A Juicy, Organic, Honeycrisp Apple-Just a Dream?
Jody Kolter
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: Opinion
Why should it be so unusual to purchase locally grown produce from a supermarket? Or, more pertinent: Why am I not shocked that the Department of Agriculture actually makes life more difficult for enterprising, local, independent farmers?
The big corporate fruit and vegetable farmers in California and Florida monopolize the produce market because they fear competition,?competition that is necessary in a free market to keep prices at an affordable and reasonable amount.
The consumer ultimately pays higher prices to compensate the organic farmer to pay the government's fines for planting tomatoes on land federally subsidized for crops such as corn. Moreover, the consumer no longer has the access to organic produce that the government rightly contends contains health benefits.
A more serious concern: Threatening organic-farmers with $1 million fines if they cannot prove that their tomatoes will not be eaten in another state, thereby participating in interstate commerce. If the government could focus on a way of supporting local farmers, then produce prices would decrease, offering healthier options to families who otherwise turn to inexpensive, unhealthy goods.
"It would be like preventative health care because it would be cheaper to purchase vegetables over chips," argues Christine Garten '09.
Local farmers should not fear the financial implications of growing organic food. In fact, they should be given incentives (perhaps the incentives can be derived from funding for Congress' first-class air travel and requests for Fiji water).
Finally, if we tax unhealthy food, the spoiled sixteen-year-old's newly pimped out Lexus and things such as a private jet (or at least the third one) then perhaps capitalism will work, or at least make more sense for the hard-working, honest American.
The big corporate fruit and vegetable farmers in California and Florida monopolize the produce market because they fear competition,?competition that is necessary in a free market to keep prices at an affordable and reasonable amount.
The consumer ultimately pays higher prices to compensate the organic farmer to pay the government's fines for planting tomatoes on land federally subsidized for crops such as corn. Moreover, the consumer no longer has the access to organic produce that the government rightly contends contains health benefits.
A more serious concern: Threatening organic-farmers with $1 million fines if they cannot prove that their tomatoes will not be eaten in another state, thereby participating in interstate commerce. If the government could focus on a way of supporting local farmers, then produce prices would decrease, offering healthier options to families who otherwise turn to inexpensive, unhealthy goods.
"It would be like preventative health care because it would be cheaper to purchase vegetables over chips," argues Christine Garten '09.
Local farmers should not fear the financial implications of growing organic food. In fact, they should be given incentives (perhaps the incentives can be derived from funding for Congress' first-class air travel and requests for Fiji water).
Finally, if we tax unhealthy food, the spoiled sixteen-year-old's newly pimped out Lexus and things such as a private jet (or at least the third one) then perhaps capitalism will work, or at least make more sense for the hard-working, honest American.
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