The True Cost of Cheap Meat & Produce

I realize all of us 'normal' folk live off limited income, usually taking at least two bread winners to keep a small family out of poverty.  Personally I've lived my entire life in that range of poor to lower middle class, and understand when grocery shopping you want to get the most food for your money.  Also, having grown up farming I'm aware of the work it takes to produce food and I know it's not an easy life.  I remember back in the 80s when family farms began disappearing faster than the International Harvesters could finish harvesting the fields. Entire family farm estates and equipment were being auctioned off to settle farm debts.  The losses weren't a factor of weather or crop failure, it was 'Big Ag' controlling market prices for crops, exploiting government subsidies, and the capital equipment sector charging exorbitant prices for farming equipment manufactured in poorer quality.  These circumstances gave advantage to those with wealth over those without, small family farms couldn't earn enough to keep ahead of costs.

Those disadvantages are still in play to this day as corporate farming constantly wields its muscle to keep small family farms from succeeding or consuming them in their own growth of the BigAg machine.  That hasn't stopped people from trying, small organic farms and hobby farms are popping up all over around cities, and urban farming is now actually a thing.  Savvy consumers are fighting back against BigAg because more people are realizing they can't trust the industrialized food industry to provide healthy, safe foods.  The challenge with small farming is competing with supermarket pricing.  It's a difficult decision to make for consumers, the choice to pay more for meat or produce and sacrificing ones ability to purchase the latest smart phone or pay for its monthly billing.  Super Centers are convenient as well, get all of your shopping done in one place without running around.

The problem is there's actually a greater cost to the community with cheaper prices.  These giant value stores pay their labor less and purchase their meat and produce for less, which leads to mass production and lower quality.  The profits are reaped by a few, it's not the hard working people that benefit but the already wealthy CEOs.  This is how BigAg maintains control of the market and keeps the working class in its place. 

When you're shopping for groceries keep these things in mind.  Please buy from local farmers, purchasing in bulk and learn to preserve your own food.  Realize that when you purchase meat from a small farm that the cost of your price per pound is a better deal in the long run because you're supporting local farmers and your community.  When you see pork roast for just over $1 per pound understand that the bacon and chops from that hog are selling for $5-$6 per pound and making up the difference.  It's not really cheaper, there's a 'true cost' which is a little less tangible.

Some good related reading

1. The Rise of Small Farms: Oregon leads by example, By Lauren Morency DePhillips, Epoch Times, Aug 2013
2. Rise of mega farms: how the US model of intensive farming is invading the world; Fiona Harvey, Andrew Wasley, Madlen Davies and David Child, theguardian, Jul 2017
3. Rise of ‘hobby farms’ means more growers get maimed, killed, By Rick Callahan, AP Nov 2017