Well, a better ag policy has to be part of the solution, and I have no answers for that. Farmers will do what yields them the best return so our ag policy has to be completely overhauled to incentive the change we want to see. Perhaps those of us who feel passionately about clean air, water, and land, which all contribute to better food sources, should be writing the Department of Ag. Let them know that we are hungry for change.
Right on Joan. The ag policy world is complex. We allow people who have worked on policy to become CEOs for corporations that determine policy. Conventional farmers are caught in a difficult situation, one that is hard to extricate oneself from. Less than 5% of Iowans are farmers. Consumers need to demand that our ag policy stop killing us. Beth’s book is an excellent place to learn about how agricultural policy affects our daily lives.
Denise and Joan —thanks to you both for caring!! The is no doubt that policy needs to support change. But my point is that the people can lead too. Government policy often does little to change culture, but culture changes policy.
“To express the purity, freshness, simplicity and ethics we wish to associate to our region.”
Great ethic to top this food manifesto! My biggest wish, however, is that this wasn’t mostly the domain of Michelin starred or high-end restaurants, but also of the everyday places we could all could afford to eat. Happily, however, farmers like you make it possible to bring that ethic home for a reasonable price.
Yes I think that is key to really changing habits in the general populace. Supposedly that is what has happened in Denmark—it is not just high end restaurants but the whole nation that now has this eye for good food. I am excited to learn more about how they did it—but I saw it too in California. There is a “trickle down” phenomenon from expensive restaurants to the rest of consumers.
Leave it to the Danes to go all in for the long haul toward a better life. We can do this, too, thanks to the prodding and leadership of Beth and John, and many others.
It's election time and we should all be asking our candidates hard questions about what they will do to ensure that what we ingest is the best for us and for future generations. (As a start, let's replace proposals to daily sing the national anthem and pledge our allegiance, with recommendations to teach about nutritional health.)
Yes! Beth you have the vision that we all need to continue to talk and write about. The foundation exists for the momentum to build on. How can we help the people of Iowa understand that delicious, nutritious food is as important as football, basketball and wrestling? Our outstanding athletes and academics need healthy food to compete successfully. We can do this.
Many Iowans used to grow their own food in gardens, so they had abundances right outside their door, but that way of life is largely gone now. Iowa is less rural and more urban and that certainly plays a part in the reduction of home gardens, but people simply don't have the time anymore. Families are highly mobile, going to children's activities on weekends and weeknights. We've experienced large culture shifts that make eating processed food an easier choice.
Joan, eating food grown in Iowa doesn't mean you have to grow your own. There are dozens of people who are trying to make a living by growing and selling healthy, nutritious food for their communities. It's up to those who don't grow their own to support these food growers. Farmers markets, direct sales and Community Supported Ag are all ways to support people who grow food. Eating processed foods is killing us - diabetes is on the rise as well as cancer. Our state needs to make room for farmers who want to help Iowa and its people flourish. Iowa agri-business has shut down diversity in our state as well as pollute the air, water and soil. We need a new, long term vision and Beth is getting us on the right path.
Well, a better ag policy has to be part of the solution, and I have no answers for that. Farmers will do what yields them the best return so our ag policy has to be completely overhauled to incentive the change we want to see. Perhaps those of us who feel passionately about clean air, water, and land, which all contribute to better food sources, should be writing the Department of Ag. Let them know that we are hungry for change.
Right on Joan. The ag policy world is complex. We allow people who have worked on policy to become CEOs for corporations that determine policy. Conventional farmers are caught in a difficult situation, one that is hard to extricate oneself from. Less than 5% of Iowans are farmers. Consumers need to demand that our ag policy stop killing us. Beth’s book is an excellent place to learn about how agricultural policy affects our daily lives.
Denise and Joan —thanks to you both for caring!! The is no doubt that policy needs to support change. But my point is that the people can lead too. Government policy often does little to change culture, but culture changes policy.
Excellent point!
“To express the purity, freshness, simplicity and ethics we wish to associate to our region.”
Great ethic to top this food manifesto! My biggest wish, however, is that this wasn’t mostly the domain of Michelin starred or high-end restaurants, but also of the everyday places we could all could afford to eat. Happily, however, farmers like you make it possible to bring that ethic home for a reasonable price.
Yes I think that is key to really changing habits in the general populace. Supposedly that is what has happened in Denmark—it is not just high end restaurants but the whole nation that now has this eye for good food. I am excited to learn more about how they did it—but I saw it too in California. There is a “trickle down” phenomenon from expensive restaurants to the rest of consumers.
Leave it to the Danes to go all in for the long haul toward a better life. We can do this, too, thanks to the prodding and leadership of Beth and John, and many others.
It's election time and we should all be asking our candidates hard questions about what they will do to ensure that what we ingest is the best for us and for future generations. (As a start, let's replace proposals to daily sing the national anthem and pledge our allegiance, with recommendations to teach about nutritional health.)
Yes! Beth you have the vision that we all need to continue to talk and write about. The foundation exists for the momentum to build on. How can we help the people of Iowa understand that delicious, nutritious food is as important as football, basketball and wrestling? Our outstanding athletes and academics need healthy food to compete successfully. We can do this.
Many Iowans used to grow their own food in gardens, so they had abundances right outside their door, but that way of life is largely gone now. Iowa is less rural and more urban and that certainly plays a part in the reduction of home gardens, but people simply don't have the time anymore. Families are highly mobile, going to children's activities on weekends and weeknights. We've experienced large culture shifts that make eating processed food an easier choice.
Joan, eating food grown in Iowa doesn't mean you have to grow your own. There are dozens of people who are trying to make a living by growing and selling healthy, nutritious food for their communities. It's up to those who don't grow their own to support these food growers. Farmers markets, direct sales and Community Supported Ag are all ways to support people who grow food. Eating processed foods is killing us - diabetes is on the rise as well as cancer. Our state needs to make room for farmers who want to help Iowa and its people flourish. Iowa agri-business has shut down diversity in our state as well as pollute the air, water and soil. We need a new, long term vision and Beth is getting us on the right path.
Very cool. Time for change here as well, you're right --especially in school food1
Thank you