THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm Policy
First paragraphs: The historical justification for farm policy and other public policies related to agriculture has been food security. Contrary to current indications, farm policies should serve the common interests of the public rather than the individual interest of farmers. The U.S. Department...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems
2016-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/314 |
| _version_ | 1797715701127970816 |
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| author | John Ikerd |
| author_facet | John Ikerd |
| author_sort | John Ikerd |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | First paragraphs:
The historical justification for farm policy and other public policies related to agriculture has been food security. Contrary to current indications, farm policies should serve the common interests of the public rather than the individual interest of farmers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food security as "access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life" (USDA-ERS, 2014, para. 1). Unfortunately, the emphasis of both farm and food policy in the U.S. has been to providing enough "calories" to support active lifestyles, while placing little emphasis on health. USDA nutrition programs focus on education, clearly placing the responsibility for healthy diets on informed consumers rather than caring politicians.
Early U.S. farm policies emphasized keeping enough socially responsible family farmers on the land to produce enough healthful food to meet the basic needs of all. However, the priorities of farm policies shifted during the 1960s and '70s to focus on increasing agricultural productivity. Lower agricultural production costs were expected to result in lower retail food prices, making enough healthful food affordable for everyone. The farm policies of choice consistently promoted the industrialization of agriculture: specialization, standardization, and consolidation into fewer, larger farming operations. The message sent to farmers by this "cheap food policy" was to either "get big or get out."... |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:10:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-352b75b833a342deabb959e64b8d6ee4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2152-0801 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T08:10:34Z |
| publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
| publisher | Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-352b75b833a342deabb959e64b8d6ee42023-09-02T19:07:38ZengLyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food SystemsJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development2152-08012016-10-015210.5304/jafscd.2015.052.004314THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm PolicyJohn Ikerd0University of Missouri, ColumbiaFirst paragraphs: The historical justification for farm policy and other public policies related to agriculture has been food security. Contrary to current indications, farm policies should serve the common interests of the public rather than the individual interest of farmers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food security as "access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life" (USDA-ERS, 2014, para. 1). Unfortunately, the emphasis of both farm and food policy in the U.S. has been to providing enough "calories" to support active lifestyles, while placing little emphasis on health. USDA nutrition programs focus on education, clearly placing the responsibility for healthy diets on informed consumers rather than caring politicians. Early U.S. farm policies emphasized keeping enough socially responsible family farmers on the land to produce enough healthful food to meet the basic needs of all. However, the priorities of farm policies shifted during the 1960s and '70s to focus on increasing agricultural productivity. Lower agricultural production costs were expected to result in lower retail food prices, making enough healthful food affordable for everyone. The farm policies of choice consistently promoted the industrialization of agriculture: specialization, standardization, and consolidation into fewer, larger farming operations. The message sent to farmers by this "cheap food policy" was to either "get big or get out."...https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/314PolicyHealthy FoodUSDA |
| spellingShingle | John Ikerd THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm Policy Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development Policy Healthy Food USDA |
| title | THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm Policy |
| title_full | THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm Policy |
| title_fullStr | THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm Policy |
| title_full_unstemmed | THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm Policy |
| title_short | THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Food Sovereignty: New Mandate for Food and Farm Policy |
| title_sort | economic pamphleteer food sovereignty new mandate for food and farm policy |
| topic | Policy Healthy Food USDA |
| url | https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/314 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnikerd theeconomicpamphleteerfoodsovereigntynewmandateforfoodandfarmpolicy AT johnikerd economicpamphleteerfoodsovereigntynewmandateforfoodandfarmpolicy |