overproduction of and the reduction in prices of commodity crops such as corn and soybeans. Low commodity prices incentivize farms to create new ways to use these commodity crops. These subsidies caused a decrease in the prices of corn and soybeans, and led to the creation of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable oils – ingredients directly linked to obesity that are frequent components of many modern food products. In 1998, over 11,000 food products were introduced to Americans; of these, approximately 75% were candies, condiments, cereals, and beverages – all foods high in added high fructose corn syrup. Between 1974 and 2004, U.S. consumption of high fructose corn syrup increased over 1,000%. Agricultural subsidies in other countries also tend to favor energy-dense crops. Unhealthy foods tend to be inexpensive when compared to their healthy counterparts. As fruits and vegetables are not subsidized, the real cost of such crops has risen nearly 40%. In contrast, the prices of soda, sweets, fats, and oils declined due to the Farm Bill's subsidy to farmers growing commodity crops. Currently, the least expensive food available is also the most caloric and the least nutritious: for example, a dollar's worth of cookies or potato chips yields 1200 calories, while a dollar's worth of carrots yields only 250 calories. U.S. farmers feed commodity crops to livestock that provide the country with meat, milk, and other products. Essential nutrients are taken away when cows are fed corn and/or soybeans instead of a natural grass diet. A 2014 University of Utah study claimed that "grass-fed beef has been shown to be higher in health-promoting nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, and cancer-fighting conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than beef that is fed grain." Ultimately, the U.S. government provides the subsidy for grain-fed livestock that causes farmers who raise grass-fed livestock financial stress and competition problems; hence, the U.S. government is partially responsible for causing increased rates of obesity and its associated serious co-morbid health conditions/diseases in its citizens. The government works to lower these rates but does not ratify or eliminate the subsidies partially responsible for their increase. An example of attempts the U.S. government has made to combat obesity is the 2008 Farm Bill's funding of community gardens located primarily in low income neighborhoods. A Michigan study of 766 adults in low-income neighborhoods showed that community garden participants were 3.5 times more likely to consume fruits and vegetables at