Politics

Most people perceive food as a basic biological need, an indicator of culture, a source of enjoyment, and sometimes as a trade commodity or generator of employment, but they rarely view it as political—an element in the mundane realm of power and manipulation in the interests of commerce. Food and politics, however, are inextricably linked. Politics affects every component of the American food system from production to consumption. Much money is at stake, and the principal stakeholders—the food industry, government regulators, public health officials, nutrition educators, and the general public—have different interests in the food system. Although everyone wants food to be plentiful, safe, environmentally sound, culturally appropriate, affordable, healthful, and palatable, the food industry has one additional interest: to sell products. The conflict between the commercial interests of food companies and the widely varying concerns of other stakeholders drives the politics of food.