Comments on: Joseph and the Amazingly Expensive Commodity Crops http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:33:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Ketzirah Carly http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5364 Ketzirah Carly Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:37:12 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5364 *gasp* okay. I've recovered. You're dead on. I think Pollan might have a bit of coastal myopia and not be thinking about how the rest of the country really lives. people won't stop eating at Mickey D's if it gets more expensive. They'll complain about the prices, but if that is the staple of their diet they'll keep eating there. *gasp* okay. I’ve recovered.

You’re dead on. I think Pollan might have a bit of coastal myopia and not be thinking about how the rest of the country really lives.

people won’t stop eating at Mickey D’s if it gets more expensive. They’ll complain about the prices, but if that is the staple of their diet they’ll keep eating there.

]]> By: maria http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5360 maria Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:18:30 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5360 i agree with what shev said, and i think it's more like when gas prices reached $2.00 a gallon. everyone thought it was totally unacceptable, but we kept buying gas. even now it's hard for people to cut back just a little. not to mention that the airlines, bus lines, factories, everyone uses expensive petroleum products. i think you could probably say the same for commodity foods. i agree with what shev said, and i think it’s more like when gas prices reached $2.00 a gallon. everyone thought it was totally unacceptable, but we kept buying gas. even now it’s hard for people to cut back just a little. not to mention that the airlines, bus lines, factories, everyone uses expensive petroleum products. i think you could probably say the same for commodity foods.

]]> By: Leah Koenig http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5345 Leah Koenig Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:14:13 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5345 It's funny - I was thinking to myself today that I really hadn't noticed the rise in prices. I figured it's because I shop mostly at the farmers' market, through my CSA and at the member-owned Park Slope Food Coop (where everything costs less b/c there isn't as much overhead as a supermarket) http://parkslopefoodcoop.org. But then tonight, in the bread aisle at the coop, I noticed a little sign that said, "because grain prices continue to go up, XX bread company has raised it's prices." - You're right Debs - the world would be a better place if small, organic family farmers received subsidies for their work. It feels like we're on the right track to get there, but we have a long way to go. - Right lux, the first part of the equation is correct, but unfortunately there's a disconnect between not buying Mc Donalds and buying more kale. - It's true Shev - and unlike cigarettes, food isn't something you can give up, even if you want to! - Thanks Aliza, I'm curious to read your thoughts on this subject too. It’s funny - I was thinking to myself today that I really hadn’t noticed the rise in prices. I figured it’s because I shop mostly at the farmers’ market, through my CSA and at the member-owned Park Slope Food Coop (where everything costs less b/c there isn’t as much overhead as a supermarket) http://parkslopefoodcoop.org. But then tonight, in the bread aisle at the coop, I noticed a little sign that said, “because grain prices continue to go up, XX bread company has raised it’s prices.”

- You’re right Debs - the world would be a better place if small, organic family farmers received subsidies for their work. It feels like we’re on the right track to get there, but we have a long way to go.

- Right lux, the first part of the equation is correct, but unfortunately there’s a disconnect between not buying Mc Donalds and buying more kale.

- It’s true Shev - and unlike cigarettes, food isn’t something you can give up, even if you want to!

- Thanks Aliza, I’m curious to read your thoughts on this subject too.

]]> By: aliza http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5343 aliza Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:37:01 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5343 Great post, Leah- this is a topic that has come up in my classes recently, but I hadn't seen the NYtimes article until I saw your post. I'm working on some more commentary about it over on usfoodpolicy.blogspot.com. Great post, Leah- this is a topic that has come up in my classes recently, but I hadn’t seen the NYtimes article until I saw your post. I’m working on some more commentary about it over on usfoodpolicy.blogspot.com.

]]> By: shev http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5341 shev Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:29:12 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5341 How many of you remember someone saying "I'll give up cigarettes when they cost $1.50", and the cigarettes hit $1.60 and guess what? they keep on smoking... If fast food and soda get more expensive, so will everything else, and it will still be the cheapest thing around. People are not going to say "My word! An expensive Coke! I must stop!" - more likely "Whoa this is expensive! Oh well..." and dig deeper for more coins. Imho. (Am I disagreeing with Rav P? If so, that feels kind of weird...) How many of you remember someone saying “I’ll give up cigarettes when they cost $1.50″, and the cigarettes hit $1.60 and guess what? they keep on smoking…

If fast food and soda get more expensive, so will everything else, and it will still be the cheapest thing around. People are not going to say “My word! An expensive Coke! I must stop!” - more likely “Whoa this is expensive! Oh well…” and dig deeper for more coins. Imho. (Am I disagreeing with Rav P? If so, that feels kind of weird…)

]]> By: lux http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5340 lux Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:22:33 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5340 You're completely right. If Mickey D's gets more expensive, people may well start eating there less often, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be going to the farmer's market to fill in the gaps. More likely, they'll be cutting back elsewhere, hitting the sale racks at the supermarket harder, or filing for food stamps. You’re completely right. If Mickey D’s gets more expensive, people may well start eating there less often, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll be going to the farmer’s market to fill in the gaps. More likely, they’ll be cutting back elsewhere, hitting the sale racks at the supermarket harder, or filing for food stamps.

]]> By: Debs http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5339 Debs Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:21:20 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/joseph-and-the-amazingly-expensive-commodity-crops/#comment-5339 If bad food has been cheap for so long due to subsidies, then I'd like to see subsidies for good quality food instead. Cut out the subsidies for corn, and replace them with subsidies for small, organic farms to produce vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy. I do think sparking national dialogue about why (bad) food is so cheap is a pretty good idea, but I do agree that Pollan's argument is here is a bit over-simplistic. <a href="http://food.gofrolic.org" rel="nofollow">Food Is Love</a> If bad food has been cheap for so long due to subsidies, then I’d like to see subsidies for good quality food instead. Cut out the subsidies for corn, and replace them with subsidies for small, organic farms to produce vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy.

I do think sparking national dialogue about why (bad) food is so cheap is a pretty good idea, but I do agree that Pollan’s argument is here is a bit over-simplistic.

Food Is Love

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