U.S. should shift subsidies to nutritious foods

Large, multinational agricultural companies have a stronghold on Congress and America’s food system. As a result, the federal government has created programs that incentivize farmers to grow grains for animal feed to support large factory farms, as opposed to growing fruits and vegetables to feed their neighbors. In fact, in 2019, only 4% of federal farm support dollars went to farmers producing fruits and vegetables, compared to the 21% that went toward animal-feed and animal-derived exports. Given this incentive structure, it’s easy to see why farmers would shy away from fruit and vegetable production, despite this being the healthier and more sustainable option for them and their communities.

But it’s not too late to change this system. The Food, Not Feed Summit, recently hosted in Washington D.C., highlighted the need to shift away from the United States’ existing agricultural incentive programs for farmers, which have had disastrous impacts on farmer livelihoods, animal welfare and communities across the country.

The summit, hosted by a diverse group of farm, health, faith, labor, environment and animal advocates, has made clear to me that the time for change is now, and there are many pathways to a better system.

We need a Farm Bill that will shift government subsidies from feed grains for industrial livestock production toward vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other nutritious food — allowing farmers to profitably grow food for their communities. Congress must also make more financial and technical resources available to farmers transitioning away from industrial agriculture and toward regenerative models. I urge my legislators Joe Neguse, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper to pass a Farm Bill that addresses these concerns and moves us toward a more sustainable, humane and nourishing agricultural system.

— Ashlee Andersen, Boulder