Pay now, or pay (more) later
There was a great article in the New York Times a week and a half ago from Michael Pollan: Farmer in Chief.
It’s an open letter to the next President with some specific food policy recommendations.
I’s a long article, but a very good read. Highly recommended.
Food is cheap in America – relatively speaking. Well actually, it’s not so much that food is cheap as it is that we don’t pay very much for as a percentage of our income compared to other countries, i.e., we buy CHEAP food.
I’m reminded of a TV commercial from the past. The commercial was for an oil filter (as I recall). The slogan: “Pay me now or pay me later”. Essentially, take care of your car by performing regular maintenance (spend a little now), or realize significant consequences (spend a lot later).
A few of the now and later figures:
This from the US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. Food Expenditures by Families and Individuals as a Share of Disposable Personal Income:
1960 – 17.5%
1970 – 13.9%
1980 – 13.2%
1990 – 11.1%
2000 – 9.9%
2007 – 9.8%
Spending on health care as a percent of national income from 1960 to today: 5% -> 16%
Environmental consequences: About 19% of fossil fuels are consumed by the food system. As much as 37% of greenhouse gases are attributable to food and animal farming. In 1940 – pre modern agriculture – each calorie of fossil fuel energy produced 2.3 calories of food energy. Currently it takes 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of food energy.
There’s a plethora of information and studies out there that show how modern agriculture methods lead to more environmental impact.
There’s also a mounting information and studies out there that show eating cheap high-calorie, low-nutrition food significantly contributes to “lifestyle”, chronic disease.
Will you spend a little more time/money now… or a lot more later?
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