Farm Subsidies And Health: A Connection

I never made the connection between The Farm Bill and the health of our Nation. This is eye-opening.

The, as they say, Money Quote:

"It only takes a stroll down the supermarket aisles to understand how Farm Bill dollars flow into the country’s food chain. A dollar buys hundreds of more calories in the snack food, cereal, or soda aisles than it does in the produce section. Why? Because the Farm Bill favors the mega-production of corn (resulting in cheap high-fructose corn syrup) and soybeans rather than regional supplies of fresh carrots, healthy fruits, and nuts. Unfortunately, eating a diet high in calories doesn't necessarily ensure that one is well-fed — even if that food is cheap.

While the USDA's food pyramid emphasizes the nutritional advantages of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, Farm Bill funding for diversified row crop and orchard farming remains relatively disconnected from the balanced, healthy diet that professional nutritionists endorse. Meanwhile, most consumer food dollars spent in farm country end up leaving the region because our agricultural areas have effectively become 'food deserts.'"
The rest

via Slog