Sustainable Dish

Kathleen Merrigan and her team at the USDA just announced their “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative. Obama Foodorama reports on the details of Merrigan’s recent activity, and gives props to Sec. Vilsack for getting to know and using the Sustainable Food jargon.

Senate Ag. Chair Blanche Lincoln hasn’t held the position for long, but she’s already showing her true colors. She’s against the climate bill, against estate tax, against the Clean Water Act – yikes! Read more on La Vida Locavore.

Jonah Sachs, founder of Free Range Studios and developer of The Meatrix, is interviewed in the SFGate. He proposes an alternative method of propagating progressive ideas – appeal to emotions rather than just giving the facts. While the conservatives have mastered this method of visceral reaction (think “death panels”), progressives need to start focusing less on peoples minds and more on their emotions.

The New York Times profiles the Glynwood Center, a non-profit group supporting rural conservation as well as a 225 acre working farm. They recently held an event bringing together people from all walks of life – farmers, micro financiers, land-use planners – an unthinkable thought merely ten years ago!

Tom Philpott talks about the legacy of Norman Borlaug, founder of the “Green Revolution” on Grist. Borlaug’s initial, commendable goal was to increase food supplies in poor nations using modern technology, but he failed to recognize the political, social, economic and environmental factors which would jeopardize this objective. Hopefully Gates and others can learn from his experience that boosting yield alone is not the solution to world hunger.

A recent RAND Corporation study states that Americans could cut $18 billion in health care costs if they lowered their salt intake. About one third of Americans suffer from hypertension, and meeting sodium guidelines could eliminate 11 million cases of high blood pressure. Looks like the original unhealthy food will be seeing a resurgence in bad press. See USA Today.

Have you ever seen the movie “Thank You For Smoking”? Basically, it’s about a guy who lobbies for Big Tobacco. Well, I think they should make a movie called “Thank You For Drinking Soda”, because the folks involved in the beverage industry are working hard to make sure that soda does not get taxed. They deny any involvement in the nation’s obesity problem, and compare a soda tax to life under the Soviet Union. See more in the New York Times.