Birke Baehr: What's wrong with our food system

This kid is 11 and he's talking about organic farming and the local movement, stuff I never even thought about until college! Man, I wish I had his oral presentation skills at his age! This is what the world needs, more kids like him. That being said, I wouldn't be as quick to dismiss genetically engineered food as he. Genetic alterations happen naturally (think transposable genetic elements) and having some genetic strains that are more drought tolerant will definitely be useful in the future. The problem with such GM food is decreasing the genetic diversity and not having the whole pool of diversity to go back to if something happens (ie flood happens and you don't have any genetic strains that survive better under very wet conditions). And of course, there's always the possibility of introducing a combination of genetic material into the ecosystem that reacts poorly.

Plant the Plate

A great new infographic from the Union of Concerned Scientists does an awesome job of showing the discrepancy between the typical American diet and the one recommended by the USDA. It also shows how subsidies to producers of the Big Five commodity crops (wheat, corn, soy, rice, and cotton) prevent U.S. farmers from planting the fruits and vegetables we need to be healthy. To make the essential transition to plant what's actually recommended for Americans, it would take $90 million, less than 2% of what's currently spent (more than $5 billion) on subsidies for the Big 5 commodity crops. Given that the outcome would be job creation for local food systems, better health for Americans, less reliance on foreign exports, and more local eating, I think it's a really worthwhile investment.



Image and information courtesy of Union of Concerned Scientists. More information and full sized image available here

Dirty Dozen Foods

If you're looking to buy organic, but not sure where to start, here's a list of a Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables from the Environmental Working Group that research has shown to be high in pesticide residues. It's best to buy these organic to avoid long term illness from the pesticides, especially for pregnant women and children. For those on a budget, it's also a great way to prioritize which foods to buy organic and which ones you can do without.

The list includes the following fruits and vegetables

1. Apples
   
2. Celery
   
3. Strawberries
   
4. Peaches
   
5. Spinach
   
6. Nectarines (imported to US)
   
7. Grapes (imported to US)
   
8. Sweet bell peppers
   
9. Potatoes
   
10. Blueberries
    
11. Lettuce
    
12. Kale

Alternatives to these fruits and vegetables include

• Watermelon, bananas, and kiwi
  
• Cabbage, asparagus, and broccoli
  
• Sweet potato
  
• Pineapple, papaya, and mango
  
• Tangerines, oranges and grapefruit
  
• Radishes and onion

Food deserts and why we need to change the US food system

This article on food deserts in New Jersey and communities that lack access to healthy fresh food highlights how there is a real systemic problem for food access. I agree that the problem is complicated by lack of information and knowledge about better nutrition - too many families out there think fast food is an acceptable alternative for homecooked meals, but at the same time, when fast food is the ONLY cheap alternative to expensive groceries, that is a huge issue. A 15 min drive to the nearest supermarket for people who don't have cars means a 45 min walk one way. When you're faced with such time drains for food you eat every day, it's hard not to go buy fast food, which really contributes to the US' obesity problem and huge healthcare problems for the whole society in the long run. This isn't to say that there isn't ANY food in these communities, but mini-marts and groceries stores mark up their prices such that those fresh produce options become too expensive.

If the government isn't willing or able to resolve the issue of access, one option is to turn unused land lots into community gardens. Find a piece of government owned property that is not be used and ask the local town council if part of it can be devoted to a community garden. Parcel out the land so that each interested party has a place to plant their crop. Ask the local library if they can get someone to talk to the group on topics about canning and other ways of preserving fresh produce. This takes a lot of self initiative, but has a lot of benefits, such as community and relationship building, connection to one's own food, and not having to rely on government officials for hand outs. Another option is setting up a food co-op or farmers' market via local government.

(Yes, I realize not all areas are suitable for sustaining food growth because of water shortages or weather. But that's a whole other argument I'll save for later).

The problem is, of course, not just limited to access. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution program was started because there is a paucity of knowledge about good nutrition and cooking in the US. There was a scene from his show of Jamie going to elementary schools to teach about food and the kids couldn't even name half the vegetables, including eggplant and broccoli. Problem? I think so. Is it compounded by socioeconomic class? Perhaps - you can make the argument that those living in poorer neighborhoods may not have as much education resources (libraries, community centers, universities, etc). With so many health problems coming from poor nutrition, like diabetes and obesity, I think it's worth investing in programs to teach people about growing food and better nutrition. There are a good few examples of school programs that combine gardening and cooking (such as the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Foundation and the Chez Panisse Foundation) and the movement is growing. Do a search in your neighborhood for similar programs.

The point is that what we have going on NOW in terms of food in the US is not working and there needs to be changes.