You might think agricultural policy is dull. Not when Michael Pollan writes about it.
When you saw that phrase, "agricultural policy," you may have stopped right there. You might not even have read this far.
And that'd be a mistake. Because when you look at agricultural policy and agriculture through journalist Michael Pollan's eyes, it's not only fascinating, it's riveting -- sometimes terrifying.
Pollan's a regular contributor to The New York Times Sunday Magazine, as well as an author. His book The Omnivore's Dilemma looks at food and how it's produced from scientific, nutritional, cultural and political angles, and chunks of it appeared in the Times magazine first. Pollan's got a way of seeing things everyone else has overlooked, identifying patterns nobody's noticed and asking questions nobody else has bothered to that put his work in the same general ballpark as that of Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, Blink) or Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, who wrote Freakonomics.
Pollan was an editor at Harper's magazine for a long time, but I remembered his name after reading a cover story called "Power Steer" in the Times Sunday Magazine on March 31, 2002. Curious about how modern meat is made, Pollan got himself a calf -- named No. 534 -- and followed it from a Kansas feedlot to the slaughterhouse. There were surprises and revelations -- many frightening and dismaying, but always worth knowing -- at every turn.
Or take his take on corn: the current obesity epidemic is largely driven by the use of high-fructose corn syrup as an industrial sweetener, an effort to deal with a huge corn surplus. "We've been here before," wrote Pollan. The first time America had a big corn surplus, in the early 19th century, it solved the problem by turning the corn into whiskey. This time, we're all getting fat on extra corn; last time, we got, well, "corned."
This week Michael Pollan looks at agricultural policy -- specifically, the U.S. farm bill -- in another Times Sunday Magazine story, "You Are What You Grow."
As with all of his other work, it's fascinating, well-researched, thought-provoking and possibly action-inspiring.
And if you want more, all the pieces mentioned here -- and plenty more besides -- can be found on Pollan's website. You can search his journalism archive by subject and keywoord.
If you're moved to do more or learn more, there's also a terrific page of links.
Lora Bruncke
What, are we completely insane!? We know things like this at a leadership level and we do nothing! Shame on us!! Quit growing corn and grow hemp!! Or something we need!! Or share the great wealth we have hoarded on this continent with those not so lucky!!!Where is mankind's common sense?
Dave Dowling
Lora, you are so correct, we should be growing hemp, it produces the most bio mass per acre, the most seed mass per acre i do believe, and it is the second most healthiest food there is, viable hemp sprouts being #1 ! but of course, we can not go and buy viable hemp sprouts due to weak willed politicians who have let this environmentla disaster happen.
the politicians political parties could have done something years ago, but did not. They went and put corporate intrests before our health and well being, profits before clean airs, greed before clear waters and that is why we need new people in ottawa, the provincial capitals and civic governments, and more web sites like Dr. David Suzukis Foundation, that help raise awareness and offer solutions to the vast problems we are facing and will continue to experiance.