"A Conversation With Michael Pollan" (Part 4 of 9) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Michael Pollan in conversation with two leading figures from the US food industry - Gary Smith, Monfort Endowed Chair in meat science at Colorado State University, and Myra Goodman, co-founder of Earthbound Farm.

This was a free public event held at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center on October 15, 2009.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Michael Pollan
• food
• food security
• sustainability
• agriculture
• organic agriculture
• farming
• San Luis Obispo
• Cal Poly

[mauithings]

who invited the uniformed fat guy..... go home

[Vivalarachie]

Interesting how the one panelist who "wants cheap processed food" is also overweight. He's a perfect example of "Pay the doctor or pay the farmer."

[alphacause]

continued from previous post) These subsidies come from American taxpayer dollars. So the food in our country is not all that cheap. Yes, it has the false appearance of being cheap because we are not paying all that much at the grocery store check out counter or at the register in a fast food restaurant, but we are paying for it dearly in our tax revenues and of course, as he mentioned here, in our burgeoning healthcare and environmental costs. The cheapness of our food is an illusion.

[alphacause]

I am surprised that Pollan didnt bring up a point about food cheapness that he brought out, in mind numbing detail, in his two books "In Defense of Food" and "Omnivores Dilemma". Our American industrial food production can produce food so cheaply because of large sums of money that go to subsidize corn and soy, which are the foundation of our cheap beef, chicken and pork, and it is the reason why those animals nutritional content is no longer as healthy as they used to be (continued).

[alphacause]

Gary Smith is correct that the food production industry shouldn't bear the bulk of costs when it comes to reducing fossil fuel usage and emissions, but 8% consumption is nothing to scoff at. I would be fine with a meatless Monday, as well as setting aside a day for refraining from automobile usage or electricity usage. I agree that one industry should not bear the lion share of this burden. All industries and citizens should share the burden as equally as possible.