Michael Pollan Talks Food Choice & Politics

Michael Pollan has been on the book circuit radar since the mid-90s, but is probably best known for The Omnivore's Dilemma -- a thoughtful challenge to our industrial food system and an exploration of the political and moral implications of our dining choices.

In a world where scant few consumers truly understood the reality of the factory-farm-to-plate paradigm, there's been a growing awareness of the local, global and ethical consequences of mass-produced sustenance. The passage of Proposition 2 on this month's ballot speaks to a greater public sensitivity toward the abuses incurred when the interests of bottom-line driven production trump the holistic considerations of small-farm sustainability.

The November issue of The Progressive magazine has a short interview with Pollan on this very subject -- on how choosing with our forks and with our dollars is a profoundly political endeavor. One of the easiest ways to make sustainable choices is by shopping at local farmers' markets -- where meeting the farmers makes that economic connection more tangible.

In the Bay Area, we're poised to vote our dollars with a bounty of agricultural options, ranging from the progressive stance of Marin Organic to the Italian-born slow food movement, locally represented by Slow Food San Francisco. Marin Organics also posts information on regular farm tours and special events.

CUESA -- the Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture -- has a regular Market to Table series at the San Francisco Ferry Building, featuring a "Meet the Producer" segment followed by cooking demonstrations. CUESA is the organization behind the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market.

^{Photo © Alla Malley - Courtesy of michaelpollan.com}