Blame Earl Butz

So that I could write this story, I watched the documentary King Corn with my husband. Afterward, I became apoplectic with rage. Why have we made such irresponsible choices with America’s most subsidized, most productive grain? The rampant use of high-fructose corn syrup, all the secret corn in processed foods--this didn't need to happen. Accustomed to rants of this sort, my husband (a psychologist) remained unflappable. Walking through the kitchen, however, my daughter looked alarmed, the thought bubble over her head something like, "Um, my parents appear to be fighting about corn. Has anyone ever gotten divorced because of corn?"

I calmed down, but I still blame Earl Butz.

He was the secretary of agriculture under Richard Nixon, instrumental in rewriting New Deal agricultural policy, urging farmers to plant commodity crops and lots of them. As the architect of modern subsidies, his aim was to expand the reach of agriculture and transform the way we farm. Fundamentally, he wanted people fed. He enthuses about his successes in an interview with the King Corn filmmakers in his office: “Spend 16 to 17 percent of our take-home pay on food? That’s marvelous!”

Butz died this February, so out of respect I'll stop haranguing.

Evil corn from Grinning Planet.

Comments

[Jimbo]

I met Butz and his wife at Moore's Seafood (a place you should review) on Longboat Key when he was in office and vacationing. A nice guy...

Today's corn prices have nothing to do with Butz or corn syrup. It has everything to do with the stupidity behind the ethanol movement.

[JM]

Let's just admit it, it's really fun to say "Earl Butz."

I like to say it like Beavus would. Go ahead, try it.

[The Mouth]

JM, I would say "grow up," but you're just too right on this one.

[Ed C.]

And here I thought that corn syrup got its start from high sugar tariffs keeping US sugar as much as 3x more pricey than world commodity prices.

[Emily]

Yes, lets blame Earl Butz when he successfully improved American affluence. He did not put the bag of Doritos in our hands and none of his legislation has been reversed decades after the fact.