Summer 2017

Volume 24

Number 2

Andy Fisher is a true giant of the Anti-Hunger movement. We are honored that he has given us permission to publish an excerpt from his recently released book, Big Hunger. As the title tells us this small taste of his book demonstrates how Anti-Hunger Groups sell the undeserving poor down the river. His book may be purchased at your local bookstore or at AMAZON in both hardcover and KINDLE format.

One of our favorite authors, Andrianna Natsoulas, returns to our newsletter. Her articles are always stimulating and this one is no exception. In Sustainability is More Than a Label she delves into the meaning of “sustainability” and its reality. We meet many organic farmers and learn about their lives and why they do what they do.

Andy Fisher

In idyllic La Jolla, California, Jason Greenslate spends his days surfing the waves, playing guitar, chasing women, and using food stamps to buy sushi and lobster for his buddies. A 2013 Fox News documentary, “The Great Food Stamp Binge” holds up Jason as the poster child of the lazy undeserving poor, and of why the SNAP program needs work requirements.

One hundred twenty miles to the north of La Jolla lies the liberal enclave of Santa Monica, where a business association strategically placed four dolphin-shaped statues in highly trafficked areas of the city. Each statue has a slit in the dolphin’s back where passersby can drop contributions. They were built to funnel donations away from the city’s substantial homeless population and to community agencies that provide social services to this population. The CEO of the business association, Kathleen Rawson comments, "The Dolphin program is a responsible alternative to direct giving." The underlying assumption is that the homeless would not put spare change to good use, but instead waste it on booze, street drugs and cigarettes.

Andrianna Natsoulas

Sustainability has become a catch phrase of sorts. But, what does sustainable mean? Sustainable building. Sustainable development. Sustainable forestry. Sustainable fisheries. Sustainable agriculture.

As the world looks at the health at our planet with a raised eye towards sustainable, definitions and standards have been created, which lead to certifications. The Forest Stewardship Council certifies wood that has been harvested in a sustainable manner. On the heels of the FSC is the Marine Stewardship Council that provides the same type of certification for fisheries. The FSC and the MSC were created to provide benchmarks of sustainability for consumers, but neither encompass a movement.

Corbin Laedlein

Earlier this month, Betsy Garrold, the executive director of Food for Maine’s Future breathed a long, hard sigh of relief. “I sit at my computer with tears of joy running down my face. This has been a six year struggle against the corporate food monopolies to protect and enhance the traditional food-ways in our state,” Betsy reflected in a blog post on The Populist Farmer as news reached her that Maine’s Governor had signed into law LD 725, An Act to Recognize Local Control Regarding Food Systems, or the “Food Sovereignty Law”. This groundbreaking victory for the food sovereignty movement requires the state government of Maine to recognize the authority of municipalities to regulate their local food economies.

This new law protects farmers in communities that have passed a local food sovereignty ordinance from state regulations, as long as they are engaged in face-to-face farm sales. For instance, a small farmer can sell chickens processed on her farm to her neighbors, or serve dairy products at a community event with less red tape. This is a big deal for small farmers and consumers, as state-level food safety regulations that have been crafted under the influence of agribusiness lobbies have made accessing markets difficult for small farmers due to expensive licensing and facility requirements.

Patrick O'Neil

The #GiveHealthy Movement is designed to solve a big problem. Donating food to food drives is one of the most popular forms of giving in the US. More people donate food than watch the Super Bowl each year, a great display of the public’s interest in supporting one of our most pressing social issues - hunger.

However, traditional food drives are limited to canned food and other non-perishable donations, often highly processed, nutrient deficient food. The 42 Million+ people struggling with food insecurity also face high rates of diet related health issues – things like obesity, diabetes, cancer – due to a lack of access to healthy food. A lot of food that gets donated actually worsens these health conditions. What’s needed is healthy food.