Food Democracy Now

Stolen from my brother's blog, which found it on BoingBoing:

If the quoted text (below) sounds like something you might agree with, we recommend going to http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/ and signing the petition. There are some significant figures whose names appear on it already. Join the movement.

Dear President-Elect Obama,

We congratulate you on your historic victory and welcome the change that your election promises to usher in for our nation. As leaders in the sustainable agriculture and rural advocacy community we supported you in record numbers during the caucus, primary and general election because of the family farm-friendly policies that you advocated during your campaign.

As our nation’s future president, we hope that you will take our concerns under advisement when nominating our next Secretary of Agriculture because of the crucial role this Secretary will play in revitalizing our rural economies, protecting our nation’s food supply and our environment, improving human health and well-being, rescuing the independent family farmer, and creating a sustainable renewable energy future.

We believe that our nation is at a critical juncture in regard to agriculture and its impact on the environment and that our next Secretary of Agriculture must have a broad vision for our collective future that is greater than what past appointments have called for.

Presently, farmers face serious challenges in terms of the high costs of energy, inputs and land, as well as continually having to fight an economic system and legislative policies that undermine their ability to compete in the open market. The current system unnaturally favors economies of scale, consolidation and market concentration and the allocation of massive subsidies for commodities, all of which benefit the interests of corporate agribusiness over the livelihoods of farm families.

In addition, America must come to understand the environmental and human health implications of industrialized agriculture. From rising childhood and adult obesity to issues of food safety, global warming and air and water pollution, we believe our next Secretary of Agriculture must have a vision that calls for: recreating regional food systems, supporting the growth of humane, natural and organic farms, and protecting the environment, biodiversity and the health of our children while implementing policies that place conservation, soil health, animal welfare and worker’s rights as well as sustainable renewable energy near the top of their agenda.

Today we have a nutritional and environmental deficit that is as real and as great as that of our national debt and must be addressed with forward thinking and bold, decisive action. To deal with this crisis, our next Secretary of Agriculture must work to advance a new era of sustainability in agriculture, humane husbandry, food and renewable energy production that revitalizes our nation’s soil, air and water while stimulating opportunities for new farmers to return to the land.

We believe that a new administration should address our nation’s growing health problems by promoting a children’s school lunch program that incorporates more healthy food choices, including the creation of opportunities for schools to purchase food from local sources that place a high emphasis on nutrition and sustainable farming practices. We recognize that our children’s health is our nation’s future and that currently schools are unable to meet these needs because they do not have the financial resources to invest in better food choices. We believe this reflects and is in line with your emphasis on childhood education as a child’s health and nutrition are fundamental to their academic success.

We understand that this is a tall order, but one that is consistent with the values and policies that you advocated for in your bid for the White House. We realize that more conventional candidates are likely under consideration; however, we feel strongly that the next head of the USDA should have a significant grassroots background in promoting sustainable agriculture to create a prosperous future for rural America and a healthy future for all of America’s citizens.

With this in mind, we are offering a list of leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to the goals that you articulated during your campaign and we encourage you to consider them for the role of Secretary of Agriculture.
The Sustainable Choice for the Next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

1. Gus Schumacher, Former Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Former Massachusetts Commissioner of Agriculture.
2. Chuck Hassebrook, Executive Director, Center for Rural Affairs, Lyons, NE.
3. Sarah Vogel, former two-term Commissioner of Agriculture for the State of North Dakota, attorney, Bismarck, ND.
4. Fred Kirschenmann, organic farmer, Distinguished Fellow, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Ames, IA and President, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Pocantico Hills, NY.
5. Mark Ritchie, current Minnesota Secretary of State, former policy analyst in Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture under Governor Rudy Perpich, co-founder of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.
6. Neil Hamilton, attorney, Dwight D. Opperman Chair of Law and Professor of Law and Director, Agricultural Law Center, Drake University, Des Moines, IA.

Running: Day 1

I am most likely going to lose track of all these days. I now have three separate counting posts (training, flag football, and running). I'm sure this won't be an every day post...but for now, I'll use it as an introduction.

I finally started running again today. I've never really been in to running as a form of exercise. I realize its benefits. And I love to run for sports...for a purpose. But running to run was boring, not worth the physical toll. Ryan finally convinced me last fall to get some good running shoes and give it a shot with him.

I actually started to enjoy it, but I was traveling too much, and after the first couple weeks we never got in to a good routine. It kind of fell off.

Today was rough. Surprisingly, I didn't get winded. We ran part of the cross country trail behind Annapolis High. I think it's about 2.2 miles. I didn't make it all the way because my shins started burning beyond a tolerable level. I pushed through for awhile, but couldn't make it past a mile and a half. They still burn.

Hopefully, tomorrow I won't be too sore to go again. Since I have a bad thumb--though it is improving--I can't lift for the time being.

Playing tennis with Bill after I finish at The Capital today.

I'd Have a Prescription for Filet

Maybe it's just being a writer that makes this kind of thing jump out at me. But have you ever been in a conversation where you or your counterpart in conversing says a line that just screams "write that down for later"?

It happened to me today. Unfortunately, I can't figure out a relevant way to use it. So I just titled my blog with it.

The conversation was revolving around vegetarianism, which I don't find particularly natural for humans. I won't judge people who choose that route, but I also won't agree with them. People are designed to eat meat, and we have been eating meat since the beginning of existence. But the problem with a lot of vegetarians is that they are blissfully ignorant of what it really takes to be healthy without one of the main sources of protein in their diet.

I have a friend whose brother was malnourished pretty severely because he was a vegetarian, but knew next to nothing about supplementing his diet with the nutrients that come from meat. His doctor practically ordered him out of vegetarianism. I'm sure it was more tactful and professional than that, and since at least one of my readers knows this story better than I do, I may be corrected for misremembering.

So in the course of the conversation, I noted how nice it would be to have a doctor order you to eat steak every day. "I'd have a prescription for filet." Health insurance would pick up the tab.

One of my favorite lunch hot spots is going green...er

Chipotle Makes Power From Natural Wind

[The big dogs at Chipotle] have just received approval to add a wind turbine to a new location they're planning to open in Gurnee Mills. The 60-foot propeller laden mast will indeed tower over everything in the area. It will generate six-kilowatts of energy which should be more than enough to power the store. Extra power can be sold back to ComEd.

I guess I'm getting more and more aware of the whole 'going green' movement as I ride the coattails of my family. My brother in particular has become extremely environmentally aware in the past few years, along with his wife. My mom and sister have followed suit, and I imagine my dad will be forced to do the same if he does declare for the Mayoral race again.

Chipotle has always been a go-to spot for me, mostly because it is absolutely delicious. But they pride themselves in being entirely organic and natural. It may be horribly unhealthy as far as Calories and all that hogwash, but they do everything right when it comes to stocking their ingredients. And the latest trend, according to my sister, is to go organic and hope for the best. Eat healthy amounts, eat organic foods, and avoid artificial sweeteners--especially sucralose, aspartame, etc., which are proven (maybe) carcinogens.

On this same tangent...I have recently discovered (been told about) Stevia. An all natural sweet herb that is healthier, and arguably tastier, than sugar. For some strange reason (read: conspiracy), the FDA won't officially approve its use as a food additive, only as a dietary supplement. I think they are trying to keep from cutting profits on their Triangular Trade with Africa and the West Indies (ammunition for slaves, slaves for sugar, molasses, and rum).

It happens to be in my Jay Robb protein, whcih comes highly recommended by trustworthy sources (Joe and Liz).