This week, The American Table is re-launching the weekly series, Making History Mondays, which reviews recent food policy and food news trends that are shaping the culture of food in the United States.
- The Farm Bill, which impacts everything from agricultural process, market rates and food stamps, has been working its way through Congress. It is so bad and so tainted with political manipulation that the normally quiet Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vislack has publicly criticized the shambles of legislation. Politico has a good summary of the situation.
- Why is a serious Farm Bill important? Because low-standards and overcrowding at industrial meat processing facilities has led to yet another recall from mega-corporation Cargill – this being one of the largest beef recalls in American history. In a statement regarding the nearly 30,000 pounds of ground beef, the president of Cargill called the food borne illnesses “unfortunate.” Last year, Cargill had two major recalls of ground turkey due to antibiotic-resistant Salmonella – the first recall being over 36 million pounds of ground meat, and the second being 185,000 pounds.
- Also, large agribusinesses like Cargill and Monsanto have successfully sneaked in legislation to the Farm Bill which deregulates genetically modified foods.
- Multi-colored lobsters are appearing more frequently in daily catches, and nobody is really sure why.
- Food policy guru Marion Nestle announces the new recommendations to the President regarding the SNAP food assistance program. Click for the report and the recommendations.
- Surprise. It has been confirmed that the American Beverage Association is behind the ‘grassroots’ movement against NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed ban on large-sized soft drinks.
- Convenience store chain 7-11 has unveiled their mashed potato dispensing machines that allow customers to get mashed potatoes and gravy like they get their Slurpees.
