Food Politics

by Marion Nestle
Feb 14 2025

Weekend reading: the potato cartel

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Since I’m talking about potatoes, try these!

Heart Roasted Potatoes

I learned about this from a Tweet (X) from Dan Barber.

I went right to The Lever and signed on so I could read: The Rise Of Big Potato: Allegations of price collusions among the potato cartel reveal the new, sophisticated methods food corporations are using to keep prices high.

The four companies now stand accused of operating as a “cartel” and conspiring to hike prices, jacking up the cost of french fries and Tater Tots around the country. But they’re hardly alone. The case against Big Potato is a window into how consolidation has crept into every corner of the food industry — and how these firms are finding new, sophisticated methods to keep prices high.

After decades of consolidation, just four firms now control at least 97 percent of the $68 billion frozen potato market, the antitrust cases reveal. These four companies participate in the same trade associations and use a third-party data analytics platform — PotatoTrac — to share confidential business information. The lawsuits allege the firms’ collusion has driven french fries and hash browns to record-high prices.

All of this reminds me of:

  • Get big or get out: the USDA’s advice to corn farmers in the 1970s
  • Congressional overturning of school lunch standards restricting the number of times french fries could be served
  • Health concerns about frequent consumption of french fries
Feb 13 2025

Brazil tax reform!

At the end of December, I received an email from Paula Johns, director of ACT Health Promotion in Brazil.

Today we are celebrating the approval of the tax reform in Brazil. This Tuesday, Dec 17th, the text was approved by the National Congress!!

The tax reform is a historic achievement for Brazil and we celebrate the fact that products harmful to health, such as tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks, are included in the selective tax. We followed each stage of the discussion and saw the intense lobbying by the economic sector that profits from these products to weaken the selective tax proposal, but it was finally approved, as well as the tax-exempt basic food basket, with healthier products in accordance with the Brazilian Food Guidelines.

…Important to highlight that our National Congress is one of the worst we’ve ever had! To beat The Coca-Cola lobby there is quite an achievement! Wanted to celebrate with you. The inclusion of carbonated drinks in the selective tax now opens the door for a broader discussion about other categories of ultraprocessed foods in the revision that will happen in five years from now.

I also received a press announcement: “Historic Public Health Victory”: Vital Strategies Applauds Brazil’s Approval of Selective Tax on Tobacco, Soft Drinks, and Alcohol

The newly approved legislation includes annual tax adjustments for tobacco, soft drinks and alcohol in line with inflation. Additionally, it establishes an innovative basic food basket of healthy, sustainable products exempt from taxation. The tax reform also grants a 60% reduction in tax rates for horticultural and minimally processed products, nuts, oils, flours, and items from Brazil’s rich socio-biodiversity.  These measures will help ensure better access to nutritious food while discouraging consumption of unhealthy commodities.

…The specific tax rates for tobacco, alcohol, and soft drinks will be determined in 2025. To fully realize the public health benefits of this new tax structure, the levels of tax must be sufficient to reduce consumption. Vital Strategies, Brazil, will collaborate closely with partners to advocate for tax rates that prioritize public health. Setting these rates at levels that significantly reduce consumption of harmful products will protect communities from preventable diseases.

I tried to find more details, and hit upon Covington ‘s Brazil’s historic tax reform: a primer.  This lays out what will have to happen before implementation.  It says almost nothing about the public health taxes except this:

Key Change: the Selective Tax
In addition to the dual VAT (CBS/IBS), the reform establishes a new Selective Tax (IS) to regulate goods and services it characterizes as having significant negative health and environmental externalities. The IS will be charged on production, extraction, sale, or importation of these goods and services.

This will be interesting to watch.  Stay tuned!

Tags: ,
Feb 12 2025

The new A-Word: Advocacy

As a long-time proponent of food advocacy, I’ve been collecting suggestions for what you and I can do to stop or counter presidential decrees that we think damaging to Americans and American democracy.

A lot of this is easy.  Do it!

  • State your opinion to Washington: Call the Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
  • State your opinion to your representatives. To find your representative, click here.  To find your Senator, click here.
  • Protect the vulnerable in your community; Urge your state’s attorney general to file complaints, injunctions, and restraining orders. To find your state attorney general, click here.
  • Join with others in your community to protest what needs to be protested. To find local organizations working on such issues, click Indivisible here.
  • Boycott companies enabling the illegal government takeover. Click here to find out a corporation’s politics.
  • Support groups doing the litigating. Track federal cases here.
  • Speak truth to power. Get news from reliable sources; spread it.
  • Take care of yourself; stay strong.

Much of this has been inspired by Robert Reich’s daily comments on current events, and his summary of needed actions. 

He says,

We will get through this, and we will prevail.”

But it will require confidence, courage, and tenacity. We need to stay healthy for this fight. We need to be fortified by those we care about. And we need to be there for those we love.

His final piece of advice: “keep the faith.”

Do not give up on America. Do not fall into the traps of cynicism and defeatism. Remember, Trump won the popular vote by only 1.5 points. By any historical measure, this was a squeaker…America has deep problems, to be sure. Which is why we can’t give up on it — or give up the fights for social justice, equal political rights, equal opportunity, democracy, and the rule of law.

Feb 11 2025

Brave New World: Trigger Words for Scientists

An anonymous reader sent me this list, purportedly from the National Science Foundation, of words that disqualify scientists from submitting papers for publication, and applicants from getting grants.  The reader also sent the NSF decision tree for use of these words.  I cannot trace the original source of this material.  If you have any information about whether this is for real, please let me know.  My favorite words on this list?  Advocate and women.

The disqualifying words:

  • activism
  • activists
  • advocacy
  • advocate
  • advocates
  • antiracist
  • barrier
  • barriers
  • biased
  • biased toward
  • biases
  • biases towards
  • bipoc
  • black and latinx
  • community diversity
  • community equity
  • cultural differences
  • cultural heritage
  • culturally responsive
  • disabilities
  • disability
  • discriminated
  • discrimination
  • discriminatory
  • diverse backgrounds
  • diverse communities
  • diverse community
  • diverse group
  • diverse groups
  • diversified
  • diversify
  • diversifying
  • diversity and inclusion
  • diversity equity
  • enhance the diversity
  • enhancing diversity
  • equal opportunity
  • equality
  • equitable
  • equity
  • ethnicity
  • excluded
  • female
  • females
  • fostering inclusivity
  • gender
  • gender diversity
  • genders
  • hate speech
  • hispanic minority
  • historically
  • implicit bias
  • implicit biases
  • inclusion
  • inclusive
  • inclusiveness
  • inclusivity
  • increase diversity
  • increase the diversity
  • indigenous community
  • inequalities
  • inequality
  • inequitable
  • inequities
  • institutional
  • lgbt
  • marginalize
  • marginalized
  • minorities
  • minority
  • multicultural
  • polarization
  • political
  • prejudice
  • privileges
  • promoting diversity
  • race and ethnicity
  • racial
  • racial diversity
  • racial inequality
  • racial justice
  • racially
  • racism
  • sense of belonging
  • sexual preferences
  • social justice
  • socio cultural
  • socio economic
  • sociocultural
  • socioeconomic status
  • stereotypes
  • systemic
  • trauma
  • under appreciated
  • under represented
  • under served
  • underrepresentation
  • underrepresented
  • underserved
  • undervalued
  • victim
  • women
  • women and underrepresented

The NSF decision tree for disqualifying papers or grant applications using those words:

Tomorrow: How to comment on all of this.

Resources sent by readers

Feb 10 2025

Industry-funded study of the week: grape extract and cognition

The study: Amone F, Spina A, Perri A, Lofaro D, Zaccaria V, Insolia V, Lirangi C, Puoci F, Nobile V. Standardized Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Extract Improves Short- and Long-Term Cognitive Performances in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Trial. Foods. 2024; 13(18):2999. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13182999

Background: Cognitive decline, a common consequence of aging, detrimentally affects independence, physical activity, and social interactions. This decline encompasses various cognitive functions, including processing speed, memory, language, and executive functioning.

Purpose:  This trial aimed to investigate, with a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on 96 healthy older adults, the efficacy of once-daily 250 mg of a standardized grape (Vitis vinifera L.) juice extract (Cognigrape®) in improving short- and long-term cognitive functions.

Results: The results revealed significant improvements across multiple cognitive domains, notably immediate and delayed memory, visuospatial abilities, language, and attention, with improvements occurring within just 14 days, which continued to improve after 84 days of supplementation.

Conclusion:  These positive results highlight the potential this natural grape extract has on improving cognitive function both acutely and chronically in a healthy aging population, which in turn supports a longer health span, at least cognitively.

Funding: This research was funded by Bionap S.r.l. (95032 Piano Tavola Belpasso, CT, Italy). The APC was funded by Bionap S.r.l. (95032 Piano Tavola Belpasso, CT, Italy).

Conflicts of Interest: V.Z. is a Bionap S.r.l. employee. This does not alter the author’s adherence to all the journal policies on sharing data and materials. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funder had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Comment: I love how the Bionap company describes itself: “BIONAP is a dynamic company which produces standardized botanical extracts obtained from plants and fruits growing in the areas surrounding Mt Etna UNESCO World Heritage. Our mission is to discover innovative active substances with the aim of improving the health and well-being of people world wide.”
Of course it is.  And to make money for investors.  Hence, research like this.  Bionap paid for this study and employs one of the authors.  This is marketing research, World Heritage sited or not.
Feb 7 2025

Most enlightening report of the week: GAO on infant formula

After two years of work, the Government Accountability Office has just published: WIC Infant Formula:Single-Supplier Competitive Contracts Reduce Program Costs and Modestly Increase Retail Prices.

Here’s its quick summary:

Over half the country’s infant formula is bought through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). States must contract with the formula manufacturer that offers the lowest price after a rebate to be their sole supplier for WIC.

Two formula manufacturers hold most of the contracts. In 2022, the U.S. had a formula shortage because one of them halted production after a recall.

While sole supplier contracts make states vulnerable to supply disruptions, the rebates saved states about $1.6 billion in FY 2023. These savings offset other WIC food costs, allowing the program to serve more eligible participants.

This is such a weird system—monopoly infant formula in action!—that’s it hard to fathom.  But take a look at this:

Let me just say that all infant formulas have to meet the FDA’s strict nutritional requirements.  This means that they are all the same nutritionally.

But the prices differ by four-fold, as far as I can tell.

So this is all about marketing share.  Take a look at the effects of WIC on this market.

 

Feb 6 2025

USDA’s Dietary Data Briefs: Pizza!

The USDA’s Food Surveys Research Group recently released its most recent Dietary Data Briefs based on What We Eat in America (WWEIA) data from NHANES 2020.

I went right to pizza.

Women over the age of 60 report getting nearly a third of their daily calories from pizza?

Even little kids get a fifth?

And that was before the pandemic….

I love pizza, but dietary variety anyone?

Feb 5 2025

How GLP-1 drugs are likely to affect the food industry

I am fortunate to be on the mailing list for Nicholas Fereday’s always-worth-reading Rabobank’s RaboResearch.  This one is especially worth sharing: Talking Points: Anti-obesity medications—Will the food industry be the biggest loser?

It has been oer a year since the food industry finally woke up to the threats and opportunities of the new class of Anti-Obesity Medications (AOMs) such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound.  And gosh, what a lot has happened since then. Chiefly, both the demand and supply of these drugs have exceeded all expectations and the momentum driving the market suggests they are highly likely to become a permanent feature of the food landscape. Doubly so as scientists keep finding further benefits from taking them – the weight loss effects of these drugs might ultimately prove to be their least remarkable feature. But for now, the impact of these drugs on the food industry is real. The challenge for the food industry is to figure out how to respond to that and unlock some of the opportunities these drugs create. Here are three points to consider:

1.   The AOM market is much bigger and growing much faster than anticipated.

2.   There are good reasons to believe demand has strong momentum.

3.    Users of AOMs eat less and differently, providing a useful roadmap for food companies.