Introduction
Nutrition is an issue of concern in the US. In recent times, cases of heart diseases, obesity, tooth decay, and diabetes, all attributed to the consumption of junk food and beverages containing saturated sugars have been reported. There have been calls from the government through her agencies asking people to embrace healthy eating habits. This call, however, has faced many challenges from food lobbyists who are mindful of making profits at the expense of the health of the American population. In this paper, I will discuss the role of lobbyists in the food sector in Washington, give a brief history of the School Lunch Program, showcase the significance of immigrant labor in the food sector and finally, I will outline the roles of USDA and FDA in Food Production.
Rolls of Food Lobbyists in Washington
According to Delgado (2014), food Lobby groups in Washington are influencing the diets of people. They advocate for foods which have been perceived by nutritionists as having low nutritional value or consequently, they have harmful effects on the body. Dietary complications such as diet-related health issues and nutrients deficiency in the US prompted the government to come up with federal nutritional laws. The lobbyists, on the other hand, have been contracted by companies processing beverages that are rich in sugar together with fast food restaurants to authenticate their products amid public pressure to avoid them. Notably, the public has been warned on consuming red or processed meat.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
In recent times, studies have linked diseases such as cancer and heart disease to heavy consumption of red or processed meat. People are being encouraged to shun products such as hot dogs and Salami to avoid chronic illnesses. Consequently, beverages containing sugars have also been cited as the leading cause of obesity in society. Companies offering drinks like Coca-Cola and fast foods outlets are spending big in lobby service and advertising their products to remain relevant on the market. These lobby groups have also been on the forefront opposing the food labeling laws in Washington (Lipton2015).
National School Lunch Programs
The National School Lunch program commonly known as NSLP was initiated by the National School Lunch Act of 1946 signed by President Truman. The plan was aimed at safeguarding the well-being and health of children in America. The program was initiated at a time when there were many cases of malnutrition caused by poverty. The program also encouraged people to consume domestic agricultural goods. NSLP has become the second largest US nutrition and food assistance program. About half of lunch provided by the program is free with only a small percent given at a reduced cost. Many schools, both private and public schools participate in the NSLP program, though they are not required to offer NSLP meals to their students. The NSLP needs schools to run a nonprofits lunch program, and they should provide subsidized or free food for eligible children. Lunch programs in schools should also ensure that meals are provided in required meal hours. Schools participating in this program are reimbursed for each meal they provide to learners (Friel et al., 2016).
Similarly, to other nutrition and food assistance programs, NSLP intended to enhance the demand for agricultural commodities as well. In support of farming commodities, NSLP provides reduced-price and free lunch for students from low-income homes, donates products to the program directly and subsidizes food. Critiques for the program have argued that NSLP donations will increase the consumption of food hence leading to health problems. To address this concern, NSLP has been providing a menu that has whole grains, more fruits, and vegetables (Delgado, 2014).
As a matter of concern, school budgets swelled in the 1980s after there was subsidy cut on full-price meals. With the pressure of providing lunch to students, schools have been offering meals that do not meet nutritional standards. This cost pressure meant that private foodservice companies were to take over some school nutrition authorities. To add on that, given that food service companies have the capability of operating at a low cost and they have a high purchasing power, they are well suited for providing lunch services to schools. One significant achievement of this program is that the NSLP has helped in managing malnutrition among school-going children, especially those coming from low-income families (Delgado, 2014). However, the challenge has been that it has alleviated the problem of obesity among children. Critics have argued that it could have been better for the recipients' families to earn an income than feeding their children.
Food Labor and the Use of Immigrants
Studies have indicated that most Americans dislike farm work though it pays above the minimum wage since they perceive it to be hard. Immigrants are directly involved in the food system. To begin with, the workforce in the agricultural sector consists of about 50% immigrants. Most of these immigrants are paid low wages, and for a long time, they have helped in sustaining the farming business, and they are a reason for the cheap domestic food supply. Shortage of labor supply does not affect only large farm owners but also family-owned farms, restaurants, school food programs, and manufacturing companies. Landowners are arguing that president Trump’s hard stance on illegal immigration may end up affecting the economy since they depend solely on immigrant labor; irrespective of whether those immigrants are documented or not. Americans are disinterested in providing labor on farms, so the only remedy is using immigrants (Gold, 2016).
Also, it is also critical to note that many restaurants in America rely on immigrant labor. Research by BLS statistics indicates that the restaurant industry has about 1.4m workers who are on large part foreigners. These workers provide services such as dishwashing, cooking and working as busboys, etc. Though this may sound insignificant to some because foreigners account for only 10% of the workforce in the restaurant sector, Pew Hispanic Center suggests that there are about 30% dishwashers and 20% cooks of foreign origin (Gold, 2016). These jobs are unappealing and low paying, but the important part is that they play an essential role in sustaining the restaurant industry in business.
Immigrants are also responsible for the vending of street food. They do this as a way of earning income. The mayor in Washington is attempting to legalize street food business to help immigrants from facing criminal charges and deportation by Trump’s administration. Street food plays a critical role in availing ethnic food trends. The survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers indicates that 88% of Americans consume at least two ethnic foods monthly. Now that president Trump is working to fulfill his campaign promises, there are concerns on the country’s foreign and undocumented workers. If Trump follows his strict stand on immigration, the food sector is likely to crumble (Gold, 2016).
The role of the USDA and FDA in food production
USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture, the USDA is an agency tasked with overseeing the farming industry in America. The USDA is a leading public policy in agriculture, food, rural development, and nutrition. Historically, this agency was meant to ensure constant supply on the farms with profits by providing farmers with economic opportunities. The agency also links American farmers with foreign markets with a view of increasing profits. The USDA has also formulated several nutritional policies that advocate for proper dieting (Minkoff-Zern, 2018).
About 80% of the agency's budgetary allocation is allocated to the Food and Nutrition Service Program. The DGA as USDA branch has played a significant role in the dissemination of nutrition policy. This branch has a responsibility of helping families from low-income homes in making proper food decisions. The USDA aims at helping these low-income families who have difficulties in obtaining nutritious foods, make informed choices about healthy food. The program also encourages pregnant and young mothers to embrace proper nutrition (Minkoff-Zern, 2018).
FDA
On the other hand, Food and Drug Administration is tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding the health of the public by ensuring the efficacy, safety of biological products, veterinary drugs, food supply, and medical devices. The agency also controls the use of some toxic plants such as tobacco that may cause harmful effects to the public (Minkoff-Zern, 2018).
The Food Safety Modernization Act, a bill signed by President Obama has enabled the FDA to protect the public against consuming contaminated foods as the law has strengthened the food safety system. This legislative mandate has enabled the FDA to carry out comprehensive, science-based control measures in the agricultural sector. This law requires food facilities to evaluate actions that could compromise food safety and state the control measures to prevent hazards. The bill also needed transit food handlers to protect it against international adulteration. The Food Protection Plan 2007 has also protected the food supply from deliberate attack and foreign contamination (Minkoff-Zern, 2018).
Conclusion
In summary, in as much as efforts are being taken to ensure food security, proper nutrition should be a point of reference as well. It is inappropriate to spend to treat illnesses such as heart diseases, diabetes, and conditions like obesity; which can be prevented by eating healthy. The public is also called upon to shun calls from lobbyists and make appropriate judgments on eating healthy foods.
References
Delgado, D. (2014). CHCI White Paper.
Gold, M. V. (2016). Sustainable Agriculture: The Basics (p. 1). CRC Press.
Friel, S., Ponnamperuma, S., Schram, A., Gleeson, D., Kay, A., Thow, A. M., & Labonte, R. (2016). Shaping the discourse: What has the food industry been lobbying for in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and what are the implications for dietary health?. Critical Public Health, 26(5), 518-529.
Lipton, E. (2015). Food industry enlisted academics in GMO lobbying war, emails show. New York Times, 5.
Minkoff-Zern, L. A. (2018). Race, immigration and the agrarian question: farmworkers are becoming farmers in the United States. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 45(2), 389-408.
