Comments on: Agriculture and the Healthcare Debate: Inextricably Linked http://civileats.com/2009/08/19/agriculture-and-the-healthcare-debate-inextricably-linked/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:49:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sarah http://civileats.com/2009/08/19/agriculture-and-the-healthcare-debate-inextricably-linked/comment-page-1/#comment-3881 Sarah Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:47:02 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=4713#comment-3881 Don't forget that many farmers cannot afford or will not be awarded health insurance due to the high risk of farming. When working with large machinery, it can be one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Think of all the lifelong farmers you know. How many of them are missing fingers (or even limbs) or are scarred up in some way or another? If they can afford it, they have to pay out-of-pocket. They are their own employers, after all. Cargill and Monsanto and Archer-Daniels-Midlands aren't going to cover it. And the vast majority of farm workers? They can't even count on real wages and a decent place to sleep, much less health insurance. I agree that a substantive change in our national eating habits is needed and certainly warranted, but don't forget that farmers need health insurance and decent healthcare just as much as the poverty-stricken folks who must resort to the emergency room to get any healthcare at all. Don’t forget that many farmers cannot afford or will not be awarded health insurance due to the high risk of farming. When working with large machinery, it can be one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Think of all the lifelong farmers you know. How many of them are missing fingers (or even limbs) or are scarred up in some way or another? If they can afford it, they have to pay out-of-pocket. They are their own employers, after all. Cargill and Monsanto and Archer-Daniels-Midlands aren’t going to cover it.

And the vast majority of farm workers? They can’t even count on real wages and a decent place to sleep, much less health insurance.

I agree that a substantive change in our national eating habits is needed and certainly warranted, but don’t forget that farmers need health insurance and decent healthcare just as much as the poverty-stricken folks who must resort to the emergency room to get any healthcare at all.

]]> By: Tamara Smith http://civileats.com/2009/08/19/agriculture-and-the-healthcare-debate-inextricably-linked/comment-page-1/#comment-3880 Tamara Smith Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:23:56 +0000 http://civileats.com/?p=4713#comment-3880 As Hippocrates once said, "Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food." Good words, Sara. As Hippocrates once said, “Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food.”

Good words, Sara.

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