Jamie's Back for Another FOOD REVOLUTION

Last year, Jamie Oliver's Emmy award winning Food Revolution show in West Virginia was my appointment television every single Friday night. I am ecstatic to say that the Revolution has return to the States and the show begins TONIGHT!

If you missed last season, the media buzz, and the Emmy's and you are wondering what's going on with Jamie Oliver here in the USA, I think his TED talk best encompasses his passion and mission in his revolution.



This season Jamie is bringing his revolution to Los Angeles, California. It is on ABC on 8pm eastern (but I am sure if you miss it it will be somewhere on the Internet). I am so excited to watch the show, I also think the switch from Fridays to Tuesdays will make it easier for more people to watch!

While you wait for the first episode to begin, you can start to get involved in this revolution in a number of ways:

• Sign Jaime's Petition for a Food Revolution
• Try out a Food Revolution Recipe
• Donate to the Food Revolution Foundation

I'd love to hear what you all have to say about the show, the food revolution or just school food, in general!!

Happy watching tonight!

Farmers' Market or CSA

It is Spring. It is time to start getting some really wonderful fresh, locally grown produce week after week. However, one question remains:

Should you shop at a Farmers' Market, or should you subscribe to a CSA?

First, let's begin with a quick explanation of each for any newbies out there.

What is a CSA?

Community Supported Agriculture, abbreviated CSA, is a direct relationship between you, the consumer and a farmer. It is called "community supported" because this direct relationship is shared with other members of your local community. At the beginning of the season (or before it begins) you pay a subscription fee to become a "share holder" in the farm for the season. This money helps pay for the costs of running the farm and the farmer him/herself. Each week during the growing season you will receive your share of the crops.

What is a Farmers' Market?

A Farmers' Market is a place where local farmers gather to sell their crops to the public. Depending on the location, availability of farmers and demand some Farmers' Markets can open multiple times a week. They are usually held in open, public spaces such as parking lots (my closest farmers' market is held in the parking lot of the Staten Island Mall).


What Are The Benefits of Each?

I imagine there are benefits to farmers as well, but as I am not a farmer myself, I will speak only from a consumer point of view in terms of the perceived benefits in supporting either one of these methods for sustaining your healthy habits.

 The CSA is built upon a close-knit community of like-minded individuals.

• In my local CSA, in  addition to the subscription fee you do also have to help out each week with distribution, in other words, do your share. I think this is a fantastic way to build relationships with the people involved, as well as build a greater appreciation for your food. 
• In terms of what you receive at each pickup, the CSA can build in a sense of adventure in your cooking repertoire. Each box/basket/bag may fluctuate in terms of what they contain, so you can be sure that you will be trying new things throughout the season!

The Farmers' Market is built upon a diverse group of farmers looking to share their goods with as many people as they can.

• My Farmers' Market is not as large as the one in Union Square, Manhattan (of course!), but each week there are at least three different produce stands there representing at least three different farms. It is a diverse group - one that focuses heavily on vegetables, one that has fruits (with the added benefit of sharing their baked goods from their bakery) and a stand (or two, depending on the week) frm smaller farms that have cool and interesting finds.
• In addition to produce stands, there are occasionally stands sharing meat, poultry or fish products (my local CSA does not offer this, I do not know if others do).
• In short, the Farmers' Market offers choices each and every time you visit.

How Do You Decide?
 
There is a reason why both of these methods for obtaining your fresh foods have been increasingly growing in popularity over the last couple of years: they are both great options! The decision will have to come down to personal preference and circumstances. Here is a list of some things to consider and actions to take in order to make the right decision for YOU:

1. Meet with the members and the farmer of the CSA you are considering. This should not be difficult to do, most CSAs have a meeting before the season begins for this exact purpose. You will be spending a season with these people and supporting this farm - Are you a fan of their crops? What do the other share holders have to say about previous years' yields? How often did they have to shop in addition to their share just to make meals? What happens if there is a bad season due to weather, drought, etc.? Are there any other obligations held by share holders beyond the financial commitment?
2. Check your schedules. Are you available during the times of a CSA pickup? Are you available during the times of your local Farmers' Markets? How long is the season (this is a question for either) - in other words when does all the fresh goodness end?
3. Are you looking for Certified Organic? If you are, then this may be an issue. You must talk to your farmers - either at the market or from the CSA - many farmers are not "certified organic" for a number of reasons. If this is a non-negotiable for you, then you know this is not for you. However, I would suggest that you engage them in a discussion about why they are not certified. For some farmers it is just about what the certification process costs.
4. What kind of cook are you? This, I think, could be a real decision maker for some. In a CSA you are giving over control of your weekly produce ingredients to the magical mysteries of "what's in my box??" Most farmers can give you a pretty good idea of what's coming, but it may not be exact. If this idea terrifies you, then a CSA may not be the right idea for you. 
5. Where do you want your money to go? I hope you are always asking yourself this question when buying food, but in this case, it is really a face-to-face exchange. When you become a share holder in a CSA you truly are a part of something - your money is literally part of what is making that farm function. While the same could be said of the money you spend at Farmers' Markets, I personally feel as though a deeper connection is borne of the agreement between a farmer and a share holder.

NOW is the time to decide. CSAs run out of spaces nearly instantly, so if this is something you are considering tonight is the night to have the discussion with your family before the decision is made for you. Local Harvest is a fantastic resource to find the CSAs and Farmers' Markets available near you. Real Time Farms is also building a database of Farmers' Markets (this site creates an even richer experience than Local Harvest by adding videos, blogs and other "real time" media about each farm - if your market isn't listed there yet, you should contact them!).

Resources

• Staten Island Community Supported Agriculture
• Local Harvest Pages on CSA and Farmers' Markets 
• Much thanks to my Facebook Foodie Friends that gave me their input and opinions on the CSA vs. Farmers' Market debate.

So what's your take - CSA or Farmers' Market? 

Do you have an experience that can help us make our decision?

Food Safety Day: S. 510

At around 4:00pm (EST) today, the Senate will resume talks about S. 510, more commonly known as The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. It seems, upon hearing about this bill and what it aims to do, that it should get a very simple thumbs-up. I do not think I am speaking out of turn if I say that we can all agree that something is amiss in food safety regulation in the United States and that whatever litmus test has been used in the past by the FDA is simply not cutting the mustard anymore - it needs modernization. However, the feverish debate over the passage of this bill shows that this may not be as cut and dry as it should be. Those who are in favor of the bill seem to take a stance of, "If this is the best we can get for now, I'll take it," and those who oppose are up in arms about the dramatic effects it will have on small and local farms, saying things like, "This is the end of food as we know it."

From my perspective, at the center of the debate are two virtues that always find themselves amidst all types of turmoil of the human condition: Trust and Money. One is so subjective and personal and the other, well... selective and often discriminatory.

Money

Let me begin with what has been often claimed to be the root of all evil: money. Whether you are talking about big agri-businesses or small local farms, one issue at the center of the debate is cost.

• How much will it cost those subject to this regulation to bring their business up to snuff with the new hoop they have to jump through? 
• Will they have to redesign their facilities, hire more staff or purchase different products in their production? 

Obviously, this is something that is going to be a larger burden on a smaller business. Many farmers opt not to be "certified organic" simply because of the cost, even though their product is just as organic as one with the label. This is a choice farmers knowingly make and hope that customers will understand. In terms of an FDA regulation, these same farmers will not be able to opt out of add on costs and hope for understanding... they do it or they are out of business. The evil side of money: IF they do it, they may STILL go out of business due to expense. 

Trust

The other 3,000 pound tomato in the room is trust.

• Who is the FDA?
• Will the FDA play buddy-buddy with old big-business pals?
• Has this bill been designed with loopholes for the big businesses to squeeze through in the guise of small business support?

Over the years, I have learned that many of the people behind the acronym FDA were folks who seemed to have a major conflict of interest in their past. Whether they were former employees, current shareholders or just taking a sabbatical from a food industry giant, it seemed once their past was unveiled my suspicion was engaged. So I understand the lack of trust in the FDA. I decided to see if that writing was still on the wall. Upon checking out the current organization of the FDA (this is really a light-handed investigation) I decided to focus on two positions: Director of Food Safety & Nutrition, and the current Commissioner.

Michael M. Landa, J.D., Acting Director of Food Safety & Nutrition Mr. Landa has spent at least the last ten years in the FDA, and many of them focusing on food safety. It seems as though he was a lawyer before that time. I have not been able to find any specific information on the work he did as a lawyer, but on his FDA profile page it does say that he spent at least some of that time as a council for them.

Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of Food & Drugs Could I biased because she spent some time here in New York? Sure. Anyway, I can't find too much to scrutinize here. She's young and she has a background in medicine. This is helpful for the "drugs" end of the title and when there are outbreaks, but hopefully she is gaining all types of on the job food experience. She also worked in bioterrorism and seems to be quite a go-getter. The fact of the matter is, I don't see any history with any big food businesses!

I am sure there are a ton of other players in the game here. I don't know enough about the food politics to even know what to worry about in terms of who could be the problem, but I feel a little bit better knowing that the coaches of this team weren't trained in some other sport.

As for the loopholes in the bill... well, the real problem is I don't know how one could fix that. It seems as though the amendment to the bill has allowed for some leeway for smaller farms, so one issue being raised is: What's to stop a bigger farm from breaking itself into smaller farms just to take advantage? I don't know - vigilance from the regulators? Educated consumers?  I mean if we make up an amendment for every single "what if" then we will never get passed go on this one.


It is not perfect. I don't think it is horrible either. I think the  new amendment with considerations for the smaller businesses was needed. I think this is a step in the right direction... I hope.

The REAL Problem 
 
Let's think about it this way. Every single business - big, small, local, whatever - that is in operation right now has some way of making their ends meet (that's why they are in business right now). They each have a system that is working for them to hopefully be making a profit of sorts. Some of those businesses are operating in a way that you or I may completely agree with and some may not - we can agree on that. However, where we may disagree is on which practices are "right" and which are "wrong."

This bill is trying not to determine what is "right" or "wrong," but instead what is safe, but they have to find a way to regulate it. The real problem is uniform measurement/regulation/assessment. I see this problem in education all the time: someone has to decide what to asses, how to asses it and then determine what the consequences are. It is an impossible task to get all parties to agree on what is fair. The food industry is as diverse as the United States' student population and every group has their advocates. I understand this disagreement, but isn't it obvious that our current assessment is failing us?


I think I am leaning toward the "yays", hoping that those farmers in my Farmers Market can make it through, especially those who have bakeries on their premises. However, I will be watching this debate... perhaps amidst the furious comments, name calling and dismissal of opposing opinions a diamond in the rough, a person with the perfect solution will emerge!

Some Further Reading About S. 510 (make sure to check out the comments to feel the full fervor of the debate!):

• Food Politics blog on S. 510 by Marion Nestle
• NYTimes Op-Ed by Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser
• S. 510 Hissing in the Grass on the Food Freedom blog & Update: Senate must vote on S 510 in the next 60 days
• S. 510: A Study in How Much You Trust the Government on Food Safety News and also S 510 Opinion: No Free Passes
• S 510 Food Safety Update by Slow Food USA
• and below, if you love legalese, is a widget to take you to OpenCongress, where you can actually read the whole bill!

Are you interested in taking action when it comes to your food? If so, here is some further reading for you!

• the fight against genetically modified salmon 
• safe food organizations and resources
• my favorite places on the web for food activism

UPDATE: Food Safety Bill Passes Senate

Greenwashing - Am I a Victim?

I finally found out the name of thing I have been fearing in this search for sustenance: greenwashing.To put it in my terms, this is a company or organization pretending to be greener than it actually is (see Sourcewatch for a much more in depth and "official" definition). This has been something I have always worried about in my search, but as of late, I have to say, it was really starting to haunt me. I have had this nagging question in my mind about the labels I trust and whether or not I have become lax and allowed the label to mean everything to me.

I Am Beginning To Have Trust Issues

It began about a week or so ago when I went shopping and I was looking for my Certified Humane eggs in Stop N Shop. They weren't there. I guess they were sold out or something, but this was the second week in a row this had happened and I began to wonder... why can I find organic eggs, but not certified humane? Why is everyone always talking about "organic" but never talking about "humane"? AM I BEING SWINDLED HERE?

I wondered...

                       it festered...

An Ally Emerges

And then I found a blog last night entitled: Why I Am Not Enthralled By "Organic" I thought to myself, "Here is someone having the same issue I am, but with the Organic labeling of products!" The timing of this couldn't have been better. (This like-minded soul recommended the film Bananas! as an exemplar of some greenwashing caught in the act.) On my trip to my now unfamiliar King Kullen yesterday I became a bit inquisitive about the "certified organic" foods as well.

Issue 1: Plastic Produce?
 
First of all, I was in the produce section and I was confused because all of the organic produce was packaged. Maybe I have gotten too used to my weekly trips to the Farmer's Markets (I will miss them when they are gone!), but is this normal? I like to touch my produce before I buy it, it is part of my selection process.

 Issue 2: The Non-Committal Berries

Secondly, and I am just remembering this now, I was a little bit confused by the strawberry situation: both the organic and non-organic strawberries were distributed by Driscoll farms - why not just do all organic? How did they suddenly decide what part of their farm would be dedicated to organic berries? Is Driscoll a company that practices greenwashing? I could go on here, but I hope to do some research to find out these answers.

Issue 3: Unseasonal Fruit

Thirdly, I can still see where the traps lie if you don't shop smart. One package caught my eye and, at first, I did not know what it was until I looked closer. It was a package of kiwis, in October (nearly November), in New York! So I looked even closer to answer the question: where did these come from? The answer: New Zealand. Now I don't know much about shipping fresh fruit, but can these kiwis from New Zealand still be considered fresh? And a scarier question - were these kiwis exposed to some sort of preservative to help them make the trip? Is that allowed?


My Great Question

It is clear to me that no label is going to be exactly what I want it to be. So I can not afford to become lax in my shopping routine. I must always remember to ask myself, Is this what I value in my food?

And to be able to answer that I have to continue to answer my greatest question of all:

What do I value in my food?

This is my great question, because it is still developing, and maybe always will be (which is why I always have to ask it!). 

Some Of My Answers

So after reading the Organic blog, I recognized that my lack in faith in my labels was well-founded, because I forgot something I knew innately at the beginning of this search: trust nothing at face-value because I always feared big-business, or agribusiness getting their clutches in the labeling process. I also feared something that I now know is called greenwashing. Either way, the lesson is the same stay knowledgeable - educate yourself. Get down and dirty with ins and outs of the labels; what do they really mean.  

I didn't want to feel disenchanted anymore about things I have chosen to trust, so I decided to re-educate myself as to why I selected to trust these labels and see if I still agree. Here's what I found:

• I trust Certified Humane products.  After reviewing their standards and even read an article fighting for and against certified humane product labels, I remembered why this label became so important to me. Temple Grandin. I was at an education conference a couple of years ago when I saw this book for sale called, Animals Make Us Human it had nothing to do with my teaching, but everything to do with my life - I had three dogs at the time and had just given up my cat due to my husband's allergy. When I bought the book the seller pointed to a room behind me and said, "The author is giving a talk right in there now. You can have her sign it." It had been a long day, I was on my way out so I said, "No thanks," confused as to why she would be giving a talk at an education conference. Oh! If I could turn back time! The book was amazing, Dr. Grandin is even more amazing (I can't believe I haven't blogged about her before), and I learned about humane slaughter of cattle. Oxymoron, you say? Well, meat is still a reality in my house - I am working hard on my husband, but he has forgotten the horrors of Food, Inc. So if I am buying meat and animal products, they will be certified humane.
• I need Organic Certification to guard against GMOs. While there still may be loop holes in the organic certification process, it still guards against this one giant nightmare. Another blog I read last night, Natural Corn? made a very good argument for organics as well as avoiding high fructose corn syrup (which we Riveras are on the bandwagon for also!). This "Natural Mom" had a very informative blog with a recommended viewing of Fresh, a movie I have yet to see - so it is on my to-watch list!
• I like to buy local produce. I am still not sure how I would prioritize this in a supermarket given the option of locally grown or organic, but I do know that I do prefer to get my produce from the farmer's market than the grocery store. I need opinions/information on this one - am I being greenwashed at the farmer's market if I am buying produce that is not necessarily certified organic? Is this just as bad as going straight to the supermarket and buying non-organic? Let me know what you think or know about this topic!

So, in the end, it is basically an old lesson learned a-new for me here: be vigilant, read your labels carefully and then research what those labels mean.