Subsides for twinkies or apples

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David Rosenfeld

Matt Orchant

OSPIRG

With childhood obesity rates rapidly rising, the federal government continues to pour billions into subsidies for junk food.

Federal subsidies for commodity crops are also subsidizing junk food additives like high fructose corn syrup, enough to pay for 19 Twinkies per taxpayer every year, according to Apples to Twinkies, a new report by OSPIRG. Meanwhile, limited subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables would buy less than a quarter of an apple per taxpayer.

“At a time when childhood obesity rates are skyrocketing, it’s absurd that we’re spending billions of tax dollars to make the problem worse,” said Matthew Orchant, OSPIRG Associate. “It’s ridiculous that junk food is heavily subsidized by taxpayers, while fresh fruits and vegetables barely get a bite of the apple.”

Between 1995 and 2010, American taxpayers spent over $260 billion on 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 hydrogenated vegetable oils that provide a cheap dose of sweetness and fat to a wide variety of junk food products.

“Throwing money at corn means that we’re spending billions of tax dollars on unhealthy additives like high fructose corn syrup,” continued Orchant. “With our country facing tough budget choices, this is the last thing we should be doing.”

Among the report’s key findings:

•    Between 1995 and 2010, $16.9 billion in tax dollars subsidized four common food additives – corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and soy oils (better known as hydrogenated vegetable oils). At $7.36 per taxpayer per year, that would buy each taxpayer 19 Twinkies.
•    Outside of commodity crops, other agricultural products receive very little in federal subsidies. Since 1995, taxpayers spent only $262 million subsidizing apples, which is the only significant federal subsidy of fresh fruits or vegetables. Coming to 11 cents per taxpayer per year, that would buy less than a quarter of a Red Delicious apple.
•    In Portland, taxpayers give $2,002,597 each year to junk food subsidies, while giving only $30,984 each year to subsidies for apples. That’s enough to buy 5,269,993 Twinkies each year, but only 60,162 apples.

Childhood obesity rates have triples 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.