our stance on
Food

Fixing Food: The Pivot Party’s Vision

Food is essential to life, but our current food system isn’t working for everyday Americans. Big agriculture puts profits ahead of safety and health, allowing harmful chemicals—banned in other countries—to stay in our food. At the same time, small farmers and local food networks are struggling to compete, and even our right to grow our own food is under threat.

The Pivot Party believes it’s time to take back control of what’s on our plates. We’re focused on holding corporations accountable, making food safer, and empowering local growers to provide healthier, more sustainable options for everyone.

The Pivot Party’s Plan for Food

We have a clear plan to create a safer, healthier, and more local food system:

1. Make Food Safer:

   • Ban harmful chemicals and additives already banned in other countries.

   • Improve food labels so you know exactly what’s in your food.

   • Strengthen enforcement of safety rules to protect public health.

2. Support Local Farmers and Growers:

   • Protect the right to grow and farm by limiting corporate control over seeds and farming resources.

   • Offer grants and tools to help small farmers use sustainable practices.

   • Build an online platform to connect local growers with buyers, restaurants, and schools, making fresh, local food more accessible.

3. Promote Sustainable Farming:

   • Encourage farming practices that improve soil health, save water, and reduce harmful chemicals.

   • Support organic and regenerative farming to protect the environment.

   • Help farmers switch to sustainable methods without losing income.

4. Make Healthy Food Available to Everyone:

   • Expand programs to bring fresh, local produce to areas that don’t have it, like food deserts.

   • Partner with schools to provide students with fresh, nutritious meals from local farmers.

   • Shift government subsidies away from processed junk food to healthier options like fruits and vegetables.

5. Strengthen Local Food Systems:

   • Promote community gardens, urban farming, and food co-ops so people can grow and access fresh food in their neighborhoods.

   • Support small-scale food production to reduce reliance on fragile global supply chains.

   • Ensure fair prices for both farmers and consumers by cutting out corporate middlemen.

A Healthier Future for Everyone

The Pivot Party sees a future where every American can access safe, nutritious, and locally-sourced food. By making food safer, supporting local farmers, and encouraging sustainable practices, we can build a food system that puts people over profits.

What Went Wrong: Key Problems in Our Food System

To fix our food system, we need to understand what’s gone wrong:

1. 1. The Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933):

      • This New Deal-era legislation aimed to stabilize crop prices by controlling production, but it also began a long trend of favoring large-scale industrial farming over smaller, local growers.

   2. The Green Revolution (1940s–1970s):

      • While increasing global food production, this movement promoted chemical-heavy farming practices and monocultures, setting the stage for today’s reliance on pesticides and herbicides.

   3. The Farm Bill Subsidies (1973):

      • Changes in the Farm Bill shifted subsidies to favor large-scale production of crops like corn and soy, leading to a flood of cheap processed foods and harming small farmers.

   4. Diamond v. Chakrabarty (1980):

      • This Supreme Court decision allowed genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to be patented, giving corporations control over seeds and reducing farmers’ ability to save and replant crops.

   5. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Amendments (1988):

      • While intended to regulate pesticides, the act allowed many chemicals banned in other countries to remain in use, prioritizing corporate interests over public health.

   6. Consolidation of Agribusiness (1990s–Today):

      • Mergers among agribusiness giants led to a handful of corporations controlling seeds, equipment, and distribution, driving up costs for farmers and reducing competition.

   7. Weak Food Labeling Standards (2000s–Today):

      • Regulations on food labeling have been watered down, making it difficult for consumers to understand where their food comes from or what it contains.

   8. Global Trade Policies (1990s–Today):

      • Trade agreements prioritized exports over local food security, pushing small farmers out of business and increasing dependence on fragile global supply chains.

   By addressing these problems, we can build a food system that works for everyone. It’s time to create a future where food is safe, affordable, and local—and where farmers and communities thrive.

It’s time to pivot. Let’s fix our food system for the health of our families and our planet.