Meeting Notes, February 23rd 2011

MEETING NOTES

Food Advisory Council for Memphis and Shelby County

Working Group Meeting

Wednesday February 23,  2011

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, 1000 S Cooper St.

NEXT MEETING:  WED. MARCH 9^TH 10:30 AM -12 NOON

In Attendance:  Josephine Williams, Robin Rodriquez, Christian Man, Melissa Petersen, John Paul Shaffer, Brandi Franklin, Laretha Randolph

Welcomed new working group member Brandi Franklin, CHEER project manager with UT Health and Science Center.  CHEER is the Consortium for Health Education, Economic Empowerment, and Research, is a partnership between (UT Health Science Cntr, LeMoyne Owen College, Memephis Houseing Authority, Mustard Seed CDC, First Baptist on Lauderdale, and the Shelby County Health Department) taking a community based approach to addressing health disparities with a focus in the 38126 area.

1. Update on Ongoing Projects

Sampling/Demos at Farmers Markets – an email has been circulated (please see following text of TN Health Department) stating that according to state law, sampling at farmers markets is exempt from permitting.  Interpretations of local law may differ.  Melissa has sent language about chef demos to Otho Sawyer twice for his approval.  Response is still pending.  There was a discussion of other strategies to expedite a statement from the Health Department before the farmers market season begins.  Melissa Petersen will contact Connie Binkowitz and ask her to speak with Janet Shipman as to her recommendations.  We could also potentially bring it up to Let’sCHANGE (Yvonne Madlock or Rev. Robinson) or Mayor Luttrell’s office. 

Food Ordinance Handbook – We are expecting a brief/memo from Harvard Law School soon dictating their preliminary findings/recommendations for the elimination of the food ordinance handbook and the introduction of necessary ordinances above and beyond state law.  Once we have this brief we can use it be build support and shop around to policy makers.  Four students will be coming in March (14^th through the 18^th) to talk about their research, host some public and stakeholder meetings, and hopefully do some related research on a topic yet to be determined.  The students are comparing Memphis food ordinances to 15 other cities.

White Paper – writing committee will have a draft for the group at the next working group meeting.

Farm to Table Conference – Hosted by Urban Farms, GrowMemphis and Edible Memphis Magazine on February 7^th, the conference had about 75 attendees and we generally a success.  Otho Sawyers session on local farmers markets and other food ordinances was very well attended.  This will be an annual event.

2. Financial sustainability and fundraising discussion – we reviewed the budgets made available of the Community Food Security Coalition website and discussed staffing and fundraising strategies.  The relationship between GrowMemphis and the FAC will be a key consideration fro fundraising.   It was expressed that the Wholesome Wave grant would really kick start fundraising because it would be a tangible result that people can relate to.  The first step is to determine that level of funding is required for FAC function over the next three years.  We may be able to bring in a consultant to help identity funding sources and develop a plan. 

3. Formation of a Fundraising Plan Committee  - Robin Rodriguez and Christian Man volunteered to serve on the Fundraising/Financial Plan Committee.   Brandi Franklin offered to help identify funding sources.

4. General Updates/Announcements -

·    BioDimensions – would like to meet regarding the possibility of partnering on a project to research and make recommendations for implementing a program to supply schools with local food.  Recommended that this meeting take place outside a regular working group meeting and include Melissa Wolowicz, Lauren Taylor, and a representative from MCS Nutrition Services.  Laretha Randolph and Christian Man expressed interest in attending.  Josephine will get in touch with Melissa Wolowocz and go from there. 

·    Shelby County Mayor Luttrell – Mary Phillips of the Urban Farm recently met with Mayor Luttrell, who is interested in sending a representative to a meeting of the FAC working group.

·      Pick TN Products/ TN Farmers Market Promotion Meeting/Conference Saturday April 9^th in Memphis at the Agricenter.  More information will be forthcoming.

Received from the TN Dept of health October 8, 2010:

Ms. Childress,

Thank you for your letter regarding cooking demonstrations at the Jonesborough Farmer's Market.  This issue has been reviewed and a policy update has been issued statewide that exempts sampling operations at farmer's markets (including samples provided at cooking demonstrations); provided no potentially hazardous foods are served to the public.  Potentially hazardous foods include (but are not limited to) meats, eggs, cooked rice, and cooked potatoes. 

The policy is in effect now, it was distributed this week at the manager's meeting.  This is how the policy appears in our manual:

Sampling operations in farmer’s markets, flea markets, and temporary events.

               

Sampling operations located in farmer’s markets, flea markets, and temporary events are exempt from permitting and regulation provided the food products being offered as samples are non potentially hazardous and/or are products  prepared in a licensed domestic kitchen regulated by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Rev. 10-4-10

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly or contact your local environmental health specialist in Washington County, (423) 975-7926.

Regards,

Lori LeMaster

Environmental Health Program Manager

Tn Department of Health

General Environmental Health

425  5th Avenue North, 5th floor

Nashville, TN  37247

(615) 741-8531

Working Group Meeting Agenda, February 9, 2011

AGENDA

Food Advisory Council for Memphis and Shelby County

Working Group Meeting

Wednesday February 9,  2011

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, 1000 S Cooper St.

1.    Update on Ongoing Projects –20 min

Sampling/Demos at Farmers Markets (Melissa/Otho)

Food Ordinance Handbook (Josephine/Janet/Otho)

White Paper (Rosalie/Christian)

Farm to Table Conference (Anyone who was there)

2.    Financial sustainability and fundraising discussion* – 20 min

Suggested discussion questions:

How much staff time is required?

How much will it cost to sustain the Food Advisory Council?

From what types of sources should funding be sought?

Do we need outside assistance in fundraising and financial planning (we have funds set aside that can be used for this)?

3.    Formation of a Fundraising Plan Committee – 5 min

4.    General Updates/Announcements - 15 min

*Supporting Material:

page 23 from “Food Policy Councils: Lessoned Learned”  section on staff

sample budgets

The Food Safety Modernization Act (S510): Sifting through the Madness

Anyone up for some informed dialogue about this bill?

Several months ago, my email inbox starting blowing up with emails about Senate bill 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act.  Maybe yours did, too.  Via a listserv I subscribe to, I got a lot of emails telling me to call my senators to oppose the bill, that it would be a death knell for small farms, and I got a few emails asserting that concerns about the bill were not preposterous, and I got a surprising number of emails just begging for someone to please explain this mess.  Of course there were also those Fwd:Fwd:fwd emails telling me the bill would make seed saving and community gardening illegal.

For example, I give you this gem "the most dangerous bill in the history of the United States of America, it would grant ... Big brother the power to regulate the tomato plants in your backyard. It would grant them the power to arrest and imprison people selling cucumbers at farmer's markets."  Really?  It had that familiar feel of fear mongering.  No specific section of the bill was referenced.   My background was in the natural sciences, I am a stickler for references.

I searched online for sources I trust with an informed discussion or opinion on the bill.  I found nothing but news stories with the familiar "supporters say" and "but critics claim".   I remained skeptical and stayed out of the email slinging fray.  No sense throwing another uninformed decision into the pot.

And then, like a light in the dark, I read an opinion piece in the New York Times written by Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, who had this to say; 

The best opportunity in a generation to improve the safety of the American food supply will come as early as Monday night, when the Senate is scheduled to vote on the FDA Food Safety Modernization bill.  This legislation is by no means perfect. But it promises to achieve several important food safety objectives, greatly benefiting consumers without harming small farmers or local food producers.

Hallelujah, someone I trust!  For me, this raises all kinds of issues that I have with Thinking For Oneself vs. Deferring To The Experts.  On November 30th, S.510 passed with the Tester Amendment.  And yesterday I decided that I should finally read the bill myself.  Nothing like primary sources of information!  I will expose myself with the embarrassing caveat that this is only the second piece of (modern) federal legislation that I have read.  It was a doozy, you can read it yourself if you want.

Here is what I understand (or think I understand) about S.510.  The main thrust is protecting consumers by increasing the capacity and authority of the FDA to do the following:

• trace outbreaks back to their source
• require more frequent inspections for higher risk operations
• test for food pathogens
• mandate a recall (surprisingly, the FDA does not currently have this authority)
• hold imported food to the same standards

Despite the fact that the bill does include language designed to ensure that regulations and requirements are scale appropriate for small farmers and processors, there was significant and legitimate concern that this bill could have an adverse effect on small and local food producers.  Enter the Tester Amendment.   This amendment exempts "very small businesses" and farmers that sell less than $500,000 worth of food each year AND sell over half of that direct to consumer (not through a third party broker) AND sell the majority within the state or within 275 miles of the farm.

The PR machines of agricultural trade groups are strong.  The brief story I heard about the bill on NPR had a decidedly negative spin and referred to the Tester Amendment as a loophole.   Some of this groups have used the Tester Amendment as an excuse to pull support for a bill they never liked, but would make them look really bad for opposing.  A little reason, anyone?  The kinds of farms exempted make up 1% of the marketplace.  Have you ever heard about a food-borne illness originating at a farmers markets or CSA?  Massive and broad reaching food safety issues have arisen as a result of the increasing consolidation of our food system, not from farmer Joe's produce stand.

What's up next?  We're not sure.  According to Food Safety News, "the Senate version is in serious jeopardy because it contains a provision raising fees that is technically unconstitutional.  Article 1, Section 7 of the law of the land says that revenue-raising provisions must originate in the House.  It remains unclear whether the House will pass a version amendable to the Senate in the next week or two, or whether Congress will have to start over in the 112th session in 2011."

10/17/10 Meeting Notes

Food Policy Council Working Group Meeting

Wednesday, Nov 17th, 2010, 3:00-4:30pm

NEXT MEETING, Special FPC Formation Strategy Meeting, Wednesday December 8th 2:00pm-4:30pm

In attendance:  Brad Watkins, Josephine Williams, Melissa Petersen, Robin Rodriguez, Zorina Bowen, Christian Man, Rosalie Bouck, Karen Thornton

Guests: Ken Reardon, Mary Phillips, Allison Eddins

Progress Report:  reviewed grant report submitted to the Community Foundation at the beginning of the month.  There was concern within the group that we are letting Food Policy Council establishment work slide with so much energy going to these specific policy initiatives.  It was recommended that we have an extended meeting in December to focus solely on next steps in FPC development.

Project Updates:

Food Ordinance Handbook - WG members Josephine, Melissa and Otho met with Emily Broad of Harvard Law.   One of the students will be here in the month of January to meet with stakeholders.  She will be dividing her time between Memphis and Mississippi.  It is looking like the recommendation will be scrapping the FOC altogether, and passing a couple new regulations to fill any gaps in state policy that are relevant locally.  Emily expects to have an initial document for us in January.

UDC - No update, waiting on Planning and Development to show us proposed changes

Sampling and Demos at Farmers Markets - Following a conversation with Otho Sawyer, Melissa has drafted chef demo guidelines for farmers markets, providing for chefs to prepare foods to be sampled in advance, and the food actually used in the demonstration not be consumed.   This would be a huge step forward in allowing demonstrations with any frequency, as opposed to being limited to three per year.    Environmental Sanitation must approve this guidelines before they can be put into practice.

Food system stakeholder survey -  Josephine has one volunteer conducting survey, and another entering data and drafting addition surveys.  Still having trouble connecting with farmers who are not direct marketing in Memphis.  Suggestions were to go to places or events that target farmers.

Next Steps

Food Systems Course, University of Memphis, City and Regional Planning:  Dr. Ken Reardon shared with us information about a spring course offering in food systems that would require students to participate in 5 hours of relevant field based research each week.  Students would be available to assist us with research including stakeholder surveys, focus groups, etc.  In addition, we may be able to take advantage of HCD funded assistantships in January, paid students for 20 hours per week.  Finally, the national meeting of the Planners Network will be taking place in Memphis, May 18-21st 2011.  There will be an urban food systems track.   

Local Food and Farm Roundtable in February - Mary Phillips of the Urban Farms is planning an event in February for local farmers and possibly chefs, markets, community gardeners and food advocates.  It will be an open format conference model where the participants set the agenda.  There is a meeting Monday, Nov 22 at 2pm at the Binghampton Development Corp to determine the scope of the event and begin planning.

Growing the Group - moved to December meeting

Answering critical questions - moved to December meeting

Defining Food Deserts - moved to December meeting

Wholesome Wave - national food access funder Wholesome Wave has invited MSPJC to submit a Letter of Interest to partner with them in 2011.  This could potentially supporting getting SNAP capacity at farmers markets and add value to SNAP and SFMNP voucher purchases.  There will be an interest meeting Monday Nov 22 at 4pm at MSPJC.  Local foundations, SoMe Market, Urban Farm Market, Cooper Young Market and Memphis Farmers Market, and the Health Department have been invited.  Melissa recommended contacting the Millington and Agricenter markets as well.

2011 Meeting Calendar

Meeting will be on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, alternating daytime and evening meetings.  The 2011 meeting calendar is as follows:

Wednesday,  January 12th, 10:30 am -12 pm

Wednesday, February 9th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Wednesday, March 9th, 10:30 am -12 pm

Wednesday, April 3th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm 

Wednesday, May 11th, 10:30 am -12 pm

Wednesday, June 8th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Wednesday, July 13th, 10:30 am -12 pm

Wednesday, August 10th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Wednesday, September 14, 10:30 am -12 pm

Wednesday, October 12th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Wednesday, November 9th, 10:30 am -12 pm

Wednesday, December 14th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Group Name - postponed due to lack of quorum

NEXT MEETING, Special FPC Formation Strategy Meeting, Wednesday December 8th 2:00pm-4:30pm

Working Group Meeting, November 17, 2010

Working Group meetings are open to the public.  If you would like to attend, please call Josephine at 901-725-4990 or email josephine@midsouthpeace.org so we can expect you.

AGENDA
Food Policy Council Working Group
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
3:00-4:30pm
Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, 1000 S Cooper St.

1.  Welcome and introductions (5 min)

2.  Progress Report: how are we doing in meeting our goals?  Review timeline and 11/1/10 grant report (15 min)

3.  Project Updates (15 min)

• Food Ordinance Handbook
• Sampling and Demos at Farmers Markets
• Food system stakeholder surveys

4.  DECISION:  Group name (15 min)

5.  Next steps (20 min)

• Growing the group
• answering critical questions
• defining food deserts

6.  2011 meeting calendar (10 min)

7.  Announcements and Adjourn (5 min)

Food Policy Working Group Notes

Memphis and Shelby County Food Policy Working Group

Meeting Notes, October 21, 2010

In attendance:  Josephine Williams (GrowMemphis), Otho Sawyer (Shelby Co Health Department), Rosalie Bouck (Delta Directions Consortium), Nathan Cook (Christ Community Health Services), Christian Man (Knowledge Quest), Erica Christensen (community member), Robin Rodriguez (Slow Food Memphis), Melissa Petersen (Edible Memphis Magazine), John Paul Shaffer (urban planner)

A.  Discussion of Lessons Learned from the Community Food Security Coalition Conference in New Orleans

Robin Rodriguez gave a synopsis of the Food Policy Council short course and gave Josephine her handouts which have been scanned and emailed to the group list.  Robin discussed

1.     Different strategies for relationship with government:

a.     Statute/Resolution/Ordinance calling for or establishing the council

b.     Executive Order – ties the council to a particular administration

c.      Independent

d.     Hybrid of independent and government affiliated

In the opinion of the presenter, Mark Winne, who leads the FPC program at the CFSC, option a. is best because official ties to policy makers gives the councils necessary clout and often assured funding.

2.     Right-sizing.  Typically 15-20 is the right size with good sector representation

3.     Better public education to build a common vocabulary  and transparency of the council, having open meetings, posting minutes and agendas online

4.     Naming the council.  Some policy makers are put off by having the word “policy” in the same of the council because it implies that the council makes policy, while it’s role is to research, recommend, educate and possibly advocate for policies.   

5.     Representation.  Is this group representative of the people we intend to serve?

Conference attendees Josephine Williams, Melissa Petersen and John Paul Shaffer discussed the following

1. a.     community based vs. commodity based food systems
2. b.     evaluation and assessment; showing you made a difference vs. demonstrating success; telling stories; visual representations
3. c.      media and public relations
4. d.     mapping and data collection; involving youth, civic groups and students; sharing data in a legible form; greenmaps.org

B.  Conference Follow-Up and Next Steps – based on the above these items warrant further discussion:

1.  Name of council and geographic scope.  Discussion followed.  Should the group be Memphis or include Shelby?  Metro Memphis and Greater Memphis were also offered.  Loose consensus that Shelby should be retained for strategic political reasons, and outside Shelby is really beyond our current scope.  How do we work with other groups in TN?  How do we work with other groups in our foodshed (MS and AR)?  Challenges of having a foodshed that overlaps so many state lines. 

The group also reached informal consensus that the word “policy” be dropped from the name.  Proposed names are Memphis Shelby Food Advisory Council, or Food Advisory Council for Memphis and Shelby County.  No official decisions were reached on this item, members will continue to mull it over. 

2.  Defining and Mapping Food Deserts.  Although the term “food desert” is getting used often in relation to specific neighborhoods in Memphis, no one has defined criteria for labeling areas as food deserts nor mapped where those areas are located.  Discussed facilitating a community conversation about Food Deserts to come up with an acceptable definition for stakeholders and then create some maps of where food deserts are located in Memphis.  This can also be an opportunity to grow the group, invite other stakeholders, and conduct outreach.   Ellen Holtzman of the Food Trust also shared some interesting maps of “areas of greatest need” in Memphis during her presentation at the Community Foundation.  Making an action plan for this item will be on the next meeting agenda.

3.  Outreach, Representation, and Relationship to Government.  Some group members expressed that we should grow the group before attempting to answer question of relation to government.   We will work on getting the blog out and getting agendas and notes on the blog. 

NEXT MEETING, Wednesday November 17^th, 3pm to 4:30pm at the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center

Meetings are open to the public, but please let us know in advance if you plan to attend.

For more information contact Josephine Williams, josephine@midsouthpeace.org or 901-725-4990

Commodified or Common Land

With many factors contributing to the United States’ concern that the nation’s economy is “out of control”, many have noticed a trend in which Americans want to revert back to a nostalgic time. Consumer society hit a chaotic peak after the attacks on September 11, 2001 according to Annie Leonard’s short Internet film The Story of Stuff. According to Leonard, Americans were encouraged to keep the economy flourishing by spending. Stuff, as Leonard calls it, was purchased, more troops left home, and due to the lack of support from the French in the United States’ war on Iraq, congress wanted to change the name of French Fries to Freedom Fries. The United States’ mood is expressed through its food much of the time as shown in the previous example. In the current recession which began in 2008 with outrageous foreclosure rates, the States is wanting to readopt the ways of the past and opt for a simpler time (McWilliams). They want to, “look back to an earlier era when there was enough time, even if living standards were less opulent” (Holt viii). The local food movement is a case where this nostalgic desire is expressed through the choice of food. Foods that are “natural” and “fresh” are preferred to be bought from an open air local farmers market rather than a square supermarket. The local food movement is essentially an expression of the desire for stronger communities and decentralized sources for food. This post will examine and explain what “local” means pertaining to food sources, that this movement is the beginning of an environmental change and not a trend, and how to secure the integrity of this change.

Many areas do not have a legal definition of what a local food source or vendor is (this will be explained in further detail later in the post). New adjectives describing foods have been advertised heavily in the food industry within the past five years. Organic and natural are preferred for some Americans, but others still eat fast food which undoubtedly is an American invention. French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu writes in his ethnography Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste, food is a form of social distinction. In the modern French bourgeois society, food can be like fashion. It will distinguish a person’s taste and whether their taste is “good” or “bad”. It can even distinguish a person’s gender. Normally women do not eat heavy red meats such as beef nor drink a rich robust Bourdeaux. Bourdieu defines this as a person’s habitus: which a person’s taste due to external reasons like their wealth, social status and gender. A habitus usually has no rationale behind it and in this case separates people.

Applied to the United State’s most recent and current culture, the Organic movement was and is somewhat more for the higher socioeconomic classes. It is their habitus. The food was grown free of harmful chemicals and pesticides which would endanger an individual’s health. Usually healthier people are wealthier people, because they can afford institutional health care (sick care) and nutritious food which is a form of health care (well care). Marketers even began to advertise that this was better for the workers’ health also that actually picked the produce. So now people can buy their charity also. The price per calorie of the produce is extremely unbalanced in comparison to “fast food” and other high caloric manufactured foods. Not everyone is able to buy this revolutionary healthy food. And in this case, food separates, again. Community Food Assesments (which can be found on the Food Environment Atlas www.ers.usda.gov/foodatlas) have identified areas where there is not an adequate amount of fresh produce (these are also known as food deserts) most likely due the fact people cannot afford the produce. People who cannot afford sick care, cannot even practice their own preventative well care. With the national legislation claiming to secure organic farming methods in U.S. agriculture (2008 Farm Act), many local organizers still see flaws within the Organic produce industry: the price is too high and only available to higher socioeconomic classes and consumer behavior is still too centralized in this industry.

The local food movement was a reaction to the organic movement. Local foods are usually grown by organic farming methods and are supposedly cheaper. But food grown locally can be free and COMMON due to the rise of community gardens. Community gardening is also a tool for reducing areas known as food deserts. This rising trend of community mending via food sources is due to the social disconnect of "shopping malls replacing community centers" (Chomsky 65). Americans are identifying, “the acceleration of daily life, often for purposes of consuming, contributes to a feeling that things are out of control… Many long for a simpler, more authentic, less materialistic past. Balance has become the defining mantra” (Holt viii). New York Times blogger James McWilliams states it is a trend for Americans to idealize a “primitive golden age lifestyle” when the economy is unstable (McWilliams). Although in my opinion McWilliams is cynically examing this trend, maybe the desire for simplicity during tumultuous finincial times suggests something IS not right within our system.

The local food movement, is not a fashion statement or a class statement but an assertive political expression (not passive aggressive like the freedom fries). It is not a fashionable statement conspicuously displaying your financial ability to buy “natural” or “organic” produce. The reason is, because it is mostly either cheaper or free and designed for all socioeconomic classes; it is common. If local food purchasers are conspicuously consuming (consuming to display or distinguish), it is because they are displaying their dissatisfaction with the food industry and other national social problems. This food movement is also not a fashion statement because most people are not aggressively competitively consuming local produce. On the other hand, it is very fashionable now to be socially aware. With the rise of non-governmental organizations and non-profits, it is more politically fashionable to start one’s own charitable organization than a band. So, some individuals are consuming local produce to keep up with the good-hearted Joneses. But at least the Joneses have good hearts now.

Fashion trends, though, are designed to distinguish people from other people. Traditionally, people wear exclusive name brands displaying they have the monetary capability to buy it (another example of conspicuous consumption). Even recycled fashions can be commodified into trendy products. According to the article from the New Yorker, The Coolhunt authored by Malcolm Gladwell in 1997, suburbanites want the image of the inner-city and urban areas. In fashion, companies will hire hunters to go into these areas to find fashion that is not commodified nor mainstream but "original" in order to mass produce it and make it mainstream for the folks that are able to afford it. This concept of outsourcing can be applied to the local food movement, because it is heavily composed of urban inner city agriculture. But in that case these trends will be sold to the higher classes. Urban agriculture also differs from this because typically the urban agriculturalist's vision is to provide nutritious free food for people and create COMMON LAND.

Many in academia and in the not for profit sector are seeing this phenomenon as a not a trend but an environmental change that needs to happen and be secured as part of our nation’s common habitus, not a trend. The United States has been undergoing an obesity epidemic. Many blame it on the lack of self control and a person’s conscious decisions. Others see the injustices and problems as interconnections of our current system. Towns and cities are spending too much money buying produce many miles away while there is potential to grow it in their own back yards, literally. In Memphis, TN, the Memphis and Shelby County Food Policy Council Working Group has been teaming up with urban and regional planners to codify urban agriculture and secure it by this codification within Shelby County. This will reduce conspicuous consumption (which many Americans are beginning to identify as a problem), provide preventative well care and reduce grocery lists. For establishments that need to buy in order to provide for their customers, employees, residents etc… buying locally will stimulate local economies. In Dane County Wisconsin, the Dane County Food Council authored the Local Food Purchase Program Policy to give strong support for institutions buying local produce (www.countyofdane.com/foodcouncil). This will help small scale farmers. Legally defining what is “local” in the context of agriculture is also extremely important and will be further discussed in a later blog.

With the over saturated advertisements and predatory marketing contributing to the United States’ economic recession and health problems, local agriculture and food are binding communities together, not separating like it has in many situations before. Seeing the benefits of many local food sources scattered throughout a community has been contagious through light marketing and educating the public of their alternative options. The nation’s rising interest in charitable buying also has contributed to the strong support of the local food movement and urban agriculture. The question is will this movement be secured as way of life or will it fade away and become uncool like other trends? The answer to this is the land has always been common for people who choose for it to be common.



Works Cited

McWilliams, James. "The Persistence of the Primitive Food Movement." Freakonomics. The New York Times, March 9, 2010. Web. 11 Oct 2010. .

Gladwell, Malcolm. "The Coolhunt." New Yorker. (1997): 119-131. Print.
Noam, Chomsky. Profit over People:Neoliberalism and Global Order. New York, New York: Seven Stories Press, 1999. 65. Print.

Holt and Shor. Introduction: Do Americans Consume Too Much?. viii. Print.

Bourdieu, Pierre. Distinction: A Social Critique of Judgement and Tase. Harvard University Press, 1984. Print.

"Accomplishments." Dane County Food Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct 2010. .