Despite having nearly a billion acres of prime farmland and a population of only 330 million people, the U.S. agriculture system, often claimed to be able to “feed the world,” can no longer feed its own population. The number of U.S. farms producing food for consumption has been steadily declining for years, making us more reliant on other countries as we resort to importing necessary foods. This shows in America’s growing agricultural trade deficit, projected to reach a record-breaking $45.5 billion in 2025.
But it doesn’t have to be this way; farmers know how to feed us. It’s backward government policies that are standing in their way. We need Congress to reevaluate the subsidies provided to big ag, and prioritize farmers growing and raising nutritious food for our nation.
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Our taxpayer dollars are propping up some of the largest industrial agriculture operations in the country, allowing the big to get bigger. At the same time, small and mid-sized farms are being driven out of existence. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversubsidizes the production of corn and soybeans, which are used for livestock feed, ethanol, and to create sugars, starches, and oils that end up in highly processed foods. The highly concentrated nature of our food and farm system, facilitated by the government’s prioritization of these commodity crops, has made it increasingly difficult for our farmers to supply us with nutritious food crops like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
The most recently available farm subsidy data shows that the majority of government subsidies go toward commodity crop production, while just four percent go toward fruit and vegetable production, which the USDA ironically deems “specialty crops.” New York fruit grower Chip Kent said he has only ever received $500 in subsidies; meanwhile, a handful of the largest and wealthiest operations are raking in 80 percent of the billions of available dollars.
“We could use a little help. Who’s gonna grow our food? You really want to buy it all from overseas?” Kent said in a recent CNBC story.
And that is becoming a reality; according to the USDA, our fruit and vegetable supply is increasingly made up of imports. In 2021, we imported 60 percent of our fresh fruit and 38 percent of our vegetables. In 2019, we imported $15.7 billion worth of produce from Mexico and by 2023, that number increased to $21 billion.
Our government’s misplaced prioritization of growing and exporting low-value crops, which primarily benefits the corporations dominating our food system, is reflected in America’s public health. As government subsidies support the production of sugars, starches, and oils, prices on those products remain relatively low. Over time, those foods become the most readily accessible and available, and fresh produce is priced higher and is less accessible. Most of the American population is not consuming enough fruits and vegetables, according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which determined that 80 percent of people eat too little fruit and 90 percent do not eat enough vegetables. A 2021 study found that Americans are increasingly consuming ultra-processed food (like frozen pizza, soda, and fast food), with over half of our population’s caloric intake coming from ultra-processed foods.
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We are on track to have a trade deficit for five of the last seven years, our public health is at risk, and our fruit and vegetable farmers are struggling to stay afloat. The ability to reverse these harmful trends is in the hands of our government. To begin to undo this damage, the next farm bill must better support those farmers who are providing nutritious food for our people.
It’s worth noting that the soybean industry, which receives substantially more government support, has an industry value estimated at 20 percent lower than that of fruits and vegetables. Farm Action’s research determined that by shifting less than 0.5 percent of current farm acreage to fruit and vegetable production, we could balance the 2023 agriculture trade deficit of $32 billion due to the higher value of food crops.
We must stop outsourcing what we can grow ourselves; a different way is possible, and a healthy, sustainable food system is attainable. With the next farm bill still up in the air, Farm Action will continue advocating for Congress to shift resources and infrastructure to the production of food for our communities — to the benefit of America’s food security, public health, and farmers.
Angela Huffman is a co-founder and president of Farm Action. She has over a decade of experience in food and agriculture policy reform and market development.
