The following excerpt comes from “A Vision for ‘Good Food’ for Iowa - Linking Community-Based Food Systems to Healthy Iowans and Healthy Communities” by Angie Tagtow, MS, RD, LD, and a Kellogg Food & Society Policy Fellow from Elkhart, Iowa. The piece was originally published in conjunction with the Leopold Center’s 20th anniversary celebration, and forms the basis of her upcoming keynote presentation at the 2008 Iowa Farmers Union state convention, August 22 and 23 in Marshalltown. Watch this site for more convention information.
Have you thought about where food really comes from? Or how far food has traveled before it reaches your plate? Or the energy it takes to produce, process, package and transport food? Have you considered how agriculture policy affects the quality and cost of food or how it impacts the health of families and communities? How will the current food system determine the viability and stability of the food supply for future Iowa eaters?
Food - it is a basic human need and the quality and quantity of food available is essential to public health. Author and farmer Wendell Berry said “eating is an agricultural act” and agriculture is central to Iowa’s economy, culture and communities. Yet, eaters are often disengaged with who produces food and how the current industrial food system impacts health.
This disconnection to food production correlates with rising chronic disease trends and public health disparities. The health of Iowans is reflective of the health of the food system. Changes within our food system are needed to assure all Iowans have access to good food - food that is healthy, green, fair, affordable, and accessible.
We all are key partners when reconnecting eaters to farmers. A good food system is a community-based food system that focuses on the relationships between farmers, processors, distributors, retailers and eaters. There is an emphasis on locally-grown food, economic development, sustainability, resource conservation, health and social equity.
When local food production is integrated within a community, food becomes a community asset. As access to locally-grown food increases, food security improves, more fruits and vegetables are consumed and diet-related chronic diseases decline.
The foundation of a community-based food system is built on healthy and diverse natural resources. Science proves that healthy soil grows healthy food. Science also proves that eating healthy food nourishes healthy people and healthy people form healthy communities. Therefore, when the soil is unhealthy it becomes the source of disease in plants, animals and people.
The time is ripe for all of us to commit to a vision of good food and support a community-based food system by cultivating a food landscape that supports the health, social and economic well-being of individuals, families, farms and communities.
Healthy soil and healthy food can be the next agriculture and public health achievements in Iowa!
Excerpt from “A Vision for ‘Good Food’ for Iowa - Linking Community-Based Food Systems to Healthy Iowans and Healthy Communities,” April 2008.
Angie Tagtow, MS, RD, LD
Food & Society Policy Fellow
Connecting Soil to Food to Health
www.foodandsocietyfellows.org
Managing Editor
Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition
http://JHEN.HaworthPress.com
Owner
Environmental Nutrition Solutions
An ecological approach to food and health
13464 NE 46th Street
Elkhart, Iowa 50073
515.367.5200
angie.tagtow@mac.com