Individuals have it good, in a way, in that we spend less than many other first-world nations on food, which is fairly important. Granted, agricultural subsidies do have a fair bit to do with it. Nonetheless, we have also been spending more on unhealthy foods than almost any other type of food item.
Spending a lot less on food
The average American household is said to have an income of $50,000 per year. That isn't exactly the lap of luxury for the typical two-parent, two-child plus assorted pets home. However, the good news is that, as a country, we spend less on food than other developed countries.
Compared with other countries, the U.S. 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 Americans only spent six percent of the $32,051 yearly 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 away from the home.
The cost of food in America decreasing for the past 30 years is the biggest reason, according to the NPR article.
Reason for Michelle's campaign
Data from the Agency of Labor Statistics showed that now, about 8 percent of annual outlays is spent on food. That is much better than the 13 percent we saw in the average household in 1982 though.
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 prices of which increased by 6.5 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
You can certainly see changes in what people are spending most of their money on now in contrast to 1982 though. Now, people spend about 21.5 percent of the spending budget on meats when it used to be 31.3 percent. Now, people spend 22.9 percent on processed foods and sweets when individuals used to spend 11.6 percent. Fruits and vegetable expenditures have stayed almost the same though since they are now at 14.6 percent and they used to be 14.5 percent. Michelle Obama's plan to help children get healthier is well justified whenever you consider these statistics.
Subsidies do it
From 1995 to 2010, the agriculture industry has received $261.9 billion in subsidies. The amount of corn produced produced in America increased from 4 billion bushels to 12 billion bushels in that time. This is part of why we are paying less for groceries, according to Mother Jones.
Grain prices and meat costs have increased a lot lately though. In 2011, the price of grain doubled and the price of meat increased 8 percent.
Only about 15.8 percent of the cash brought in from selling food goes to the farmer who produced it, which means farmers do not benefit from the low prices, according to the Department of Agriculture. The Daily Green points out that this means farmers need higher costs.
Spending a lot less on food
The average American household is said to have an income of $50,000 per year. That isn't exactly the lap of luxury for the typical two-parent, two-child plus assorted pets home. However, the good news is that, as a country, we spend less on food than other developed countries.
Compared with other countries, the U.S. 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 Americans only spent six percent of the $32,051 yearly 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 away from the home.
The cost of food in America decreasing for the past 30 years is the biggest reason, according to the NPR article.
Reason for Michelle's campaign
Data from the Agency of Labor Statistics showed that now, about 8 percent of annual outlays is spent on food. That is much better than the 13 percent we saw in the average household in 1982 though.
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 prices of which increased by 6.5 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
You can certainly see changes in what people are spending most of their money on now in contrast to 1982 though. Now, people spend about 21.5 percent of the spending budget on meats when it used to be 31.3 percent. Now, people spend 22.9 percent on processed foods and sweets when individuals used to spend 11.6 percent. Fruits and vegetable expenditures have stayed almost the same though since they are now at 14.6 percent and they used to be 14.5 percent. Michelle Obama's plan to help children get healthier is well justified whenever you consider these statistics.
Subsidies do it
From 1995 to 2010, the agriculture industry has received $261.9 billion in subsidies. The amount of corn produced produced in America increased from 4 billion bushels to 12 billion bushels in that time. This is part of why we are paying less for groceries, according to Mother Jones.
Grain prices and meat costs have increased a lot lately though. In 2011, the price of grain doubled and the price of meat increased 8 percent.
Only about 15.8 percent of the cash brought in from selling food goes to the farmer who produced it, which means farmers do not benefit from the low prices, according to the Department of Agriculture. The Daily Green points out that this means farmers need higher costs.
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