Over the weekend, the NY Times published an open letter to the Presidential candidates by Michael Pollan on the issue of feeding the nation. In it, he illustrates that food is a national security, health care, energy and climate change issue. He tells us that food production is the #2 consumer of petroleum in the U.S. — second only to our automobiles. He discusses how this topic hasn’t been an issue for presidents in several decades but how it is going to become an issue we can no longer ignore very soon. I encourage you to read the article, if not Pollan’s books on the subject of food:
Regular readers of this blog know I advocate for growing your own food and supporting local agriculture. Michael Pollan’s writings, discussions with local farmers and ranchers, as well as growing up farming have all been big influences in my perspective. I’m not 100% local. I do give into a potato chip, a cocktail with imported vodka, equal-traded-sustainably-grown coffee, and other not-so-sustainable food (and foodish) items occassionally. But, I strive to educate clients about food — from our international food system to local buying opportunities to simply growing a radish in their own soil.
Should feeding the world be a campaign issue? I think it is, whether we talk about it explicitly or not. Hey, we’ve all got to eat.
Tags: CAFOs, Food, Localvore, michael pollan, new york times
It begs to ask the question—will everything you plant have regulations. You will be required to use a certain fertilizer, grow a certain food, and you will not get the income from your crop that you expect.
It shouldn’t be something the government tells us to do, it should be common sense. Crooks take advantage of such government run programs and my opinion is that they would cut corners and produce tasteless food.
There are too many variables for a big organization to come in and set the rules. I live in NC and some of our farmers went out of business due to the government. It’s funny–cause we are in a cycle. We use to be the largest producer of grapes and wine. Prohibition came along and ran the vineyards out of business.
Well, guess what the government is doing today—subsidizing tobacco farms to convert to vineyards. For me, I would like less government and would like to see more people take it upon themselves to be self sufficient
Michael Pollan has also influenced this garden writer. Two others I highly recommend: Botany of Desire, and Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education.