Help Fight for the Health of U.S. Citizens 
April 8, 2019, 
United Stated Department of Agriculture: 
 
What is going on? 
Today, the people of the United States are facing a health crisis. Many people in the U.S. are facing obesity and diabetes and cannot access the resources to change their situation. People are facing these health risks in part because farms that produce fruits and vegetables are not given the support and funding that they need. The United States Department of Agriculture tells the American people that fruits and vegetables should make up half of a persons’ diet to be able to have a healthy, balanced meal; yet the U.S.D.A. only gives 0.5% of their subsidies to fruit and vegetable farmers. However, grain makes up 61% of the U.S.D.A. subsidies. These grains go into processed food that is significantly cheaper to buy because these farms are subsidized. Food processing is any process that turn fresh food into food products. This process involves washing, chopping, pasteurizing, freezing, fermenting, packaging - which are all tools to keep products on a shelf longer. Yet, most of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber are lost during this process. Consumption of this cheap food can lead to serious health risks. 
 
What Is the Problem? 
 
Behavioral changes in our children and youths 
If we ignore the issue, obesity and health risk will become more common, and life expectancy of future generations could decrease dramatically. As human beings, our brain and body are overpowered by processed foods, and we can often become drawn to the foods that are bad for us. Not only do we get more drawn to these foods, but the chemicals and loss of vitamins and minerals can reprogram our brain to make us behave differently – and sometimes more erratically. For example, kids who consume too much sugar, have what is known as a “sugar rush.” According to Life Health, the consumption of junk food can lead to attention issues in children and mental health issues in teens and young adults. 
 
Type 1 and Type two diabetes rates increasing among children 
People living in the U.S. are facing severe risks of becoming obese and getting diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, one in ten people in the United States have diabetes, and 90% of people with diabetes are overweight. The rates for type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children growing up in the U.S. have been increasing dramatically. Adults and Children with diabetes are more likely to suffer from heart disease and are more likely to have a stroke. Roughly 15% of deaths in the U.S. were caused by diabetes says the American Diabetes Association. Because of their diet, people face diabetes and heart issues. Through time, these problems worsen if one cannot get treatment.  
 
What Could Happened? 
Aside from better health for citizens, with the growth of small farms could produce more jobs, improve our quality of life and could even make a cleaner environment. This could also spark a sense of freedom and work ethic that just might be needed in our generation. If these small farms are built in the right places, this potentially can alleviate hunger, poverty, and add nutrition to our diets that we are so desperately in need of. Small farms could be the start to a healthier future for America.  
 
What Should We Do? 
By subsidizing more fruit and vegetable farms, the price of common fruits and vegetables could go down- making healthier foods more affordable for those who are near the poverty line. We need the budget for American agriculture to allocate more subsidies to the small farms that focus on fruits and vegetables and not grain farms. Let’s let the USDA know we want a change in farming to help the health crisis that is happening within the U.S. 
 
 
 
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n4SkuOe2OQ 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1_O5N1zlcw