Somehow I missed Dan’s Barber’s Jan. 14 New York Times op-ed on how U.S. food policy subsidizes farmers who grow one big crop instead of supporting diverse, sustainable agriculture. It certainly is worth a read, as the Gothamist points out. Says Barber:

Stand in the middle of our farm belt and you’ll see cornfields extending to the horizon, but the harvest won’t be dinner, not until it’s milled and processed into flours or starches, or used to fatten our animals on feedlots. Just four crops — corn, rice, soybeans and wheat — account for the vast majority of our harvested acreage. Not surprising, given that these same crops account for 70 percent of the total subsidies allotted to farmers.

Of course, Michael Pollan in the Omnivore’s Dilemma preaches a similar food doctrine. Still, it’s nice to see this point of view displayed on the op-ed pages of the Times.

Related posts:

1. The NY Times: All the Old News Fit to Print
2. All Corn Dinner: With Cocktails Try Chewy Corn Nibbles
3. Corn Dinner: Main Course, Corn and Clam Chowder