After a week in New York City, I visited Princeton, NJ to speak at the Princeton University bookstore and for a book celebration organized by friends.  We enjoyed beautifully prepared, tasty vegan foods and heartwarming company.  In attendance was a USDA employee and a sustainable farming advocate, and we unanimously agreed that, despite the current situation, “the USDA doesn’t HAVE to do bad things.”

The USDA was created by Abraham Lincoln in the 1860s to serve the needs of farmers who comprised much of the population at the time, and it was known as “the people’s department.”  Unfortunately, the USDA has not lived up to this name.  At the behest of agribusiness the Agency often serves the interests of the greedy few to the detriment of the many.  The USDA has aided in the development of unsound technologies that profit a few corporations, while harming animals, farmers and consumers.  I actually hope and believe that the USDA can and should return to its original intent and serve the many.  It should actively support the production and availability of healthful foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. 

As I flew from the east coast to Chicago, the next stop on my book tour, I saw an article in the New York Times (March 9, 2008) entitled “A Global Need for Grain that Farmers Can’t Fill.”  It described how grain farmers all over the world are “producing flat out,” but still not able to meet demand.  It was another reminder of the tons of grain we squander every day feeding farm animals to produce meat, milk and eggs.

Eating grains directly is much more efficient than feeding them to animals!

Gene