On Demand
Got Corn?
Monday, July 23, 2007
The farm bill is up for reauthorization. Michael Pollan, writer for the New York Times Magazine and author of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (Penguin Press, 2006), says it affects not only what we grow, but how we eat--and that food is a class issue.
"You Are What You Grow," The New York Times Magazine, April 22, 2007
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Michael - thank you for your work! (Brian, too) - what do we do to change this corn subsidy? what do we do to support (legislatively) the traditional family farm
I grew up on an onion farm in orange county, NY.
I heard my dad, who is still farming, say recently that there are not enough fruit and vegitables grown in the US for American's to eat the recommended 5 a day.
Very interesting and informative piece. I was unaware of quite a bit of this information.
I was in Ecuador last fall. There I saw devastating poverty. It was obvious why Ecuadorians would risk their lives to come to the US to work. In addition to seeing the connection you are making, Michael, between our food policy and our depleted diet, I also want to make the point that there is a connection between our food policy and third world poverty. As I understand it, our food is kept artificially cheap, and as a result we make it impossible for poorer nations to cultivate a viable agricultural industry for local consumption and export. Our policy impoverishes them so they come here, supply cheap labor during our harvest (which also keeps our agricultural costs low) and then we have an immigration policy that is hostile to them as well.
Brian, thank you for having Michael Pollan on again to discuss the food and farm bill -- probably the most important but least understood bill in Congress this year. For lots more background and analysis, check out the Food Security Learning Center Farm Bill Feature (http://worldhungeryear.org/fslc/faqs2/farm_bill2.asp) and the Community Food Security Coalition (http://foodsecurity.org/).
could be that basic things like housing cost more and that's why we're unhappy!!!
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