Apple A Day

Apple A Day

Apple A Day. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) are examining the link between fruit and vegetable consumption and incidence of cardiovascular diseases—the leading killer of Americans and a driver of escalating health care costs. Lacy Gray has more on the story.

GRAY: UCS's recent report, "The $11 Trillion Reward," finds that if Americans followed federal dietary guidelines for these healthy foods (2.5 cups of vegetables, 2 cups of fruit daily), we could prevent 127,261 cardiovascular deaths each year and save $17 billion in medical costs. Experts will review the report's findings and discuss the ways federal farm and food policies actually undermine dietary goals by promoting the production of junk food ingredients over healthy produce. These policies require taxpayers to pay twice: once to subsidize unhealthy food and a second time to pay for cardiovascular disease care. But Congress can change these policies to instead promote healthy food and fiscal responsibility.??Thanks Lacy. The speakers – representing public health, economics, fiscal conservation and healthy food access – discussed the Farm Bill options available to policymakers that result in common sense solutions. ?

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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