Of the nearly 40,000 food items found in the average supermarket, 50 percent of them are produced by 10 companies. Just three companies control over 75 percent of the beef produced in the U.S. I was shocked to learn that even organic food that is processed in any way is controlled by just two global companies.

Of course, the big cash cows of the corporate food industry, organic included, return less income to local farmers and communities and way more to the corporate officers that aren't out there doing the actual work.

This is why it is crucial to weigh in about the American Farm Bill before the scheduled vote day after tomorrow on May 2nd. This huge, all-encompassing monstrosity of a legislative document covers everything from farm subsidies to food stamps and has been tied up in committee for months and months. Folks in urban areas especially need to make themselves heard – they are often discounted by the lobbyists, the Farm Bureau, and the rest of the Big Ag pressure groups.

Here's what to encourage your representatives to support: more inspectors and budget increase for the USDA; a cap on farm subsidy payments that go to the largest farms and a price safety net so small farmers can survive; insist that ALL imported food be inspected; support organic standards that mean something, local food initiatives and fair monetary return for farmers and ag workers.

WE are the beneficiaries OR the victims of our food system depending upon our choices, and, according to Mary Elizabeth Lease, a tireless supporter of the National Family Farm Coalition, we need to "raise less corn and more hell." Let's get busy out here – we already have enough corn!

Right now you can go here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/976851177?z00m=14402488

I'd read an article a few months ago regarding the huge impact that the shortage of corn in Mexico was having upon poor Mexicans. Essentially, the move to selling corn (at higher prices) for biofuel meant that the cost of their basic food staple, corn, was skyrocketing, if they were so lucky to be able to obtain it (or much of it) at all. I can see it from the farmers' point of view too, but it's a tough choice: make more money by selling your corn produce for biofuel, or make far less but provide a basic food staple to the people?

Back then, Lynn had commented to me about this situation as well. Unfortunately, she's right. According to Mr. Martin:

The idea of turning farms into fuel plants seemed, for a time, like one of the answers to high global oil prices and supply worries. That strategy seemed to reach a high point last year when Congress mandated a fivefold increase in the use of biofuels.

But now a reaction is building against policies in the United States and Europe to promote ethanol and similar fuels, with political leaders from poor countries contending that these fuels are driving up food prices and starving poor people. Biofuels are fast becoming a new flash point in global diplomacy, putting pressure on Western politicians to reconsider their policies, even as they argue that biofuels are only one factor in the seemingly inexorable rise in food prices

It's pretty sad. Read the article.

The agri-biz folk appear to specialize in certain types of food. As Lynn said, "The economics of food processing requires that just a tiny group of plant species — corn and soybeans chief among them — make up the majority of Agri-biz offerings."

So, if you have, say, a meal with corn tacos and Fritos, then those are two portions are corn.

But limited agri-biz offerings are not the only foods available in the U.S. The idea is to branch out some. There are different meats, vegetables, etc. available from supermarkets. That said, if you're lucky enough to have decent organic markets (or local farmers) in your area, they'll also have a variety of non-processed meats, vegetables and fruit — and these are, in my view, of a substantially higher quality even before the lack of pesticides, herbicides, hormones, etc. are taken into account.

Nothing wrong with corn and the like. They just shouldn't be the bulk of one's diet. And we would all do well to avoid pesticides and the like.