Despite remarkable advances in technology and medicine, the United States faces a troubling paradox: both life expectancy and healthy life expectancy are declining. Unlike other developed nations, Americans today do not live as long or as well as previous generations did, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. So, what’s driving this alarming trend?
The answer lies deep in the intertwined worlds of Big Agriculture and Big Pharma—two industries wielding enormous power over what we eat and how we manage our health. Their shared business models prioritize profits over people, creating a cycle of dependency that undermines long-term well-being.
The Rise of Chronic Disease and Obesity
Back in the 1930s, only 7.5% of Americans lived with chronic diseases. Today, that number has skyrocketed to 60%, with obesity rates reaching a staggering 40% and climbing. These chronic conditions—diabetes, hypertension, heart disease—are not only pervasive but often managed through lifelong medication rather than cured.
This epidemic of illness corresponds with how our food is produced and how healthcare is delivered. The relationship between these two seemingly separate systems is no accident—they both thrive on treating symptoms rather than preventing root causes.
Big Pharma and Big Ag: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Pharmaceutical companies profit heavily by focusing on symptom management. Instead of curing illnesses, many drugs manage conditions like high blood pressure or cancer over a patient’s lifetime. This steady stream of medication sales is lucrative, but it locks patients into dependency rather than true health.
Similarly, Big Agriculture keeps farmers locked into systems reliant on synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and genetically modified seeds. These inputs must be purchased anew each season, preventing soil restoration and perpetuating chemical dependency. Instead of nurturing nutrient-rich soil, the focus is on maximizing yield—often at the cost of long-term soil and food quality.
The cycle is self-reinforcing: as pests build resistance, farmers must use stronger chemicals; as medications cause side effects, patients often need additional drugs. This endless loop benefits corporations but leaves individuals sicker and more dependent.
The Bayer Example: A Corporate Giant Bridging Both Worlds
Bayer exemplifies the complex overlap between Big Pharma and Big Ag. Operating in 80 countries with hundreds of subsidiaries, Bayer’s portfolio spans cardiovascular drugs, cancer treatments, consumer health products like allergy remedies, and agriculture products centered on genetically modified seeds and pesticides.
This convergence raises troubling questions: can a corporation truly promote health while simultaneously profiting from agricultural practices that degrade the very foundation of nutrition—our soil?
The Consequences of Consolidated Power
This concentration of power marginalizes small farmers and consumers, pushes monocultures, reduces biodiversity, and fosters chemical dependency. It inflates food costs while squeezing farmer profits, creating an unsustainable food and health system.
Government policies often reinforce these dynamics. Subsidies and crop insurance programs favor high-yield, chemically intensive farming, discouraging sustainable practices like crop rotation, cover cropping, or no-till farming. Likewise, healthcare funding prioritizes pharmaceutical treatments and hospital procedures over preventive measures such as nutrition counseling, exercise programs, or alternative therapies.
Controlling the Narrative: Lobbying and Influence
Both industries invest millions in lobbying to maintain favorable policies. In 2024 alone, U.S. agribusinesses spent over $30 million lobbying, while pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $300 million. Bayer itself spent over $6 million on lobbying efforts.
Beyond politics, these corporations shape educational content—promoting conventional farming and pharmaceutical-centric medical training—further entrenching their influence and suppressing alternatives.
Soil Health and Gut Health: Two Microbiomes in Crisis
The parallels between soil health and gut health reveal a deeper truth. A thriving soil microbiome supports nutrient-dense crops, which in turn nourish our gut microbiome—the foundation of our immune system and metabolic health.
Heavy reliance on agrochemicals acts like antibiotics on the soil microbiome, killing beneficial organisms needed for healthy plant growth. This leads to degraded soil fertility and increased chemical use, mirroring how overuse of antibiotics can damage human gut health, resulting in chronic disease.
The Path Forward: Reclaiming Health and Sustainability
Real change requires shifting away from this profit-driven cycle. Supporting regenerative agriculture—practices that restore soil biodiversity and health—and embracing holistic, preventive healthcare can break our dependence on harmful chemicals and medications.
Technology and innovation have their place, but short-term fixes must not come at the cost of long-term health. Farmers and patients are not to blame—they are navigating systems designed to limit choices and promote dependency.
The power lies with consumers, farmers, and healthcare advocates to demand and support sustainable alternatives: diverse farms, nutrient-rich foods, and healthcare that empowers prevention.
By making conscious choices, investing in regenerative food systems, and advocating for holistic health, we can forge a future where longevity and quality of life improve—not decline.
Ashley Armstrong is passionate about restoring metabolic health and creating alternative food systems that reduce toxic chemicals and unhealthy fats. She is co-founder of Angel Acres Egg Club, specializing in low-PUFA eggs shipped across the U.S.
If you want, I can help you develop social media content or educational materials around this critical topic!