In the 1930s, America had one of the best electric train systems in the world. But a group of big companies, including General Motors and Standard Oil, decided to replace electric trains with diesel buses to make more money, even though it wasn’t good for the country. This change left America behind other countries in train technology. This shows that when the government enables big companies to change things to make more money, it doesn’t look good if the public servant’s job is to serve the people’s best interests.
This is happening today with the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration). These agencies are supposed to keep our food safe, but they often help big businesses instead, even when it hurts people’s health.
How the USDA Helps Big Business
Many people think the USDA ensures our food is safe and healthy. But the truth is that the USDA spends about $500 million each year to convince people, doctors, and nutritionists to believe what big businesses want them to. They pay for research and advertisements that make their products look good, even if they aren’t.
For example:
- The Egg Board paid for research that says cholesterol doesn’t really matter in most diets.
- The Dairy Board funds studies that say calcium prevents cancer and other diseases, even though the evidence isn’t strong.
- The USDA gives millions of dollars to companies like McDonald’s and General Mills to promote their products in other countries.
The USDA also supports the meat and dairy industries with $23 billion every year. They buy surplus foods, like butter, cheese, and meat, for school lunches, even though these foods are high in fat and can cause health problems. This helps big businesses make money, but it’s not good for kids’ health, and a high-fat diet has been proven to cut down on learning ability and lead to obesity.
In the 1960s, the USDA encouraged farmers to use more pesticides. These chemicals can end up in our food, especially in high-fat foods like meat and milk. The USDA even pays dairy farmers when their milk is contaminated with pesticides, which encourages them to buy cheap, contaminated feed.
How the FDA Fails to Protect Us
The FDA is supposed to ensure the safety of our food and drugs, but it doesn’t do a great job. The FDA only inspects 1% of the fruits and vegetables that come into the country. They don’t test for all the harmful pesticides used on crops, and when they find problems, they often don’t punish the companies responsible.
The FDA is also not doing enough to protect children from harmful chemicals in food. Reports have shown that the current system is not good enough to keep kids safe from pesticides and other dangerous substances.
Even though the USDA spends $558 million a year on meat inspections, many people still get sick and even die from contaminated meat. About 80 million Americans get sick every year, and 9,000 die because of foodborne illnesses like salmonella and E. coli.
The Real Cost of Corporate Control
Because the USDA and FDA help big businesses, Americans end up eating foods that contain harmful chemicals. Many of these chemicals can cause health problems, like cancer and reproductive issues. Yet, the government doesn’t do enough testing to keep us safe.
Just like when General Motors replaced electric trains with diesel buses, the USDA and FDA are making decisions that are good for big companies but bad for regular people.
How We Can Make a Change
To fix this, we need to take action:
- Demand Transparency: We should push for the USDA and FDA to be honest about where their money comes from and who they are really working for. Knowing the truth is the first step to making things better.
- Support Independent Research: We need to support studies that aren’t paid for by big companies. This way, we can get unbiased information about what’s really healthy and safe to eat.
- Promote Healthy Farming: We should encourage farming methods that don’t rely on harmful pesticides. Organic and sustainable farming can produce healthier food and protect the environment.
- Educate Ourselves: It’s important to learn about where our food comes from and how it affects our health. The more we know, the better choices we can make.
- Vote for Change: We should elect leaders who care about public health and are willing to stand up to big businesses. We need laws that protect people, not just profits.
All of those “public servants” took an oath to protect us as their number one job, and yet we allow them to be supervised by big companies.
The USDA and FDA have too much power, and they often use it to help big companies make money, even if it means hurting the health of Americans. But by understanding the problem, taking action, and supervising our public servants, we can help create a future where our health comes first.