Today throughout Los Angeles concerned folks are joining together to take part in Food Day, a nationwide campaign to improve the health of Americans by reducing diet-related diseases such as diabetes, expand access to healthy food and improve America’s food system. The recently formed Los Angeles Food Policy Council (full disclosure – I am a member) , founded by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and chaired by his Senior Advisor on Food Policy, Paula Daniels, are coordinating a series of events and policy efforts to make Los Angeles a “Good Food” …

General Information not meant to be negative disclaimer
Despite the name shared with your favorite food radio show, the Good Food Festival is organized by a Chicago based wonderful non-profit Family Farmed, not by KCRW’s Good Food.  They’be been doing a Good Food festival in the MidWest for years under that name.
What:   Good Food Festival & Conference
When:  September 14-18, 2011 (Next Week!)
Where:  Various Venues in Santa Monica
Why:  Whatever you’re into food wise (except for the fast and ugly)  it’ll be there.  Great Food? – yep   …

For the second time in 14 months Rawsome Foods on the Venice/Santa Monica border was raided by the Los Angeles Health Department and the LAPD.  There is speculation that the Feds are there as well.  James Stewart, owner of Rawsome, was arrested at 7am this morning and charged with “conspiracy to commit a crime.”  Presumably the crime is selling raw milk, but employees and shoppers on the scene reported authorities were throwing away raw meat and produce in addition to the $10,000 worth …

This week Lindy & Grundy head to Washington DC to talk sustainability and entrepreneurship with politicians and lawmakers.  The two bucherettes were chosen to speak at a luncheon on Capitol Hill.  We wish them luck and can’t wait to hear about their trip when they return!
 

File this under “penny wise and pound foolish.”  Like our entire system of producing food.
Here is an excerpt from the latest action memo from my colleagues at Root of Change:
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee recently adopted a government funding bill that if passed would turn back decades of progress to achieve a more sustainable and just food and farming system. This 2012 bill makes a second round of steep cuts to conservation, extension, research, renewable energy, and rural development programs. And just like in fiscal year 2011, none of …

Many of us live in the city but want to eat like we live on a farm. We’re called “elitist” by the corporate food world. I’ve often thought that’s very odd. To eat like our more rural grandparents (minus the grubbing for calories, or occasional hunger) seems like a very traditionalist urge. Yet if you like a salad with an Italian weed (arugula) in it instead of a big ball of iceberg (I love iceberg btw) that desire is now freighted with cultural challenge …

Yesterday, Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society spoke to Warren Olney on KCRW’s To The Point about the new bill in Iowa making it a crime to produce and distribute photos taken without farmers permission.  That means that all of those undercover videos of downer cows and abused pigs would be illegal.  Here’s the clip:
Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society on To The Point by KCRW
What do you think?  Should farmers be protected against undercover investigations?

Did you know that Los Angeles is one of the hungriest cities in the country?  It’s true.  That means that many many children are going hungry too.  It’s an interesting week for folks who usually spend their days obsessing about food.  It’s taste, presentation and political implications.  This week politics win.
In response to Congressional focus on slash and burn cuts in safety net programs thousand of people are fasting all over the world.  These cuts will make nary a dent in our financial problems but will surely cause untold …

At USC last night, Evan moderated a discussion with Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, two of most prominent voices in food politics and sustainability today.
Eric Schlosser said that apathy was one of the biggest problems today.  For Michael Pollan, getting people into the kitchen is part of the solution.  ”The food movement will only go so far unless you cook,” he said.
Keep reading for a list of the resources that Pollan and Schlosser mentioned:

Tomorrow on Good Food, Evan talks to Jamie Oliver about his Food Revolution, the LA Unified School District and why TV is the best medium for his message.
Tune in at 11am to hear the full story.  Keep reading for more pictures of his Westwood kitchen/studio.