If your only expectation is that it provides enough calories for your population, you are absolutely right. If you have a look at the bigger picture, the issues are plentiful. On the producer side, farmers are operating at relatively thin margins which encourages consolidation and unsustainable farming practices. This in turn leads to extensive soil degradation and fertilizer use, which is unsustainable - both financially and ecologically.
On the consumer side, people are becoming more overweight (which cannot be exclusively be attributed to the food system, but diet of course plays a significant role). Food is becoming more expensive and lower quality. Food waste also still is a major problem.
Many issues are shared between the US and the European food system, although they may not be as extreme as in the US. However, it does not feel like there is actual political will to steer the ship in a different direction.
throw0101c|2 months ago
"Suicide Among Farmers in France: Occupational Factors and Recent Trends":
* https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27409004/
"Under Pressure: Suicides Among Farmers in Austria and Germany":
* https://www.journalismfund.eu/suicides-farmers-austria-and-g...
"Mental Health Risks to Farmers in the UK":
* https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/43055/pdf/
And Europe's policies affecting other places, "Stop the Dumping! How EU agricultural subsidies are damaging livelihoods in the developing world":
* https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/stop-the-dumping...
moooo99|2 months ago
If your only expectation is that it provides enough calories for your population, you are absolutely right. If you have a look at the bigger picture, the issues are plentiful. On the producer side, farmers are operating at relatively thin margins which encourages consolidation and unsustainable farming practices. This in turn leads to extensive soil degradation and fertilizer use, which is unsustainable - both financially and ecologically.
On the consumer side, people are becoming more overweight (which cannot be exclusively be attributed to the food system, but diet of course plays a significant role). Food is becoming more expensive and lower quality. Food waste also still is a major problem.
Many issues are shared between the US and the European food system, although they may not be as extreme as in the US. However, it does not feel like there is actual political will to steer the ship in a different direction.