Look Food Fighters, we can’t wait for the Obama Team to get a clue on food policy. We can’t pin hopes on scraps, like, oh goodie *clapclapclapclap* Obama knows who Michael Pollan is! Obama reads Pollan’s articles and books! When Team Obama is floating names like Charles Stenholm, who owns one of the last three horse-meat factories in the country, it’s time to wake up and smell the corporate coffee.
Why is Obama doing this? Why is Obama floating names like Stenholm and *gurk* Denis Wolff? Because there’s no room to play all that progressive "yes we can" music that Obama was singing while he was on tour. It freaks out the grown ups. The economy is in full retraction mode, which means all that talk about change has gotta stop till the almighty stock market stops having grand maul seizures.
But that doesn’t mean WE have to stop singing, and it doesn’t mean we can’t help Team Obama keep their eye on the prize. While USDA Secretary is a big powerful post, there are other posts that might be more pertinent to our fights and concerns, anyway.
Like the head of the Agricultural Marketing Service which oversees the National Organic Program. Think about it. What if this guy were in charge of the AMS and the NOP?
JIM RIDDLE
He’s already submitted his name to Barack Obama for consideration as a USDA official. Read his his dossier, I think you’ll be wowed. But get a load of the personal statement he gave Obama:
Given the challenges of climate change, ocean dead zones, groundwater contamination, soil erosion, energy, obesity, diabetes, food safety, farm subsidies, nutrition, and food security, the Obama Administration has the opportunity to make a significant shift in US agriculture policy by investing in cost-effective sustainable food and farming systems.
The USDA must lead the transition to a green economy by implementing policies that support ecologically-sound food and fiber systems; conservation and environmental stewardship; renewable and efficient energy; and consumer-driven markets, providing stable and sustainable incomes for family farmers and ranchers; supporting vibrant, web-accessed rural communities; and encouraging a new generation of farmers, ranchers, and gardeners. There is work to do!
Freaking A, there’s work to do. Sign up for a profile, if you haven’t already. El Dragón has got a mission for Food Fighters:
We’re going to send Jim Riddle to Washington DC.
Great idea, El Dragon! I encourage everyone not only to sign this but to cross-post this piece to every potentially sympathetic blog you can find. Time is of the essence!