Comments on: Reduce Agricultural Subsidies to Reduce Waistlines http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/07/reduce-agricultural-subsidies.html Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy Thu, 24 May 2012 16:17:46 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: dempster holland http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/07/reduce-agricultural-subsidies.html/comment-page-1#comment-7625 dempster holland Sun, 08 Aug 2010 15:47:30 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=19597#comment-7625 The purpose of agricultural subsidies is to keep farmers in business. It is the peculiar nature of farming that a farm can be wiped out with several years of bad weather, and it takes time to create a new farm. Since we have to eat in the short run, and do so every day, we have a basic self-interest in keeping the farm sysytem going. Consider the taxes paid to maintain agricultural subsidies as merely part of the cost of buying food: that can of beans costs the retail price at the store plus x cents reflecting the subsidy cost. The purpose of agricultural subsidies is to keep farmers in business. It is the peculiar nature of farming that a farm can be wiped out with several years of bad weather, and it takes time to create a new farm. Since we have to eat in the short run, and do so every day, we have a basic self-interest in keeping the farm sysytem going. Consider the taxes paid to maintain agricultural subsidies as merely part of the cost of buying food: that can of beans costs the retail price at the store plus x cents reflecting the subsidy cost.

]]> By: DaveG http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/07/reduce-agricultural-subsidies.html/comment-page-1#comment-7181 DaveG Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:05:09 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=19597#comment-7181 I think waistlines would definitely be reduced with the elimination of the subsidies. The poor would have a much harder time being able to afford a 2000 calorie/day diet. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/a-high-price-for-healthy-food/ “Not only are the empty calories cheaper, but the healthy foods are becoming more and more expensive. Vegetables and fruits are rapidly becoming luxury goods.” "Still, even those who consume twice as much in junk food calories are still spending far less than healthy eaters." I think waistlines would definitely be reduced with the elimination of the subsidies. The poor would have a much harder time being able to afford a 2000 calorie/day diet.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/a-high-price-for-healthy-food/

“Not only are the empty calories cheaper, but the healthy foods are becoming more and more expensive. Vegetables and fruits are rapidly becoming luxury goods.”

“Still, even those who consume twice as much in junk food calories are still spending far less than healthy eaters.”

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