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The American Food System

From the soil to the shelf, the American food system moves hundreds of millions of tons of commodity grain, livestock, and processed goods annually through a web of land deals, chemical inputs, biological production, and corporate contracts (USDA NASS). It feeds 335 million people reliably — and leaves systemic fractures in soil, water, worker health, and nutrition that grow harder to ignore every year.

Land &FoundationMore than half ofAmerican cropland isrented from investorsCapital &InputsBefore a seed hits soil,a corn farmer hasalready spent roughlyPlantingA Midwest corn farmermay have only seven daysof optimal soilCropProductionAn Iowa corn fieldproduces more caloriesper acre than almost anyAnimalProductionIt takes six pounds ofgrain to produce onepound of beefHarvestA record harvest can bea financial catastropheMarketContractingFor most Americanpoultry farmers, theprice they'll be paid isTransport &StorageA single failed lock onthe Mississippi Rivercan strand millions ofProcessingSoybeans are crushedwith a petroleum solventHumanConsumptionAmericans now spend moreon restaurant meals thanon groceriesIndustrialUseForty percent of the UScorn crop is burned incar engines↺
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