Why Big Ag Won't Feed the World

Josh Viertal tells us today in the Atlantic.

Read this Article Now!

There is a lovely, sensible article in the LA Times this week from food writer Russ Parsons that everyone should read.

the issues we're facing are not going to go away, and they are too important to be left to the ideologues. What I'd like to see happen in the next decade is a more constructive give-and-take, the start of a true conversation.

And, in light of my own recent resolution, I particularly liked this bit:

What's political is also personal. If you believe in something, you should be willing to make sacrifices to support it, even if it's expensive or inconvenient. Wailing about farmers who use pesticides and then balking at paying extra for organic produce is hypocritical because the yields in organic farming are almost always lower. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with doing the best you can whenever you can -- as long as you're willing to accept compromises from the other guy too.

I'd love to know what you guys think.

I also want to bring this up from comments:

There are a ton of great veg-friendly places to eat in the Central MA area. There's a guide to good ones in the Worcester area here: http://VegWorcester.com/restaurants

Thanks, Drew, I've been looking for a good resource. Any other suggestions?

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a happy and healthy holiday season! Tis the time of year for resolutions, and here's mine: I resolve to eliminate conventionally raised meat from my diet. I already use naturally and humanely raised meat and eggs in my home, but when I eat out, I eat things I would never purchase in a store. Time to clean that up, which will largely mean becoming a vegetarian outside my home. It is daunting to contemplate, but I suspect it will be less difficult than I fear. Anyone else?

The Atlantic Food Channel has some good news. 2009 brought welcome legislation and improved conditions for animals.

NOFA/Mass is having a Winter Conference on January 16th at Worcester Technical High School featuring Joel Salatin as its keynote speaker. He will also lead an all-day seminar on "introducing livestock to your farm." Check out the schedule of events; it looks like there's something for everyone (cultured dairy products workshop? Yum!)