Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution sparks important debate for USDA overhaul

If you've been following along on ABC's Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, then you might have caught Friday's finale episode. Just before the credits started to roll, there was Eva Longoria, Gweneth Paltrow, and even Cookie Monster giving Jamie Oliver, and his Food Revolution support. Watching this inspiring show has really started to spark a debate about eating, and finally there are a slew of role models joining in.

The goal is to change unhealthy eating habits, and create a food system in balance with the environment, economy, and individual communities. Jamie chimes in that for the first time in history kids growing up today will have a shorter lifespan than their parents. If you eat sugary, dyed cereal for breakfast, and processed chicken nuggets for lunch and dinner, it's no wonder. The place to start is the public school cafeteria, (as others like Alice Waters and Ann Cooper agree), and during this season of the Food Revolution, that's just what was done. Fifteen schools in West Virginia adopted the fresh food menus from Jamie and have made it work, but, as Jamie re-enforces, the big picture for making changes, especially within the public school system, will mean a convincing the USDA to take some big steps.

The USDA is a big and complicated monster, with many puppeteers at the controls. They answer to "big ag," the major agricultural unions and lobby organizations that consistently prioritize bottom line over quality, and equality. Long story short, these groups that were set up to protect the interests of farmers, food packagers and delivery companies, have actually done a disservice to the industry, making it near impossible to even break even as a farmer without government subsidies. They even tried to shut Michelle Obama's organic garden down at the White House, writing her this absurd letter. Companies like Monsanto create and copyright seeds and pesticides, and their executives weave in and out of leadership positions and government posts causing a dire conflict of interest. The bottom line is that food is critical to life, and our food, and our lives, are in danger. It will take a united front from all citizens to face the USDA and demand change. Thankfully by spreading information, as Jamie Oliver is doing, there may be a pathway for change.

We need to agree that processed foods, with ingredients common to hand lotion, and other inedibles, shouldn't be fed daily to our children. We need to understand the path food travels from farm to table. It can be a glorious journey and not that includes selling "suicide" seeds to farmers who rely on subsidies to monocrop pesticide-covered grains, fruits, and veggies. We need to care about our voices as citizens and speak out to get the attention of the USDA and the lobbies to ensure they can provide fresh foods, and don't continue in their pattern to create further health risks with dire environmental and societal consequences.

If you're on board, then sign Jamie's petition, read my column, write to your local representative, and visit a local farm - or join a CSA (community supported agriculture), or plant a few seeds of your own. You'll be happy you did.

There are alternatives to big agriculture that have even higher profit margins for companies that are open-minded enough to seek out this new, and important market. And while you are discovering them for yourself and your family, start with your own backyard, porch, rooftop, or deck. Read about mine at GrassRoutes Eats Blog.