From Where?

You've heard of brainwashing, brandwashing, and even greenwashing. But just as the corporate world never ceases to come up with ways to lead us on and deceive us, out comes a new form of eco-hypocrisy: localwashing. You see, Corporate America is very clever, and they begin to pick up on things when grassroots movements start growing organically within communities- then they hijack our ingenuous principles, beat them and pulverize them, turn them into some public relations vomit, and- voila! You have a warped, vaguely familiar message that leaves you feeling confused, slightly disturbed, and somehow taken advantage of.

So, in one way or another, these marketing behemoths have caught word that buying local is apparently a good thing, and they've jumped on that bandwagon with guns blazing, ready to take over our minds and use our own good intentions against us. McDonald's, of all companies, is now touting boastful ads that give the impression that the poisonous entity actually cares about our environment- and that they use local ingredients. Ahem... excuse me... what? McDonalds?! Local?? It's as if our brains cannot digest such a blatant oxymoron. But this, dear reader, is what they would like us to believe.

The "From Here" Campaign is in full effect now in the greater Seattle area and in most of Washington state which, interestingly enough, was already the primary supplier of most of McDonald's industrial-grade "food" products. So, in order to boast a local initiative, McDonald's choose the one place in America where their "food" production is already most concentrated. Wow! How convenient.

Not to appear fully benevolent however, each of McDonald's new ads feature a lovely little disclaimer at the bottom: "participation and duration may vary." Oh! Excellent. So not only has McDonald's chosen its most convenient location for localwashing, but they also can't guarantee that what you're buying is local- even there. So the billboards all contradict themselves, and the conscious consumer is left feeling... a bit confused at best.

The truth is that most companies spend more time, money, and energy into creating an eco-friendly facade than they do to actually support environmental movements. There are some who genuinely strive to improve their business to reflect an environmentally stable future, and those that do deserve recognition. But a savvy consumer must learn how to weed out the fradulent actors from the honest ones, and unfortunately I think we can all discern on which side McDonald's falls.

It really is quite appalling, but I'm sure the fatburger corporate executives are sitting around a table somewhere, chuckling and patting themselves on the back for once again foiling the intentions of good-hearted Americans trying to make the world a better place. And I'm sure that after they do that, they break out into a chorus of evil-villain inspired laughter: "mwa-ha-haaa!"

No Farms, No Food

The farmland protection organization American Farmland have launched a fun new contest across the states to find the best farmer's markets in the U.S.A. The initiative is bringing more attention to farmers and farmer's markets by providing individual consumers with the power to recognize the good work that their local farmers are doing, the good people who support them, and the good food they provide us with every day.

On the American Farmland website, you can vote for your favorite farmers market, see what the current top 5 markets are in your state, as well as learn startling facts about the loss of farmland in your area. For example, according to their site, the state of Texas loses about 360 acres of farmland per day, while overall in America we lose about an acre of farmland every minute. These are quite disheartening statistics for those of us who enjoy eating food.

The friendly farmers we meet at our local markets work so hard to bring us the fresh foods that we enjoy so much, yet their livelihoods are being threatened by land misuse, development, and the oppressive presence of large-scale agro-businesses and GMOs. Up to 91% of agricultural products in America are harvested in areas of urban influence, emphasizing the incessant threat of urban sprawl, while large agricultural corporations such as Monsanto continually bully our farmers and monopolize our food market, making it increasingly difficult for them to be successful. That is why, if we want to continue having access to fresh, healthy food at an affordable rate, and to ensure the future of small farms in America, it is absolutely imperative to invest in our local economies and support our local farmers.

Farmer's markets are a great way to preserve our traditional American agriculture by keeping our small farmers in business, and therefore ensuring the preservation of rural land and keeping urban sprawl at bay. We have the power as consumers, and with the abundance of farmer's markets all over the country, exercising that power is easy and convenient. There are even many markets which stay open all year round, providing you with fresh produce, meat, an dairy through the winter months.

This contest is an exciting way to recognize not only the farmers, but also the people who organize these markets and work so hard to ensure that we consumers have access to the bounty of healthy food being grown and raised all around us.

What's your favorite farmers market, and why? Vote Here, and then share your thoughts on Pea's Peace!

Got Food? Thank A Farmworker!

So this week just happens to be National Farmworker Awareness Week. And considering what little awareness we normally have in regard to those who provide us with our food, the attention that such a campaign should draw towards issues of farmworkers' rights seems necessary. Every day in the United States, farmworkers face grueling physical conditions, insufficient wages and a lower standard of living, all to perform one of the

simplest and most sacred tasks of humanity: to sow and to harvest the glorious fruits and vegetables that feed us all. Yet still, we take this precious work for granted too often. So this week, and every day, take some time to pay attention to where your food comes from, and try to consider the rights of the workers who provide that great gift to you.

factsheets provided by the NC Farmworkers Insitute

Protecting the Growers

The bounty of legislation being written to ensure the quality and safety of food products in the United States is seemingly endless, with all sorts of sensible, predictable titling and rhetoric. There is the Food Safety and Tracking Act, the TRACE Act, the Safe Feast Act, and the recent Food Safety Enhancement Act, among a multitude of others which serve to enforce safety regulations on food processors and producers across the United States. Still, there are often many questions left unanswered with these types of legislation, such as why private firms are being hired to audit food processing plants in place of government authority, why antibiotics are still so rampantly used and loosely monitored, why pesticide use continues to increase, and why small organic farmers who produce the safest foods the natural way are still left out of so many major dialogs and considerations in agricultural legislation.

It seems as though, with the majority of agricultural measures, there is very little protection for organic producers, and to be sheltered by the USDA's organic certification umbrella is a costly endeavor that not many small farmers can easily afford. And as safety laws are becoming ever more stringent, the burden placed on small-scale organic and sustainable farmers grows heavier.

Thankfully, there are a handful of representatives who are seeking to provide provide protection for organic growers facing increasing regulatory constraints. In the new Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, a bill that will increase the power of the FDA in overseeing the food system, several senators have expressed their commitment to easing the burdens placed on sustainable agricultural practices. Jeff Merkey of Oregon, Al Franken of Minesota, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Michael Bennet of Colorado teamed together to write up a letter addressed to Chairman Harkin last week to help organic farmers comply with the new legislation.

And it worked! The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), which had advocated vigorously in advance of the bills passage for family farm rights, and to ease the regulations against organic farms by merging FDA efforts with the established USDA organic certification rules, responded to the unanimous passage of the bill this week with an overall positive outlook, although is still pressing the FDA to be more forthcoming about how the new regulations will impact sustainable farmers, and is urging lawmakers to include the Growing Safe Food Act to the food safety bill. The act was coined by Senator Debbie Stabenow of MI, and would require an implementation of educational programs, funding, training, and other support for farmers and food producers. NSAC vowed that they would continue to fight for the inclusion of the Safe Food Act into the bill.

The health and safety of our food should always be at the top of our legislative priority list. However, overregulation of small-scaled and sustainable farming practices is not the answer to food safety concerns. Local and organic farmers should be supported and bolstered, and the gigantic industrial food system is what should be met with equally gargantuan legislation to protect us against its profit-geared agenda that frankly lacks any true regard for safety. Hopefully the passage of this new legislation will reflect the concerns of the NSAC, small farmers, the representatives that support them, and the consumers who want to trust in an agricultural food system that is safe and healthy for everyone.

Food and Justice for All

The Engaged University is once again making front page headlines, but this time the news is not so good. After almost eight years of linking University of Maryland students with the communities around them and thus creating an enriched atmosphere, the E.U. is facing the chopping block by UMD administrators, who are seeking to cast off financial weights due to recent budget cuts.

Since the University of Maryland is now my alma mater, I feel a close connection to the activites of the school, and the Engaged University was always something I could feel proud of. As the university attempts to project itself as a sustainable, service-oriented campus, this extension was a shining example of the types of programs that could be implemented in hopes of truly achieving substance to reinforce UMD's projected image. Perhaps it was a costly endeavor, but no more so than the university's selection of other superfluous programs, and with the added benefit of providing students with a chance to engage with their community and learn about sustainability in a hands-on manner. This type of learning benefits both the students and the community members they interact with at the E.U. The Master Peace Community Farm is one of the E.U.'s outstanding programs. As my partner stated in The Diamondback, UMD's school newspaper, the farm provides a meeting ground for people who "don't really mingle very much," indicating that it provides a unique opportunity for diversity and understanding that frankly may sometimes be lost on campus. His work, he says, provides "food and justice for all."

The farm, like the fabulous Water Pod Project, is an innovative tool for getting people to connect with one another, as well as with their earth, providing a sense of meaning and purpose in a world where materialism often takes precedent and overshadows our vital relationships. Other programs, such as a biodiesel co-op, a bicycle shop, as well as arts and cultural programs, help to reinforce and integrate ideals of social justice, peace, and environmentalism through youth-centered activities that exist primarily to educate. The University of Maryland's SGA is now fighting to keep the Engaged University as an integral part of the school's mission of achieving sustainability and social service initiatives, and I hope they succeed, as UMD cannot afford to lose such a vital resource for its students as well as its community.

If you would like to make a donation to help to ensure the continued impact of the Engaged University, they are being accepted here: http://engagedu.umd.edu/

Click if you can help!