Between 2008 and 2010, the US Farm Bill gave nearly 8x more financial subsidies to genetically engineered corn and soy (most of which is for livestock feed and high fructose corn syrup) than to support fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been on the decline in the US, while medical costs associated with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes continue to rise.
With more than $500 billion at stake over the next 5 years, the Farm Bill has immense and far-reaching impacts on crop subsidies, conservation policies, fresh food programs, and SNAP (food stamps).
Time to act is running out. Under the draft House version, federal crop insurance subsidies would drastically increase to an unprecedented average of $10 billion/year — with no subsidy caps, no income limits, and not even minimal conservation requirements.
-Ocean Robbins
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