Andrew Martin, “Is a Food Revolution Now in Season?,” The New York Times, March 22, 2009

“After being largely ignored for years by Washington, advocates of organic and locally grown food have found a receptive ear in the White House, which has vowed to encourage a more nutritious and sustainable food supply,” claims this article exploring the nation’s sustainable-food movement. The author writes that at the heart of the movement “is a belief that America has become efficient at producing cheap, abundant food that profits corporations and agribusiness, but is unhealthy and bad for the environment.”

Martin cites conventional agriculture producers who argue that organic farming cannot provide enough food because the yields tend to be lower than those of crops grown with chemical fertilizer. “We think there’s a place for organic, but don’t think we can feed ourselves and the world with organic,” Rick Tolman, chief executive of the National Corn Growers Association, was quoted as saying. “It’s not as productive, more labor-intensive and tends to be more expensive.”

The article also argues that although the new agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, has been “lionized by America’s food glitterati,” his greatest challenge will be obtaining congressional approval for any major changes in farm policy. According to Martin, “The sustainable-food crowd isn’t alone in its love fest with the Obama administration and Mr. Vilsack. Food-safety activists have praised Mr. Vilsack’s remarks about creating a single food-safety agency, and nutrition advocates are enthused about his comments on school lunches and health care reform.”