Earlier this month, Food & Tech Connect brought together 120 people in-person and virtually to participate in a “hackathon” for the Farm Bill. During a 12-hour period, teams brainstormed new tools and visual aids to educate the public about the farm bill and related food issues.

First prize went to “FARM BILL of Health.” You can view the presentation below. It simplifies Farm Bill spending by showing how the government disproportionately subsidizes the foods it recommends to the public in its new MyPlate food pyramid.

Facts shared from the presentation:

• $72 billions dollars is spent every year on food-related illnesses (e.g. diabetes, obesity, cancer)

• $33.1 billion spent on commodity crops (e.g. corn, soy, wheat)

• 4.3 billion spent on specialty crops (e.g. fruits, vegetables, nuts)