Last month, Michael Pollan, author of the book, “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto”, wrote a thoughtful letter (well, really a long article) in the New York Times to the man who would be elected President.  He talks about the issues impacting our food system.  He says food policy will wind up occupying much of the new President's time, not something that has been the case almost anytime in the past.  He says we are about to be reminded that "the health of a nation’s food system is a critical issue of national security".

Sylvia Mathews Burwell, president of the global development program for the Gates Foundation says that "a society's prosperity is inextricably linked with its agriculture".  Burwell was a keynote speaker at the World Food Prize celebrations in Des Moines, Iowa.  She said that "no country or region has ever lifted itself out of poverty without sustainable agriculture".  That is why the Gates Foundation has added agriculture to its portfolio.

More here.

Michael Pollan, the pioneering writer who's shed light on the industrialization of agriculture and the negative consequences for health and farming, advises the next president that "food is about to demand your attention." Pollan writes that the U.S. food system is so driven by fossil fuel inputs that we cannot make progress on climate change, energy independence, or the health care crisis until we de-industrialize farming. Hear, hear. See IWF's most recent OpEd for our proposal to make the biofuel industry accomplish just that.

Snohomish County purchased the development rights to 50 acres of prime farmland south of Monroe. The purchased rights preclude any new development on the land, preserving it for agricultural uses essentially forever. This is an important move because, in an area like the Snohomish River Valley, farmland is bombarded with development spreading out from the cities. Preserving farmland keeps a foothold for local food production to help feed these cities.

Community to Community, one of our partner organizations, recently received a grant from the USDA Farmers' Markets Promotion Program. The purpose of the grant is to create stronger connections between the people the grow our food and consumers. The primary avenue for this program is through farmers markets, however, it is possible to work with Community Supported Agriculture programs or other direct marketing services.

Does Europe know something we don't know?  Italy has followed Germany and Slovenia in banning sales of several neonicotinoid pesticides that they blame for the collapse of bee colonies all over the world. 

The ban was reported in a press release issued by the Italian government and passed along by the Organic Consumers Association and ENN.  Here's what they said:

"The two substances are produced by the German company Bayer CropScience and generated *800 million in 2007. Imidacloprid is Bayer´s best-selling pesticide.

"Neonicotinoid pesticides are systemic chemicals that work their way through the plant and attack the nervous system of any insect it comes into contact with. The substances also get into the pollen and the nectar and can damage beneficial insects such as bees."