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How Nutrition Policy Affects Food and Agricultural Policy¹

Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1070.

The impact of the improved understanding of nutrition and the importance of the diet in nutrition status has had subtle but far-reaching consequences for food and agricultural policy. Many of the changes in the food supply are in response to increased consciousness of diet, nutrition and health status. The simple connection between nutrition policy and food and agricultural policy follows from the sovereignty of the consumer. Nutrition policy influences consumers' attitudes and choices. These impact the behavior of agents in the food and production system. And, if properly designed, food and agricultural policies can accelerate the process of adapting the production and distribution systems for agriculture and food to better meet the demands of the more informed consumer. Policies that reflect the behavior of consumers and supply better information to the agents in the food and agricultural system will be the most effective.

KEY WORDS: • nutrition policy • agricultural policy • food policy

¹ Presented at the "W. O. Atwater Centennial Celebration Symposium" held June 2–4, 1993 in Washington, D.C. The symposium was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the International Life Sciences Institute and the American Institute of Nutrition. Additional funding for this publication was provided by: Kellogg Company and the National Live Stock and Meat Board. Guest Editors for this supplement were: Gerald F. Combs, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Walter Mertz, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland.

² To whom correspondence should be addressed: Stanley R. Johnson, 578 Heady Hall, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.