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z2007-05-02- Pollan Farm Bill
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Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
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last edited
by BillSeitz
on
Jul 1, 2008 11:39 pm |
Michael Pollan on the Farm Bill. Like most processed foods, the Twinkie (ObesIty) is basically a clever arrangement of carbohydrates and fats teased out of corn, soybeans and wheat - three of the five commodity crops that the farm bill supports, to the tune of some $25 billion a year. (Rice and cotton are the others.).. The current farm bill helps commodity farmers by cutting them a check based on how many bushels they can grow... By making it possible for American farmers to sell their crops abroad for considerably less than it costs to grow them, the farm bill helps determine the price of corn in [MexIco] and the price of cotton in Nigeria and therefore whether farmers in those places will survive or be forced off the land, to migrate to the cities (Rural Development) - or to the United States (Immigrat Ion)... Today the problem is overnutrition, but a school lunch lady (Educating Kids) trying to prepare healthful fresh food is apt to get dinged by USDA inspectors for failing to serve enough calories; if she dishes up a lunch that includes chicken nuggets and Tater Tots, however, the inspector smiles and the reimbursements flow.
Bill Seitz, fluxent at gmail dot com, Weblog