the GoodEater Collaborative

Author: Joshua Levin (33 Articles)

Joshua Levin is a consultant to non-profits and their corporate partners in sustainable agriculture business development and sustainable food markets. Joshua holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he was a Catherine B. Reynolds Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship, and a BA from Harvard University. He lives with his wife in Brooklyn, NY.

After working-out and cleaning-up, what’s a more productive form of procrastination on a Friday than doing your part on political issues you care about?  Three things:

First, Good News on Food Safety and Organics

The Senate committee marking up S.510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, has heeded calls from the organic and sustainable agriculture sector to edit the bill, making compliance easier for this industry group.  Read an overview in the article Help for Organic Farmers.  I love that Al Franken co-signed the letter.

Calling Today: Siddiqui and The Global Food Economy

Islam Siddiqui, VP of the biotech and agrochemical industry’s lobbying association, is on track to become America’s chief agricultural trade negotiator.  He is probably going to be approved by a Senate Committee this week, and then the full Senate will vote on him within hours of that nomination.  This is the guy who stated that he “shuddered” when he heard that Michelle Obama planted an organic garden.

Follow this simply step-by-step guide from the Pesticide Action Network an call your Senator today.  It’s easy.

In an earlier hearing, Siddiqui testified that he will not back down at international trade negotiations on opening markets for U.S. agricultural exports.  Translation: an alliance of emerging nations, led by Brazil, India, and other countries, has finally stood up to subsidized agricultural dumping from the U.S. at the WTO, interrupting the “business as usual” that persisted through the ’90’s.  At CropLife, Siddiqui led a campaign to weaken protections against fertilizers and pesticides.  His current position is: “A final agreement on agriculture must provide commercially meaningful market access for U.S. agricultural products into the markets of developed and emerging economies.” You can translate that for yourself. . .

Read the story of Siddiqui’s testimony in the Wall Street Journal.

Take Action with Slow Food USA on Child Nutrition

Congress is planning to re-address the National School Program this spring.  American schools only get $1 per day per student for school lunches; no wonder they are only fed crap, flock to vending machines, are overweight, and grow up with little concern or taste for good food.  Slow Food USA recognizes that the most important front for food is in our schools, and they are continuing the push they began with their School Eat-Ins on Labor Day. 

Slow Food is currently organizing a letter writing campaign, and they offer step-by-step instructions for participating.