Absolutely. Post WW2 food production with NPK intrants and machineries changed how we grow food. ( thanks Bayers ! )
But it’s hardly the sole factor and I would not be surprise if it was not the main driver of multiplication.
Medecine & Basic hygiene also went a long way. As well as the great convenience of bottled energy to move things arounds for cheap.
But I think we talk about a bunch of stuff at once here.
For instance I did not mention biologic produce.
Just … cooking food in a large communal kitchens with large kitchen equipment. The kind where you can cook for 50 people at once.
As opposed to : complex industrial process to build a hot pocket or a frozen breakfast burrito.
One is something most people can be trained to do, and the other needs a team of engineers to design, and another team to build the factory and another to run it.
( watching your vox link )
Oh. Ok. Yeah. I find that part relevant
> But the US government also doesn’t subsidize leafy vegetable crops in the same way it supports wheat, soy, and corn, vital ingredients in a lot of junk food.
I think it says it all. Why is the US government meddling with the market? I live in the Us as well: We don’t pay the real price of food. Yeah produce are labors intensive. But a lot of crap food has hidden cost that should be factored in. ( but that’s yet another topic :) )
To summarize, I find it hard to smallow that buying a frozen product that flew to you and is the result of a complex industrial process is cheaper than whatever grow with sunlight, a hour of care a day and some water.