Cheap food and CR

[Guest guest]

I apologize in advance if this is off-topic, but it seems to me to relate to

CR. I was recently pondering the obesity problem in the U.S. (I'm starting

to get worried about my parents and other relatives who have been struggling

with weight for years), and believe that one of the prime causes of this

problem is the wide availability of (relative to many other countries)

inexpensive food.

I haven't researched this in depth, but in keeping my ear to the ground I am

coming to the conclusion that agricultural subsidies ought to have more

people against them than just libertarians. I wonder if the government

stopped messing with price controls and subsidies to keep farming

profitable, whether a better equilibrium might be found naturally. Yes, a

lot of farmers might have to find other work, but why should farmers have a

safety net that, say, tech workers don't have?

The upshot would be that the market would control food prices, and probably

those prices would go up because there would be fewer farms. Higher prices

across the board would mean that organically grown foods suddenly wouldn't

seem so expensive, and people might eat healthier. More expensive food also

might mean that people would restrict their intake for financial reasons, or

even grow their own food.

Am I wrong in thinking this way?

I understand that this topic relates only tangentially to CR, so I won't be

offended if we take it off-list.

(|-|ri5