In the recent episode of The Plantbased Business Hour, CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano discusses whether or not the 2024 presidential election result could change U.S. food policy.
You can listen to the podcast here, and below is a transcription of the podcast.
Elysabeth: Here’s today’s Plantbased Business Hour.
Hey everyone, it’s great to come to you from the jungle. I thought I would see what it would be like to really be remote and working remotely, and I am indeed doing that from the jungle in Mexico. I’m enjoying it a lot and thought I would get away from election news. So speaking of the election, a lot of people ask me, “What do you think the election will do to U.S. food policy and will the outcome change U.S. food policy?” I actually don’t believe it will, regardless of who gets into the White House.
I think there are arguments on both sides for food systems transformation. On one side you have climate change, but on the other side you have food insecurity, which is an issue of national security. So as you look at things like the Department of Defense spending just about 20% of its recent R&D grant on alternative proteins, sustainable oils and egg replacements and the Better Meat Company.
They’re just working on having alternatives and better sustainable food options for more resilient food supply chains and more innovation in the food market. I see that as, you know, an argument for the other side.
I think both sides are quite capable and even willing to bend over to the meat lobby. I just think they have so much power, more than I even realized a year ago. Nothing happens unless they say it happens. So I think neither of them is going to put their political career online by going up against the meat lobby. So there are arguments to be made for both sides that they could make progress, and there’s arguments to be made that neither of them will make progress.
I’m recording this before the election but now probably the election has taken place by the time this comes out. We will have results and we will forge ahead just like we have before. We got up against all of the obstacles just as we have before, because it really doesn’t matter politically either way.
The tides are turning politically for legislation, advocacy and legislation, but it’s a slow-turning boat, but both arguments are pressing food insecurity which is really linked to food independence. Being able to secure your own food and water is a growing independent issue for all countries, not just the U.S., but primarily Singapore, China, India, Africa and the U.S. wants to run that. Nobody wants to be on the back of the bus on food innovation, so the U.S. wants to maintain a stronghold there.
If you control everyone’s food and water, you really have ultimate power. A long time ago on a very early Plantbased Business hour episode with Tom Mastrobuoni from Big Idea Ventures, we sat down and we said future wars will be fought over food and water. So the way to control power in the future is to control food independence so nobody wants to be in the back of the bus on food innovation and that’s going to include the United States.
So we do have some things going for us but this election either way I don’t believe will make a difference. Okay everybody, I hope that you’re happy with the outcome. There’s a 50% chance you won’t be and regardless we go forward. Okay, talk soon.
Elysabeth Alfano is the CEO of VegTech™ Invest, the advisor to the VegTech™ Plant-based Innovation & Climate ETF, EATV. She is also the founder of Plant Powered Consulting and the Host of the Plantbased Business Hour.
