Obama’s ‘Secretary of Food’?

[Renew Deal]

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: December 10, 2008
As Barack Obama ponders whom to pick as agriculture secretary, he should reframe the question. What he needs is actually a bold reformer in a position renamed “secretary of food.”

A Department of Agriculture made sense 100 years ago when 35 percent of Americans engaged in farming. But today, fewer than 2 percent are farmers. In contrast, 100 percent of Americans eat.

Renaming the department would signal that Mr. Obama seeks to move away from a bankrupt structure of factory farming that squanders energy, exacerbates climate change and makes Americans unhealthy — all while costing taxpayers billions of dollars.
<snip>

An online petition that can be found at www.fooddemocracynow.org calls for a reformist pick for agriculture secretary — and names six terrific candidates, such as Chuck Hassebrook, a reformer in Nebraska. On several occasions in the campaign, Mr. Obama made comments showing a deep understanding of food issues, but the names that people in the food industry say are under consideration for agriculture secretary represent the problem more than the solution.

Change we can believe in?

The most powerful signal Mr. Obama could send would be to name a reformer to a renamed position. A former secretary of agriculture, John Block, said publicly the other day that the agency should be renamed “the Department of Food, Agriculture and Forestry.” And another, Ann Veneman, told me that she believes it should be renamed, “Department of Food and Agriculture.” I’d prefer to see simply “Department of Food,” giving primacy to America’s 300 million eaters.
<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11kristof.html?_r=2&em

[shellgame26]

1. I hope he can find someone

who can stand up to the beef industry. We produce probably the most unsafe beef in the world and can't do a damned thing about it.

[Recursion]

3. He wants a packer ban

That was one of the policies that caught my attention early on in the primaries

[Waiting For Everyman]

2. Agribusiness should be busted up.

Incentivize family farmers back again. Long overdue.

[Cha]

4. What's more important than food

behind water and air? Nothing..we need huge reform if we're going to compete and complete on a Global level.