Farm bill must put health first

AS A dietitian, I applaud the Globe for addressing key flaws in the farm bill, especially in regard to the subsidies that fund unhealthy foods and undermine the production and promotion of fresh fruits and vegetables ("Farm bill comes a cropper," Editorial, Oct. 21).

While our dietary guidelines emphasize the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, most Americans aren't eating this way. That's partly because less than 1 percent of federal subsidies are paid to fruit and vegetable producers, while billions of farm bill dollars go to meat producers, farmers who grow animal feed, and commodity crops, which in their processed form become sugary, processed foods. People who rely on federal nutrition programs, such as WIC, food stamps, and school lunches, receive disproportionately more high-fat meat and dairy products than fruits and vegetables.

The Globe is not alone in calling for reform. The President's Cancer Panel, the American Medical Association, and others in healthcare are urging Congress to put America's health first by ensuring that the farm bill reflects science-based nutrition guidelines, promotes healthy dietary choices, and reduces federal support for consumption of cholesterol, fat, sugar, and other unhealthy products.

SUSAN LEVIN
Staff dietitian
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Washington