Yesterday, Barack Obama made another addition to his cabinet, adding Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture. Vilsack is the former governor of Iowa, a state famous for its agriculture. So, a good fit, right?
Wrong. Perhaps the greatest policy blunder in the history of the United States has been massive producer-side (government support that goes directly to the producer of a good or service) subsidies to corn farmers. The result has been a breathtaking shift in America's food chain. Just about everything we eat, with the exception of fresh vegetables, is based in corn. Nearly all processed foods are made with high fructose corn syrup. Nearly all dairy products come from corn-fed cows. Nearly all beef and pork comes from animals fed corn. Nutritionists across the globe agree that a diet based in corn, especially high-fructose corn syrup, is a leading contributor to obesity.
Furthermore, the latest policy fad of producing ethanol from corn is disastrous. It's led to an increase in food prices, over-use of arable land, a shift away from traditional crops toward a corn-based monoculture, and a huge use of water and energy to produce fuel. Bad, bad, bad, and worse.
Rather than moving in the direction of more corn, Obama should be moving away from corn. Vilsack will be a good old boy advocating for more subsidies and increased production of corn. Big strikeout on this selection.
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2 comments:
Have you read the Omnivore's Dilemma? SO MUCH CORN.
I haven't, but I have read In Defense of Food and it has a lot of the same points.
I bet my underwear is made of corn. Just thinkin'.
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