Re:World's Largest Water Diversion Plan Won't Quench China's...
by mlrtime on Monday December 11, 2017 @12:45PM
(#15898685)
There is also a national security issue to make sure a nation can feed itself. The government's responsibility is towards long term sustainable food supply for it's citizens.
Re:World's Largest Water Diversion Plan Won't Quench China's...
by nlperguiy on Monday December 11, 2017 @12:51PM
(#15898728)
Still, subsidies given do not really indicate long-term sustainable food supply. The most efficient way to guarantee food for the population is by growing plants directly.
If it turns out that the farmer that uses the water for his grain fed factory-farm animals, then the allocation of that money was useless.
There's much more protein/carbs/fiber calories per energy wasted in vegetables than it is in meat in the case of factory farmed meat.
To me it just looks as if luxury foods like meat have large industry players that have influenced the law and the politicians to get subsidies they need to keep their products as cheap as ordinary poor-man food (potatoes, beans, dark greens etc.).
Re:World's Largest Water Diversion Plan Won't Quench China's...
by chiefalchemist on Monday December 11, 2017 @02:23PM
(#15899520)
Feed itself? Yes. The problem is Uncle Sam has overshot that and now the majority of adults are over-feeding themselves.
Note: I understand the rise of obesity is a more complicated than overeating. That said, you don't get obese by under-eating.
p.s. Ironic that obesity has been declared a threat to national security. That is, we're too fat to fight.
And of course, as you mentioned, grains make cows, pigs, etc. cheaper. Again, not ideal for the human body and even less so for Mother Nature.
The free-market might lead to the same, but it certainly seems less likely.