Individuals have it good, in a way, in that we spend less than many other first-world countries on food, which is fairly significant. Granted, agricultural subsidies do have a good bit to do with it. However, we have also been spending more on unhealthy foods than almost any other type of food item.
Spending a lot less
The typical family of four with pets will find it difficult to get by with a $50,000 a year income, and that is the average in the country. There is good news. Compared to other developed nations, we are actually spending a lot less on food.
Compared with other countries, the United States is not looking too bad since the typical British family spends 9 percent of the annual outlay on food and the typical French family will spend 14 percent. Mother Jones points out that Individuals only spent six percent of the $32,051 annual outlay for 2009. That adds up to $6,372 total on food for the year: $3,753 for food in the home and $2,619 for food from the home.
An NPR article points out the reason behind this. It said that in the last 30 years, American food costs have been dropping.
The First Lady advocating better food
In 1982, the average household spent 13 percent of the yearly outlay on food, which means we are actually doing better now. This is despite the fact that the amount spent has increased to about 8 percent now, according to recent Agency of Labor Statistics data.
During that time, the cost of most food groups has dropped; in some cases considerably. For instance, the cost of steak has dropped 30 percent, from $7 per pound in 1982 to $4.90 per pound in 2012. No meats have gone up in price. Only one fruit and one vegetable increased in price in that time, those being grapefruit and bell peppers, the costs of which increased by 6.5 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
What some may view as troublesome is how much is spent on what type of food. Meats dropped from 31.3 percent of food expenditures in 1982 to 21.5 percent of expenditures in 2012. Vegetables and fruit stayed broadly the same at 14.5 percent in 1982 and 14.6 percent in 2012. However, processed foods and sweets doubled from 11.6 percent in 1982 to 22.9 percent in 2012. Michelle Obama could be criticized for advocating feeding kids more fruits and vegetables, but she may be on to something.
The agriculture subsidies
Mother Jones explained that the agriculture subsidies have helped produce more food making costs go down. In fact, the amount of corn produced produced from 1995 to 2010 in America increased from 4 billion bushels a year to 12 billion bushels. In that same time frame, $261.9 billion in subsidies have been given out.
The price of meat went up 8 percent in 2011, and the price of grain doubled. This just shows that costs are beginning to go up, according to Forbes.
The low prices also do not benefit the farmer much. Aside from not much money in nominal terms, the Department of Agriculture estimates 15.8 percent of revenue from selling food goes to the entity that produced it, according to a post on The Daily Green.
Spending a lot less
The typical family of four with pets will find it difficult to get by with a $50,000 a year income, and that is the average in the country. There is good news. Compared to other developed nations, we are actually spending a lot less on food.
Compared with other countries, the United States is not looking too bad since the typical British family spends 9 percent of the annual outlay on food and the typical French family will spend 14 percent. Mother Jones points out that Individuals only spent six percent of the $32,051 annual outlay for 2009. That adds up to $6,372 total on food for the year: $3,753 for food in the home and $2,619 for food from the home.
An NPR article points out the reason behind this. It said that in the last 30 years, American food costs have been dropping.
The First Lady advocating better food
In 1982, the average household spent 13 percent of the yearly outlay on food, which means we are actually doing better now. This is despite the fact that the amount spent has increased to about 8 percent now, according to recent Agency of Labor Statistics data.
During that time, the cost of most food groups has dropped; in some cases considerably. For instance, the cost of steak has dropped 30 percent, from $7 per pound in 1982 to $4.90 per pound in 2012. No meats have gone up in price. Only one fruit and one vegetable increased in price in that time, those being grapefruit and bell peppers, the costs of which increased by 6.5 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
What some may view as troublesome is how much is spent on what type of food. Meats dropped from 31.3 percent of food expenditures in 1982 to 21.5 percent of expenditures in 2012. Vegetables and fruit stayed broadly the same at 14.5 percent in 1982 and 14.6 percent in 2012. However, processed foods and sweets doubled from 11.6 percent in 1982 to 22.9 percent in 2012. Michelle Obama could be criticized for advocating feeding kids more fruits and vegetables, but she may be on to something.
The agriculture subsidies
Mother Jones explained that the agriculture subsidies have helped produce more food making costs go down. In fact, the amount of corn produced produced from 1995 to 2010 in America increased from 4 billion bushels a year to 12 billion bushels. In that same time frame, $261.9 billion in subsidies have been given out.
The price of meat went up 8 percent in 2011, and the price of grain doubled. This just shows that costs are beginning to go up, according to Forbes.
The low prices also do not benefit the farmer much. Aside from not much money in nominal terms, the Department of Agriculture estimates 15.8 percent of revenue from selling food goes to the entity that produced it, according to a post on The Daily Green.
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