The King of Local Food Joel Salatin and The Seattle Farm Bill Principles: Local Food Heavyweights Exchange Thoughts During Conference Call

Greetings All,

Yesterday I hosted an open press conference phone call with Joel Salatin (Food, Inc) and members of the media in advance of his visit to Kirkland, WA on July 23rd. It was quite interesting timing...

We had Phyllis Shulman on the line, assistant to Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin, asking Joel about the June 14th adoption of the Seattle Farm Bill Principles, something Mr. Conlin spearheaded. This is a pioneering document and I urge you to check it out (don't count me as a believer in their low fat, grain oriented health food list though, still, great in principle!). It is hoped that other municipalities will follow Seattle's example.

Joel immediately begins talking about what the folks up in Maine have done (my last post! check it out!)

As usual, he had some very interesting things to say!

Please enjoy the recording at you leisure:

(45 minutes in length)
Free Conference Play Back
Playback Number: (605) 477-2199
Access Code: 877363#
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The Principles are as follows:

1. Health-centered Food System

The driving principle of the Farm Bill must be the relationship of food and ecologically sound agriculture to public health. Food that promotes health includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy, and lean protein. Improving the health of the nation’s residents must be a priority in developing policies, programs, and funding.

2. Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Promote farming systems and agricultural techniques that prioritize the protection of the environment so that the soil, air, and water will be able to continue producing food long into the future. Integral to both domestic and global agricultural policies should be agricultural techniques and farming practices that enhance environmental quality, build soil and soil fertility, protect natural resources and ecosystem diversity, improve food safety, and increase the quality of life of communities, farmers and farm workers.

3. Community and Regional Prosperity and Resilience

Enhance food security by strengthening the viability of small and mid-scale farms, and increasing appropriately scaled processing facilities, distribution networks, and direct marketing. Develop strategies that foster resiliency, local innovation, interdependence, and community development in both rural and urban economies. Opportunities that create fair wage jobs are key to a strong economy.


4. Equitable Access to Healthy Food

Identify opportunities and reduce barriers by developing policies and programs that increase the availability of and improve the proximity of healthy, affordable, and culturally-relevant food to urban, suburban, and rural populations. Protect the nation’s core programs that fight food insecurity and hunger while promoting vibrant, sustainable agriculture.

5. Social Justice and Equity

The policies reflected in the Farm Bill impact the lives and livelihoods of many people, both in the U.S. as well as abroad. Develop policies, programs, and strategies that support social justice, worker’s rights, equal opportunity, and promote community self-reliance.

6. Systems Approach to Policymaking

It is essential to reduce compartmentalization of policies and programs, and to approach policy decisions by assessing their impact on all aspects of the food system including production, processing, distribution, marketing, consumption, and waste management. Consider the interrelated effects of policies and align expected outcomes to meet the goal of a comprehensive healthfocused food system.