Today was inauguration day for President Obama, and my daughter and I celebrated by making cookies (truly a way to turn any occasion festive). We tried to crudely recreate the “Vote for Change” campaign logo, as we’d seen on “some cookies pictured online”:http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetsbyzoe/3128476233/, and this was the result. Also, we ran out of powdered sugar to make icing, but we only made half a batch of cookies so only half a dozen had to go bare. Sadly, no local ingredients, but we did use organic butter.
One of the hot issues (at least in the “food” community) during the transition to the new administration was the choice of Secretary of Agriculture. The selection of former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack was met by mixed reactions, particularly as there had been at least one group (perhaps more?) lobbying against him, and at one point he was rumored to have been removed from consideration. Opponents of Vilsack generally felt he was too closely associated with conventional agribusiness, including Monsanto, and would maintain the status quo rather than bringing about much-needed change away from a fossil-fuel based food system. However, some in the organic community (including Michael Pollan) have been conciliatory about the choice, and even guardedly optimistic. Personally, I’m disappointed, as I would have rather seen someone more obviously progressive, whose appointment signaled a commitment to change. Here’s a roundup of articles and opinion:
Eat Local Challenge: “Barack Obama to appoint Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture”:http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/2008/12/barack-obama-to-appoint-tom-vilsack-as-secretary-of-agriculture.html
A few comments from blog editor Jennifer Maiser, and links to several pieces online, including the Michael Pollan interview on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Chews Wise: “Obama’s USDA Secretary ‘Maybe Won’t Suck?’”:http://www.chewswise.com/chews/2008/12/obamas-usda-secretary-maybe-wont-suck.html
Author Samuel Fromartz makes a few remarks and links to a Huffington Post article that “has a fine roundup of all the criticism.”
—–: “Organic Heavyweights Back Vilsack”:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChewsWise/~3/RjxjePjRii4/organic-heavyweights-back-vilsack.html
Information on “the organic coalition supporting Vilsack”:http://www.supportvilsack.com/.
The Sustainable Table Blog: “Everyone has something to say about the new Secretary of Agriculture”:http://www.sustainabletable.org/blog/2008/12/18/new-secretary-of-agriculture/
More links, including one to “The Center for Rural Affairs”:http://www.cfra.org/, which is coming up with its own list of recommendations to give Vilsack. You can add your signature and comment.
—–: “2 Minute Bio- Secretary of Agriculture: Tom Vilsack”:http://www.sustainabletable.org/blog/2008/12/26/2-minute-bio-secretary-of-agriculture-tom-vilsack/
Info on a brief bio of Vilsack at Time.com.
Slow Food USA Blog: “Vilsack Chosen as Ag Secretary”:http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog_post/vilsack_chosen_as_ag_secretary/#When:20:55:30Z
Brief reaction from the Slow Food USA bloggers.
You might also have heard about the campaign to get an organic victory garden started on the White House grounds, “Eat the View”:http://www.eattheview.org/, headed up by the folks at “Kitchen Gardeners International”:http://www.kitchengardeners.org/. The idea garnered a lot of media attention, and won the “On Day One”:http://www.ondayone.org/ competition to suggest “what the next president can do on the first day of his or her administration to help address the world’s most pressing challenges.” No word yet on whether the authorization to break ground has been given.
What’s Ahead?
Today was inauguration day for President Obama, and my daughter and I celebrated by making cookies (truly a way to turn any occasion festive). We tried to crudely recreate the “Vote for Change” campaign logo, as we’d seen on “some cookies pictured online”:http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetsbyzoe/3128476233/, and this was the result. Also, we ran out of powdered sugar to make icing, but we only made half a batch of cookies so only half a dozen had to go bare. Sadly, no local ingredients, but we did use organic butter.
One of the hot issues (at least in the “food” community) during the transition to the new administration was the choice of Secretary of Agriculture. The selection of former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack was met by mixed reactions, particularly as there had been at least one group (perhaps more?) lobbying against him, and at one point he was rumored to have been removed from consideration. Opponents of Vilsack generally felt he was too closely associated with conventional agribusiness, including Monsanto, and would maintain the status quo rather than bringing about much-needed change away from a fossil-fuel based food system. However, some in the organic community (including Michael Pollan) have been conciliatory about the choice, and even guardedly optimistic. Personally, I’m disappointed, as I would have rather seen someone more obviously progressive, whose appointment signaled a commitment to change. Here’s a roundup of articles and opinion:
Eat Local Challenge: “Barack Obama to appoint Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture”:http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/2008/12/barack-obama-to-appoint-tom-vilsack-as-secretary-of-agriculture.html
A few comments from blog editor Jennifer Maiser, and links to several pieces online, including the Michael Pollan interview on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Chews Wise: “Obama’s USDA Secretary ‘Maybe Won’t Suck?’”:http://www.chewswise.com/chews/2008/12/obamas-usda-secretary-maybe-wont-suck.html
Author Samuel Fromartz makes a few remarks and links to a Huffington Post article that “has a fine roundup of all the criticism.”
—–: “Organic Heavyweights Back Vilsack”:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ChewsWise/~3/RjxjePjRii4/organic-heavyweights-back-vilsack.html
Information on “the organic coalition supporting Vilsack”:http://www.supportvilsack.com/.
The Sustainable Table Blog: “Everyone has something to say about the new Secretary of Agriculture”:http://www.sustainabletable.org/blog/2008/12/18/new-secretary-of-agriculture/
More links, including one to “The Center for Rural Affairs”:http://www.cfra.org/, which is coming up with its own list of recommendations to give Vilsack. You can add your signature and comment.
—–: “2 Minute Bio- Secretary of Agriculture: Tom Vilsack”:http://www.sustainabletable.org/blog/2008/12/26/2-minute-bio-secretary-of-agriculture-tom-vilsack/
Info on a brief bio of Vilsack at Time.com.
Slow Food USA Blog: “Vilsack Chosen as Ag Secretary”:http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog_post/vilsack_chosen_as_ag_secretary/#When:20:55:30Z
Brief reaction from the Slow Food USA bloggers.
You might also have heard about the campaign to get an organic victory garden started on the White House grounds, “Eat the View”:http://www.eattheview.org/, headed up by the folks at “Kitchen Gardeners International”:http://www.kitchengardeners.org/. The idea garnered a lot of media attention, and won the “On Day One”:http://www.ondayone.org/ competition to suggest “what the next president can do on the first day of his or her administration to help address the world’s most pressing challenges.” No word yet on whether the authorization to break ground has been given.