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How do we address the hidden costs of cheap food? Let’s pretend those costs of immigrant slave labor, pollution, obesity, subsidies, etc. were miraculously included in industrial food prices. Who would be helped? It would just prove a point: cheap food is an illusion. Then there are the statistics about Americans spending less on food than anyone else on the planet. And the inverse relationship between health care spending and food budgets. I am hesitant to say we could all stand to spend more on food. So how do we form policy and shape public sentiment to address these factors and incorporate them in daily decisions? Mainstream media coverage will help, but I think easing the transition to normalizing clean food is essential. By easing the transition, I mean temporary subsidies for sustainable agriculture.

Check out this quote from Salatin from Food, Inc.:

Imagine what it would be if as a national policy, the idea would be to have such nutritionally dense food that people actually felt better, had more energy, and weren’t sick as much. Now, see, that’s a noble goal.

I wonder what comprises this national policy he speaks of? It’s much easier to be against programs, such as subsidies and certified organic. What is he for? What can he endorse as a way to work toward this noble goal?

ARGGHHHH!!!! Is this what alternative ag people want for their preferred farmers, to be locked into the Pavlovian groupthink of bureaucrats? That is centralization of power, it will lead to exactly the same type of unintended consequences that is currently plaguing agriculture, and the economy as a whole.

That’s really all I can say, you really should read ETIWTDII. Ya wanna borrow my copy? The wife is heading to OKC tomorrow morning, I know she’d love nothing more than to run an errand and meet a stranger for me.

I’ve got a Food Inc. related post coming up, I’ll probably post it tonight.

I wonder if Salatin would take subsidies if he were eligible. He’s such a charismatic guy; I really admire his spunk and ability to rattle off humorous, lucid descriptive alliteration. I’ve only read Holy Cows, Hog Heaven. I’d like to read more on his take on public policy. Is Everything I Want to Do is Illegal my best bet?

I’m all for increased governmental involvement, especially policy increasing the viability and profitability of people who already value clean food. This would include banning junk food in schools and limiting advertisements of junk to kids a la Big Tobacco, but it would also incentivize sustainable, organic, local, and ethical practices and decentralize power.