“Rich people need organic food to survive.” Wait—is that a joke, or a reality in America today? Or both? The fact is that for all of us to survive in this new century we’re going to have to change the way we source food. And not just as individuals: We also need to re-formulate national policy in line with that same objective because, at the moment, long-standing government subsidies are crushing both our health and our environment.

Let’s Have a Fair Food Fight

You can almost hear Dick Cheney saying “organic food is a nice personal virtue for the radical fringe, but it’s not going to feed the world.” Actually, when you level the playing field, organic (and more importantly, sustainable) food comes out on top.

The fact is organic farmers don’t receive federal subsidies the same way conventional farmers do. Organic and small-time farmers receive “specialty crop grants” that are measured in thousands rather than in millions of dollars.  Sad truth: If you’re not growing corn, wheat or soybeans, you get the merest of crumbs from the federal table.

Myth: Organic Food is More Expensive

Today, organic food does cost more than conventional food. Watch an organic farmer hand-weed a row of carrots and you’ll immediately know why. Smaller organic farms require more time, attention and labor to get produce to market.

By comparison, conventional farmers have certain advantages. Rather than using the age-old practice of crop rotation to keep soil healthy, they can apply cocktails of synthetic fertilizers and herbicides to fields.

An organic farmer, by comparison, might mix up 200 pounds of old pasta salad, 100 pounds of rotting lettuce, and other assorted odds and ends to create a rich and fragrant compost.

Conventional farmers receive subsidies in the Farm Bill: more than $3 billion per year for corn and wheat alone. Unsold food will be bought up by the USDA for school lunches. One calculation estimated the national all-in subsidy for industrially grown agriculture at $80 billion per year. That’s $725 per American household.

Crappy food is certainly cheap in America. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that a dollar buys 1,200 calories of potato chips, but just 250 calories of vegetables or 170 calories of fresh fruit.

Paul Wigtsen, produce buyer at the Culinary Institute of America, has doubled the amount of produce purchased by the school without increasing thebudget. His secret? Go local. Sure local produce can cost 5% to 20% more than produce shipped across the country. But, according to Wigtsen, with local fare there is “no trim, no waste. With California, you loose ten or twenty percent in kitchen prep.”

Myth:  Organic is My Only Healthy Option

Under some circumstances, food grown sustainably and purchased from a local farmer can be cheaper than organic food shipped in from China or California.

You know what local means: Your food shouldn’t travel further than you typically go on a vacation. But what about “sustainable”?  To me, sustainable means that you can raise food in perpetuity without doing harm to your land.  Sustainable farming principles often are closely aligned with organic principles, so you’re getting food that is healthier for all concerned.

In fact, organic has become so associated with elitism and higher prices that some farmers have stopped touting their organic growing practices. They prefer to have you taste the difference and let you determine whether it’s worth the cost.

Myth: I Can’t Afford Organic.

So let’s start with a simple truth: organic and sustainable food reflects the true cost of growing food. Then let’s find a new way to shop for organic and sustainable food when you dine in and dine out. Not every time—just more often.

If you have a choice, consider mixing and matching. See a great deal on tomatoes at the farmers market? Buy way more than you need, then make some sauce and freeze it. Love those organic grapes from California? Stock up when they’re on sale in the supermarket. No need to get uppity, either: Toss in a head of lettuce from Mexico or California’s Central Coast every so often, just because it’s cheap and easy. And to stay clear about the value of the work that goes into putting food on your plate, grow your own.

When you dine out, ask about that steak. “Is it local?  Organic? No? Natural? It’s not?  Well okay. Is there anything local on the menu? I really like supporting local farmers.” Don’t get all preachy; just ask for an alternative.

Big food companies are coming around. As part of its ongoing commitment to “real food” using “simple ingredients,” Hellmann’s (“America’s favorite mayonnaise brand”) recently announced that its “Light Mayonnaise recipe in North America will feature 100% certified cage-free eggs in the United States,” because, as Jamey Fish, Hellmann’s senior brand manager, said “people are increasingly attuned to what’s in their food and where it comes from.”

Protect America’s Independence! Sing the Star-Spangled Banner!

Still need convincing to buy local?  Barbara Kingsolver, in her book Animal, Vegetable and Mineral wrote:

“If every US citizen ate just one meal a week that was composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by 1.1 million barrels every week. Small changes in buying habits make big differences.”

So it’s not longer elitist to eat organic or sustainable food. You’re supporting energy independence. You’re a true vegetable-eating patriot.  And you know what? Your food will actually taste better.

Further Reading

Great Questions to Ask Your Farmer

“It’s the Sustainability, Stupid.”

Encourage your grocer to carry more organic products with this helpful form.