The United States federal government allocates a staggering $38 billion annually to prop up the meat and dairy industries. These subsidies significantly reduce the price of meat products, including hamburgers. Research from 2015 reveals that these subsidies slash the price of a pound of hamburger meat from $30 to the $5 we see today
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How do you know? These subsidies need not be direct. For example, cattle feed could be subsidised. Not even the farmer might know that he’s actually getting a subsidy.
Having said that, I know that at least in the EU, farmers are given very generous direct subsidies, propping up an unsustainable and ecologically destructive industry.
Because it’s the internet, where sensational claims get lots of reactions.
I’d eat my hat if they weren’t taking subsidies and charging full price anyway.
Commodities markets can’t really do that unless the distributor controls everything. The chicken industry gets close to that, but since they’re out to screw both the consumers that buy their chickens and the farmers who raise them (chicken processors usually have hatcheries in the same complex as where they slaughter the grown ones, while Tyson and Perdue also being the some of the biggest feed suppliers), they tend to want to just grow the market as much as they can so they can continue to shave their margin off of every poor fucker they come in contact with
How much does half a cow cost where you live? I was thinking of investing in a good freezer this year and possibly going that route. Just not sure what to expect yet.