Fasly-Kam

The nutrition and public health quagmire in the United States has, like a virulent contagion, infected many other topics. “Sustainability” is one of them. Sustainability is a "dialogue of values that defies consensual definition" (Ratner 2004).  Let’s look at the following paragraph from the “Food” section of the Wikipedia page for sustainability (Wikipedia, 2011): The American Public Health Association (APHA) defines a "sustainable food system"[86][87] as "one that provides healthy food to meet current food needs while maintaining healthy ecosystems that can also provide food for generations to come with minimal negative impact to the environment. A sustainable food system also encourages local production and distribution infrastructures and makes nutritious food available, accessible, and affordable to all. Further, it is humane and just, protecting farmers and other workers, consumers, and communities."[88] Lots to feel good about in that state...

Jared Diamond has described agriculture as "the worst mistake in the history of the human race." (Diamond, 1987) "Recent discoveries suggest that the adoption of agriculture, supposedly our most decisive step toward a better life, was in many ways a catastrophe from which we have never recovered. With agriculture came the gross social and sexual inequality, the disease and despotism, that curse our existence."  Inequality and despotism have been, and still are, undeniably present in this world. But we should always remember that association does not prove causation. Might there be other forces leading to these conditions?  Could there be forms of "agriculture" that would not produce them? The term agriculture includes the production of animal products from managed grasslands, not just the production of "cash crops." As I discussed in a previous post , human manipulation of the environment to favor food production (in other words, agriculture) was...

Animals make us human. Temple Grandin . . . the Andamanese believe it is the possession of fire that makes human beings what they are and distinguishes them from animals. Radcliffe-Brown, A. 1922. The Andaman Islanders: A Study in Social Anthropology . Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 1 So, what does barbecue make us? With his new opposing thumb and his king-sized cranium, Man sallied forth with grace and savoir faire. With Promethian desire he soon discovered fire, And arson but a single step from there. The wheel and gasoline, to the full-sized limousine, Music, art and law are but a few, But name what can compare to the artistry so rare of the sparerib that has met the barbecue. from The Big Band Theory . Mark Graham. 2 I recently had the opportunity to attend the 7 th Annual Cattlemen’s Workshop in La Grande, Oregon. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with the region’s beef industry and learn from the ranchers, industry and University folks who were there. One l...