Food Environment's Role in the Food Debate

A few weeks ago, I read about the USDA Economic Research Service's new Food Environment Atlas. Naturally, I was intrigued to see what it was all about. At first, I was a bit disappointed. The atlas didn't point me to the best steakhouses in a five mile radius. After spending a bit more time on the Web site, I was impressed.

The tool is insightful, and the site even offers raw data if you really want to play around. The ERS team pulled together 90 different county-level food statistics and put them in one place. You could probably spend a lifetime sifting through the raw data, but a quick glance at the maps can provide insight on the U.S. food environment.

The USDA's goal for the data is to stimulate research in the areas of food choice and diet quality and provide an overview of a community's ability to access healthy food choices.

Looking at a handful of the maps got me thinking a bit more about America's food environment. I understand the dangers in being oversimplistic in evaluating data, but the trends don't add up.

The Sustainability Debate: You Don't Have to Pick Sides

The sustainability buzz has been growing for quite a while, and producers knew it was a matter of time before the conversation became more than just coffee shop fodder. Judging by the latest USDA programs, I'd say the discussion is front and center in agricultural circles.

FARMER TALK NOTE: If you don't understand the coffee shop comment, you're missing rural entertainment in its highest form. Visit your local rural town coffee or breakfast stop and sit near the table with the men sporting dusty caps, Carhartt coats, and cowboy boots and hats.

Recently, the USDA launched the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program, and it has been interesting to read the nation's perspective on the program.

Phillip Brasher's March 7 story in the DesMoines Register titled Some fret about push for smaller farm sizes shared some advantages of this new initiative. I'm not a public policy expert, but on the surface, it appears the program gives niche producers a foundation to work from while helping consumers learn a bit more about local food options.

Celebrity Spotlight - Mike Rowe Supports American Farmers

I get excited every time I hear a front-and-center celebrity stand up for a cause that I support. Mike Rowe, the host of the television show Dirty Jobs, is a guy worth getting excited about.

Not only does his show Dirty Jobs highlight the occasional agricultural industry, but earlier this year, Rowe had a guest contributor write about his concerns with American agriculture on his Web site www.mikeroweworks.com/. The article gets a bit long for my tastes, but it's worth the read.