Department of Food

Another call for a major shake up at the Department of Agriculture and a major change in the direction of our food system was published today.

Nicholas Kristof called for Obama to appoint a Secretary of Food to focus American agriculture on the production of healthy food through sustainable practices.

Renaming the department would signal that Mr. Obama seeks to move away from a bankrupt structure of factory farming that squanders energy, exacerbates climate change and makes Americans unhealthy — all while costing taxpayers billions of dollars.

Quoting not only Michael Pollan but former USDA Secretaries John Block and Ann Veneman, the point is made that while only 2% of our population are now farmers, everyone eats.  While Mr. Kristol calls upon President-elect Obama to hear the calls for change, it is my hope that the rest of us in the agricultural community will listen as well.  There are some things we are doing right, but there are some things that we are doing very wrong.