--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the biggest impediment to fixing…" description: "\"I think the biggest impediment to fixing the food system in the United States is that we expect food to be cheap. We want to by other things with our m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/alice-waters-3447_agriculture_i-think-the-biggest-impediment-to-fixing_1362185.png" --- # I think the biggest impediment to fixing the food system… ![“I think the biggest impediment to fixing the food system in the United States is that we expect food to be cheap. We want to by other things with our money. We're so disconnected from agriculture - from the culture in agriculture.” quote by Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/alice-waters-3447_agriculture_i-think-the-biggest-impediment-to-fixing_1362185.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/alice-waters-3447_agriculture_i-think-the-biggest-impediment-to-fixing_1362185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/alice-waters-3447_agriculture_i-think-the-biggest-impediment-to-fixing_1362185.png) > “I think the biggest impediment to fixing the food system in the United States is that we expect food to be cheap. We want to by other things with our money. We're so disconnected from agriculture - from the culture in agriculture.” [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. food system’s failure stems from the expectation of cheap food, which disconnects consumers from agricultural reality. **In simple terms:** Cheap food expectations hide true agricultural costs. Key Takeaway Support sustainable, fair‑priced food. Themes food justice economics environment culture Mood concerned hopeful determined Type activist educational When to use this quote - grocery shopping - school meals - community gardening - policy advocacy Key Concepts sustainability policy consumer awareness Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if food prices reflected true costs? - How can consumers reconnect with food origins? A Different Perspective Affordability pressures can compromise quality and ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Impediments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impediments/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [We have to bring children into a new relationship to food that connects them to culture and agriculture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/we-have-to-bring-children-into-a-new-relationship-to-food-that/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [We eat every day, and if we do it in a way that doesn't recognize value, it's contributing to the destruction of our culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/we-eat-every-day-and-if-we-do-it-in-a-way-that-doesn-t-recognize/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [The problem with living in a fast-food nation is that we expect food to be cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/the-problem-with-living-in-a-fast-food-nation-is-that-we-expect-food/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [Food should be cheap, and labor should be cheap, and everything should be the same no matter where you go; whether it's a McDonald's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/food-should-be-cheap-and-labor-should-be-cheap-and-everything-should/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [“The question isn't why organic food is so darned expensive, it's really about why chemically sprayed, poisoned food is so cheap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mango-wodzak/the-question-isn-t-why-organic-food-is-so-darned-expensive-it-s/) [Mango Wodzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mango-wodzak/) > [The notion that processed food is cheap and integrity foods are prohibitively expensive is simply not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/the-notion-that-processed-food-is-cheap-and-integrity-foods-are/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [When you grow up where healthy food isn't easily accessible, you eat a lot of processed food and whatever else is available - McDonalds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-parker/when-you-grow-up-where-healthy-food-isn-t-easily-accessible-you-eat-a/) [Jabari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-parker/) > [Fast sex, like fast food, is cheap, but it doesn't nourish the body - or the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-fields/fast-sex-like-fast-food-is-cheap-but-it-doesn-t-nourish-the-body-or/) [Suzanne Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-fields/) > [Junk food being cheap and gym memberships being expensive are the reasons why we are getting fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/junk-food-being-cheap-and-gym-memberships-being-expensive-are-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The consumer wants food to be as cheap as possible. The producer wants it to be as expensive as possible. Both want it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-consumer-wants-food-to-be-as-cheap-as-possible-the-producer-wants/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A lot of stuff, all the fast food, the cheap food, the dollar menu - I had to cut all that off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ruiz-jr/a-lot-of-stuff-all-the-fast-food-the-cheap-food-the-dollar-menu-i-had/) [Andy Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ruiz-jr/) > [“...whenever I hear people say clean food is expensive, I tell them it's actually the cheapest food you can buy. That always gets their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/whenever-i-hear-people-say-clean-food-is-expensive-i-tell-them-it-s/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [We've been so disconnected agriculturally and culturally from food. We spend more time on dieting than on cooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/we-ve-been-so-disconnected-agriculturally-and-culturally-from-food-we/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [In general, we should be able to agree that those who have greater opportunities and face fewer impediments have a greater responsibility to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-general-we-should-be-able-to-agree-that-those-who-have-greater/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Being a housewife, makes women sick.It may therefore be that married women say they are happy because they are sick.To be happy in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-bernard/being-a-housewife-makes-women-sick-it-may-therefore-be-that-married/) Jessie Bernard ## More by Alice Waters > [It's a pleasure to talk to the farmers. That's my favorite part, always was. It's really the communication and exchange that builds communities. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/it-s-a-pleasure-to-talk-to-the-farmers-that-s-my-favorite-part-always/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I think if you buy from people who are taking care of the land, you're supporting the future of this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-think-if-you-buy-from-people-who-are-taking-care-of-the-land-you-re/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I believe that every child in this world needs to have a relationship with the land...to know how to nourish themselves...and to know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-believe-that-every-child-in-this-world-needs-to-have-a-relationship/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [Cooking and shopping for food brings rhythm and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/cooking-and-shopping-for-food-brings-rhythm-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I feel like old age in America is a very sad thing. I have been many different places around the world where getting older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-feel-like-old-age-in-america-is-a-very-sad-thing-i-have-been-many/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [It's around the table and in the preparation of food that we learn about ourselves and about the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/it-s-around-the-table-and-in-the-preparation-of-food-that-we-learn/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I don't want food that comes from animals that are caged up and fed antibiotics. I am really suspicious of that kind of production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-don-t-want-food-that-comes-from-animals-that-are-caged-up-and-fed/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I wanted people to come to the restaurant and feel at home, so I put it in a house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-wanted-people-to-come-to-the-restaurant-and-feel-at-home-so-i-put/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [We make decisions every day about what we're going to eat. And some people want to buy Nike shoes - two pairs, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/we-make-decisions-every-day-about-what-we-re-going-to-eat-and-some/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [The act of eating is very political. You buy from the right people, you support the right network of farmers and suppliers who care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/the-act-of-eating-is-very-political-you-buy-from-the-right-people-you/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I think health is the outcome of finding a balance and some satisfaction at the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-think-health-is-the-outcome-of-finding-a-balance-and-some/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [I eat meat, but no meat that isn't pastured is acceptable, and we probably need to eat a whole lot less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-eat-meat-but-no-meat-that-isn-t-pastured-is-acceptable-and-we/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [Food should be cheap, and labor should be cheap, and everything should be the same no matter where you go; whether it's a McDonald's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/food-should-be-cheap-and-labor-should-be-cheap-and-everything-should/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [Whenever I want to know how to cook something, I can't ask one chef - I have to ask six.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/whenever-i-want-to-know-how-to-cook-something-i-can-t-ask-one-chef-i/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [Our full humanity is contingent on our hospitality; we can be complete only when we are giving something away; when we sit at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/our-full-humanity-is-contingent-on-our-hospitality-we-can-be-complete/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) [Explore all 130 Alice Waters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) ## More Agriculture quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [I would say my fraternity was nothing but a bunch of farm boys; we weren't really in the whole fraternity scene, but yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-would-say-my-fraternity-was-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-farm-boys-we/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I grew up in Italy, and our country is a country of great agriculture and food produce. It wasn't like I was urban and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/i-grew-up-in-italy-and-our-country-is-a-country-of-great-agriculture/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Sara Scherr and Jeff McNeely have given us a thoughtful, sensible book about a topic of great importance to the world. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-serageldin/sara-scherr-and-jeff-mcneely-have-given-us-a-thoughtful-sensible-book/) [Ismail Serageldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-serageldin/) > [People want development, modern thinking. They want to encourage and support research in agriculture and other fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharad-pawar/people-want-development-modern-thinking-they-want-to-encourage-and/) [Sharad Pawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharad-pawar/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When politicians talk of loan waiver, they are accepting that agriculture is not economically viable. They are giving a wrong signal that farming is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/when-politicians-talk-of-loan-waiver-they-are-accepting-that/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [Nitrogen-based fertilizers, which came into wide use after World War II, helped prompt the agricultural revolution that has allowed the Earth to feed its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/nitrogen-based-fertilizers-which-came-into-wide-use-after-world-war/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [Agriculture is one economic activity that does not obey the laws of demand and supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/agriculture-is-one-economic-activity-that-does-not-obey-the-laws-of/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [More than a mere alternative strategy, regenerative agriculture represents a fundamental shift in our culture’s relationship to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/more-than-a-mere-alternative-strategy-regenerative-agriculture/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) [Browse all 889 Agriculture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the biggest impediment to fixing the food system in the United States is that we expect food to be cheap. 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