Michael Pollan says he’ll be ‘engaged’ in 2018 farm bill
Journalist and college professor Michael Pollan, author of four New York Times best sellers, says he is becoming less of a writer and more of an activist on food policy. Pollan was the star attraction for a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol to unveil an "outsider" farm bill and keynote speaker at a forum afterward to promote a fundamental overhaul of the "obsolete" policy now in place.
Food-movement leaders call for broad, progressive coalition
With the Trump era dawning, "the most pressing work is to join forces with other progressive groups" to fight for social justice, say four leaders of the loosely aligned food movement in a commentary published by Civil Eats. "This means that important but parochial food issues, such as labeling of GMOs or the formulation of national nutrititional standards, are bound to be overshadowed as the larger fight for social justice becomes more urgent."
Healthy eating is ‘the new norm for our kids,’ says First Lady
Having launched a drive against child obesity in 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated the early signs of progress this week and told a White House audience, "I intend to keep working on this issue for the rest of my life."
Food system hasn’t changed much but attitudes have, says Pollan
Known for his advice, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants," author Michael Pollan says the food system looks much like it did 10 years when he published "The Omnivore's Dilemma." Yet, Pollan tells the website New Food Economy, "The simple question that got me started on the book — where does your food come from? — is now front-of-mind for a lot of people."
Reformers launch ‘Plate of the Union’ to push a national food policy
Four environmental and food groups launched a campaign to make food policy an element of the presidential campaign as a step toward assuring that the next president is committed to reform. "Candidates need to realize that food is a big issue," said food writer Mark Bittman.
After presidential election, time to declare National Food Policy
Four food-policy advocates called on presidential aspirants to spell out their views on a coordinated U.S. food policy with the intention of declaring a National Food Policy within weeks of taking office in January 2017. "Production and consumption of food has a bigger impact on Americans' well-being than any other human activity," write Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, Ricardo Salvador and Olivier De Schutter.
Petition drive is launched for national food policy
Along with an essay in the Washington Post, backers of a national food policy are running a petition campaign on the Internet that calls on President Barack Obama to issue an executive order spelling out a policy. The Union of Concerned Scientists, host of a petition site, says a national policy "will transform our food system to ensure healthy, sustainably grown food for all."
Needed: A US food policy, not just a farm policy, says op-ed
In the State of the Union address in January, President Barack Obama "should announce an executive order establishing a national policy for food, health and well-being," write Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, Richardo Salvador and Olivier De Schutter in an essay in the Washington Post.