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Agriculture subsidies. Farming in the US hasn't been a fundamentally profitable business for decades but the government provides a massive welfare program to en
by meritt 8y ago
Agriculture subsidies. Farming in the US hasn't been a fundamentally profitable business for decades but the government provides a massive welfare program to ensure the survival of farmers, maintain a stable food supply, and keeping prices low for consumers.
- dbcurtis 8y agoYes and no. Some some farming is naturally profitable. But much is subsidized.
- jetrink 8y ago> ensure the survival of farmers, maintain a stable food supply, and keeping prices low for consumers Also, farmers are a powerful special interest group. I know a dairy farmer who was invited to meet with a state governor one on one. The farmer flew to the meeting on his family's private jet.
- chiefalchemist 8y agoAs a side note, a few years ago (~10 to 15 yrs) there was an article / op-ed in the NYT Sunday Magazine. In it the author's "theory" was the growing obesity crisis was due to farm subsidies. In short, cheap corn means cheap high fructose corn syrup. Hard to argue against that logic. Cheap food is great for votes. Unfortunately, it also seem to often have ill health consequences.
- travisoneill1 8y agoI'll take it over the health consequences of a food shortage any day.
- chiefalchemist 8y agoEasy to say until the health consequences become so massive they suck up so much money you're going to bed hungry. And that __is__ in fact happening. I hear ya. But that does not diminish the consequences and real cost of subsidized foods. Fact: Worldwide, more people die from the effects of too much food than not enough.