Food Crisis

What Nutter must do to ensure Philadelphia's food security.

by Meghan McCracken

America has sabotaged its own food system at the cost of the hungry and economically disadvantaged. It refuses the right of food and health both to those suffering from hunger and obesity, and denies the production of safe, culturally appropriate, tasty, quality, environmentally sustainable food. This unjust system is wasteful of land, water and energy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that over 25 percent of edible food per year in America is wasted. Meanwhile, 35.5 million Americans still suffer from malnutrition and hunger.

As the international food crisis spreads to every corner of the globe, in the form of rising grain prices and scarcity, the U.S. needs to stop sinking its resources into subsidized commodities production; to move from a system of money-driven big-business industrial agriculture, and reliance upon oil — to a healthier, balanced, more localized food system that has the potential to repair regional economies. In Philadelphia, what should recently appointed Director of Sustainability Mark Alan Hughes advise Mayor Michael Nutter to do to save what's left of the dignity of the food system in our city?

As Nutter tackles sustainability, he must address Philadelphia food security. He must promise that he will work to provide food that protects the health of the people and the health of the soil; to re-localize consumption and agricultural production to the state-level in order to stabilize our local economy; to reduce the distance between food producers and consumers (food miles), so that ecologically and socially sustainable systems can take priority over corporate interests. There is no need to purchase apples from Peru when we produce beautiful, delicious apples right here in Pennsylvania.

The Sustainability Cabinet must create long-term answers that don't merely solve food crises on an emergency basis or offer short-term responses that ultimately fuel the current damaged food system. Nutter's administration must work to integrate holistic reforms that are within our local grasp, exploring the interconnection of poverty, health, energy, climate change, production and development.

Big changes need to be made, and Nutter can't do it all by himself. He can implement systemic changes, but the first step is admitting that we, as individual consumers, are accomplices; we are participants in a market economy and therefore contribute to the ever-growing imbalance between nature and culture. We must hold ourselves accountable for the toxic food system we have helped to construct, as well as take responsibility for healing this broken system to rebuild one that nurtures its land and its people. If Philadelphians and Mayor Nutter are truly committed to creating "America's most sustainable community" we must start re-imagining our food system.

Meghan McCracken is the Public Relations Associate at the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger. She and her housemates run an underground secret café, serving handmade local seasonal and/or rescued food to benefit local non-profits. To respond to her Slant or write one of your own, e-mail bhoward@citypaper.net.