The Real Cost of ‘Cheap’ Food
By Amy Almsteier
Recently I’ve taken notice to a real shift in America’s attitudes about food. Films such as Food, Inc., King Corn, and Forks Over Knives are getting the message out there – what we put on our plates has serious implications for the health of our bodies and our planet. And when I say health I’m not just talking weight and body mass. Eating well can prevent, and in some instances even reverse some of our most feared killers such as Type II diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Changing the way we produce food can be the solution to climate change by maximizing water efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and limiting pollution.
Over the past 60 years or so we’ve been told the goal of the U.S. government and Big Ag has been to boost our food supply to meet the demands of a growing population all while making our food cheaper. What most of us are starting to realize is that the cost of this “cheap” food is actually pretty steep. Yes for the short term you don’t go hungry, but in the long run you may suffer chronic illness and spend all your extra money on medical bills. In the most extreme instances it can cost you your life. The price our lovely Earth pays is equally steep. Our soil, fresh water, oceans, and other delicate eco-systems are suffering the consequences of the chemicals and GMOs necessary to make our food so cheap.
Currently, over 70% of arable land in the US is planted with subsidized crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. This means that farmers are incentivized to over-produce calorically-dense, low-priced, GMO and pesticide-ridden foods. Without government subsidies most of these farmers would actually be losing money on their crops. As a result of the over-production of corn our food system has begun using it to quickly fatten livestock who aren’t naturally meant to eat corn. Cattle on feedlots eating corn would naturally die of acidosis in a matter if months if they weren’t already destined for slaughter. It seems intuitively obvious to me that a sick, dying cow can’t be good for the human who is eating it? Additionally concentrating so many livestock in one place creates an unimaginable amount of pollution. Food companies have also used this abundance of corn to invent high-fructose corn syrup and proceeded to pump it into everything from bread to salad dressing. As a result over one-third of Americans are obese, and our rates of disease are through the roof. Today’s generation of children are the first whose outlook is to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Furthermore, the state of Iowa alone produces enough corn to feed the entire United States yet we still have children who go to bed hungry. So what’s really going on? Somewhere along the line we have a disconnect between the supposed benevolent goal to “feed the world” and actually implementing that strategy because it just isn’t happening. As a mother, I find all of this unacceptable and appalling. I think it’s pretty safe to say that the government and Big Ag are putting profits far above any altruistic mission to “feed the world”. 
So while we could sit around and complain about it that isn’t going to make us slimmer or healthier, and it’s certainly not going to save the planet. The only thing we can do to solve the problem is band together as voters and consumers, because without our votes and money these people and companies wouldn’t be around in the first place. First we must want and demand a better product. A CAFO farmer in King Corn says “If people wanted grass-fed beef, we’d give them grass-fed beef”. We must educate ourselves on how to eat better and then actually do it. The next portion of this is going to be the hardest part to swallow – it’s probably going to cost us a little bit more expendable income. I am entirely aware there are people who absolutely cannot afford to spend more money on food, and that is where the government subsidies should come in. If they can pay farmers to subsidize the cost of the unnecessary additive high-fructose corn syrup they can certainly help low-income families buy a free-range chicken and a head of broccoli. For the rest of us, it comes down to priorities. Cable television, designer purses and gas guzzling SUV’s are luxuries. Good food and health is a necessity, if not for ourselves then let’s do it for the sake of our children that we love so dearly.
We must eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently less than 3% of US farmland is planted in fruits and vegetables and less than 10% of USDA funding goes to research on these miraculous plants. The indoor agriculture solutions being pursued by Terra Tech can help solve this problem. Nutrient dense produce can be grown indoors anywhere, even in the midst of large urban centers. Local and indoor plant-agriculture can maximize water efficiency and reduce harmful environmental pollutants. Seeking out and supporting businesses such as New Jersey Based Edible Farms who provide sustainable and locally grown produce is another great way to make a change. As consumers all the power is in our hands. So where do you plan to spend your food dollars?
