A new old idea...
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Farmers are destroying vegetable crops in the field. Feeder pig operations are killing newborn pigs. Dairy farmers are pouring milk down the drain. Cattle futures have fallen in the toilet.
Yet, lines stretch for miles at some food banks.
For the sake of national food security, bring back the commodity program.
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It's because grocery distribution and restaurant distribution was more or less mutually exclusive prior to this. Some restaurants are trying to provide a fix themselves by selling their produce but yeah, we need to fix this, it's ridiculous.
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The reason the program was curtailed, was because they said it cost more money to buy the raw food, package, ship and distribute it, than it did to just simply hand somebody the money.
I'd rather spend a little more money. Giving food helps the farmer and cuts down on the abuse of the system.
I can take you ( or I could a couple of months ago) to a grocery store in town, and you could get $100 worth of groceries for $50-$75, depending on the deal struck. Hand the guy your shopping list, wait for him to come out..He hands you the groceries and ticket, you have him the cash.
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I experienced the commodities program back in 72, a friend's family I was staying with in Poplar Bluff, MO. It was fantastic. We hitchhiked up to the Bull Island festival. No money or mind altering substances, but we had something better - shelf stable food - to trade.
