Slow Food USA: Farmworkers need to be part of this movement
Written by barb howe Wednesday, 25 March 2009 09:08
There is an excellent quote in Joan Obra's column today in the Fresno Bee by the President of Slow Food U.S.A. "Historically, this movement has focused on the environment, health and preserving small farms. But we've completely missed the boat when it comes to work. Farmworkers need to be part of this movement."
A recent New York Times article, Is a Food Revolution Now in Season? reports that the sustainable food movement --a movement away from the large-scale mono-crops of industrial agribusiness, and towards diverse, seasonal, locally-grown organic crops-- is gaining political sway in this country.
Indeed, the "food revolution" appears to have even the support of the first family who, with the help of children from a local elementary school, recently planted a new organic vegetable garden on White House grounds. Incorporating bees for pollination and ladybugs for pest control, the 1,100 square foot garden will produce over 55 varieties of seasonal vegetables for White House residents, staff and guests.
Besides being healthier and better for the earth than conventional chemically-produced produce, the new White House garden carries some valuable lessons for the next generation: participating in the planting, nuturing and harvesting of crops helps children understand where food comes from and the important role that agricultural workers play in getting produce from the farm to our plates.
The sustainable food movement has done excellent work in raising awareness amongst consumers about the relationship between the use of toxic chemicals and the damaging effects on our health and on fragile ecosystems. As the movement takes root and grows, however, the tremendous cost in human suffering of the workers themselves (in terms of low wages and worker protections and the health effects of pesticides and chemical fertilizers) must become part of the story as well.
Let's hope this trend continues!
Watch a video from Slow Food Nation on this topic.
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