Our dilemma

Last Friday, before Halloween, I had the privilege of hearing Michael Pollan speak. Our CEO, David Weaver, had recommended Pollan’s book Omnivore’s Dilemma to me when I was looking at possible alternative diet solutions for my family.

Pollan was charming, witty, and full of humorous stories as he creatively spun his tale about the origins and writing of each of his published books. Along the way he sprinkled interesting facts and painted pictures of potato farms that make a french fry seem anything but a complacent spud lying on our plate.

One of the facts he tossed out was that as Americans we are only using about 6 to 7 percent of our income for food purchases, which is the least amount paid for this budget item in American history. That is also the least paid in the world.

My brain began to turn.

Why, then, are 49 million Americans food insecure? How can they not know where there next meal is coming from?

I wanted to ask my question during the question and answer time, but I was a little too intimidated by Pollan’s brilliance and the solid out Allen Theater to venture to ask such a question.

But I had to know.

After the event I had a few moments with Pollan to ask my question, which is really to say that I held up the book signing line, but who cares – I needed an answer.

So as he signed my books, I asked him my questions.

His response was two-fold and quite simple, and yet will probably never happen in my lifetime.

First, Pollan said, agriculture has to be about growing food to feed people and less about agri-business.

Second, he said, people have to be paid livable wages.

Pollan was extremely entertaining and I’m glad I forked over the $30 for me and my best friend to hear him speak. But more than entertaining, his words are still causing conversations between us about food, nutrition, sustainability and why we as an American society cannot end hunger in our country.

By-the-way, my best friend will no longer eat any kind of potato unless it is organic – and others would give anything for any kind of potato or scrap to feed their child.

This is our dilemma.