Jason Donofrio
Arizona PIRG Education Fund
Federal subsidies for commodity crops are also subsidizing junk food additives like high fructose corn syrup, enough to pay for 19 Twinkies per Arizona taxpayer every year, according to Apples to Twinkies, a new report by the Arizona PIRG Education Fund. Meanwhile, limited subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables buy less than a quarter of an apple per taxpayer.
“At a time when childhood obesity rates are skyrocketing in Arizona, it’s absurd that we’re spending billions of taxpayer dollars to make the problem worse,” said Serena Unrein, Public Interest Advocate for the Arizona PIRG Education Fund. “While junk food such as Twinkies is subsidized by taxpayers, fresh fruits and vegetables barely get a bite at the apple.”
Between 1995 and 2010, American taxpayers spent over $260 billion in agricultural subsidies. Most subsidies went to the country’s largest farming operations, mainly to grow just a few commodity crops, including corn and soybeans. Among other uses, food manufacturers process these crops into additives like high fructose corn syrup and vegetable oils that provide a cheap dose of sweetness and fat to a wide variety of junk food products.
“Shoveling cash at commodity crops also means we’re subsidizing these unhealthy additives,” continued Unrein. “At a time when government spending is coming under increasing scrutiny, it’s time for Congress to get its priorities straight and not subsidize junk food.”
Among the report’s key findings:
Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last three decades, with one in five kids aged 6 to 11 now obese. Research shows that increased snacking is responsible for a significant portion of this increase.
“When more than 30 percent of Arizona’s children are obese, it’s unconscionable for our tax dollars to continue to subsidize junk food,” said Unrein. “For the health of our country and our children in particular, Congress needs to stop subsidizing these crops that contribute to obesity.”
– 30 –