There's no clearer voice in America about the business of food than Michael Pollan's. In The Omnivore's Dilemma and subsequent articles for the New York Times he brings both passion (for fresh, local ingredients) and clarity (the result of feet-on-the ground research) to the table.
His latest piece reminds us that the Farm Bill is one of the country's most important pieces of social engineering. Up for renewal shortly, it sets the broad outlines of American agricultural policy, subsidizing just five commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cotton), thus determining what gets grown where.
This subsidized overproduction puts cheap processed food on supermarket shelves (so poor people often eat unhealthy diets) and cheap corn- and soy-based exports that undermine agriculture in developing countries (often forcing Latin American farmers off the land to seek work in the US).
To read the full article, click here. It's a complicated story, well worth digesting.
Posted by Ronald Holden at April 24, 2007 12:03 AMAgain, the point of loyalty to purchasing locally grown products comes to mind! Fortunately living here in the bountiful State of Washington and in such rich and sophisticated areas, we have the ability to purchase wonderful fresh fruits and produce locally grown such as at our Pike Place Market in Seattle and other local "Saturday Markets" including produce from farmers on the Eastside, Skagit Valley, Yakima and so many other areas. We once again must appreciate this time of year and the opportunity to indulge in our locally grown goods! Can't you just smell the Walla Walla Sweets and the Chelan grown succulent peaches and nectarines?? Oh, I can taste a good Salsa coming on!! Fresh white corn chips anyone?
Posted by: Lisa Hilderbrand at April 24, 2007 10:01 AMHere!Here! It's a MUST read. Thanks for giving it attention, Ronald.
Posted by: Sally McArthur at April 24, 2007 9:00 AM