the excess corn.
Lets see the links, I am truly interested in your position, though I need verification....
Corporate Farms Get Massive Water Subsidies in California
The Water Kings of California
By DAN BACHER
A small group of wealthy farmers receive the vast majority of water and
subsidies from the federal Central Valley Project, concludes a
groundbreaking report issued on December 15 by the Environmental Working
Group (EWG).
The study was issued as Indian tribes, anglers, commercial fishermen and
environmental groups are challenging the negotiation of long term contracts
between the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and CVP growers because of their
disastrous impacts upon salmon and other fish populations.
I love to BBQ you see, and I love to buy small and local, but I fail to see how this "small and local" could work for people not of means.
I think it is true that it is much more expensive to eat healthfully. But the cost of the way things are done, now, is high- Obesity, diabetes, cancer, fish die offs, top soil loss etc
I don't go to walmart. But I see why the demand is there. you are speaking in generics, I needa da linkas....
I don't know that I can provide links, online. Much of my information comes from reading Michael Pollan's books as well as Jared Diamond ("Collapse"). The movie, "FoodInc." is based on Pollan's research, so I hear...I have not seen it yet but you can watch an excellent trailer here:
Official Food, Inc. Movie Site - Hungry For Change?
I am a libertarian conservative, who is sympathetic to your position. I am open to facts and discussion.... lets keep it that way. The Good Reverend has Gameness either way. :thumbs:
O.K. you should be sympathetic! U.S. farm policy is distorted by subsidies producing perverse incentives. Small farms, buying local, supporting communities...they are conservative notions!
Now, I admit the notion of "organics" smacks of elitism, especially because many organic farms have become factory farms who expend plenty of petrol sending the produce all over the country. The benefits in some cases are questionable.
As far as I am concerned there are three main issues:
Personal health- the jury is still out on how helpful 'organics' may be.
Farm policy- that is encouraging U.S. citizens to become fat and unhealthy on cheap, corn based calories AND placing foreign small farmers at a terrible disadvantage
The future of agriculture- what will happen when oil prices rise, (probably abruptly) the cheap grains are no longer cheap and fertile land is scarce. On this point, it is very interesting to read about Cuba's agricultural revolution after the Russians abruptly ceased to send them oil.
The Cuba diet: What will you be eating when the revolution comes?, By Bill McKibben (Harper's Magazine)