http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Mon, 21 May 2012 04:07:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/comment-page-1#comment-13013 Bobbi Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:14:32 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/#comment-13013 Better that Michael Pollan remains a journalist and prophet. He's more effective that way. Politicians need prophets to keep them honest and on track. We need people with vision. Better that Michael Pollan remains a journalist and prophet. He’s more effective that way. Politicians need prophets to keep them honest and on track. We need people with vision.

]]> http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/comment-page-1#comment-13011 Joel Sun, 14 Dec 2008 05:08:41 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/#comment-13011 The Secretary of Agriculture is an appointment extensively influenced by the immediate communities who are regulated by the Agriculture department: the major food associations, food processors, growers, and the markets. It has most to do with farm subsidies and items included in the "farm bill" and I expect an individual who is otherwise unknown to the general public to be chosen for this job, or someone who is known to the public but has extensive ties to the industry itself. The Sec Agriculture is the main connection to the farm belt/food companies, the Sec Interior is connection to the Western states, the Treasury Sec is connection to NYC financial firms. The Secretary of Agriculture is an appointment extensively influenced by the immediate communities who are regulated by the Agriculture department: the major food associations, food processors, growers, and the markets. It has most to do with farm subsidies and items included in the “farm bill” and I expect an individual who is otherwise unknown to the general public to be chosen for this job, or someone who is known to the public but has extensive ties to the industry itself. The Sec Agriculture is the main connection to the farm belt/food companies, the Sec Interior is connection to the Western states, the Treasury Sec is connection to NYC financial firms.

]]> http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/comment-page-1#comment-12994 Melinda Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:05:46 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/#comment-12994 In isolation I've found the whole thing a little puzzling, for reasons you've outlined, but I think that we've got growing numbers of more informed food consumers and they're starting to making their voices heard. Add to that the increasing urbanization of the US and the very urban orientation of the Democratic Party (I was particularly disheartened by some of the classist and anti-rural stuff that was said during the primaries), and there's now this new group that wants representation and who feel that Michael Pollan can do that. The idea of affluent urban foodies setting US food policy doesn't really give me the warm fuzzies. In isolation I’ve found the whole thing a little puzzling, for reasons you’ve outlined, but I think that we’ve got growing numbers of more informed food consumers and they’re starting to making their voices heard. Add to that the increasing urbanization of the US and the very urban orientation of the Democratic Party (I was particularly disheartened by some of the classist and anti-rural stuff that was said during the primaries), and there’s now this new group that wants representation and who feel that Michael Pollan can do that. The idea of affluent urban foodies setting US food policy doesn’t really give me the warm fuzzies.

]]> http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/comment-page-1#comment-12987 aliza Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:22:17 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/#comment-12987 but they are going about it in an immature, unstrategic way and are detracting from the actual effort being organized around real candidates for USDA positions with "pollan-slanted outlooks" at www.fooddemocracynow.org but they are going about it in an immature, unstrategic way and are detracting from the actual effort being organized around real candidates for USDA positions with “pollan-slanted outlooks” at http://www.fooddemocracynow.org

]]> http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/comment-page-1#comment-12986 Avigail Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:07:11 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/michael-pollan-for-secretary-of-agriculture/#comment-12986 It makes me wonder who Michael Pollan would support for the appointment...does anyone know? It makes me wonder who Michael Pollan would support for the appointment…does anyone know?

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