Food Democracy Now pushing "sustainable dozen" for USDA jobs

by: desmoinesdem

Fri Jan 09, 2009 at 06:56:32 AM PST

Cross-posted at Bleeding Heartland. Apologies if this has already been posted here.

In November, Food Democracy Now started a petition drive urging President-elect Barack Obama to appoint a secretary of agriculture with a vision for a more sustainable food system.

Now that Obama has decided on Tom Vilsack for this position, Food Democracy Now has launched a new petition:

We want to Thank You for signing the original letter at Food Democracy Now! In just three weeks, more than 60,000 Americans have joined Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, Wes Jackson, Alice Waters, Marion Nestle, Frances Moore Lappé, and Eric Schlosser calling for a sustainable USDA.
Now that the Secretary of Agriculture has been selected, it's more important than ever that we send our message to Washington. Today's farmers need a serious voice for sustainable change at the USDA.
Therefore, Food Democracy Now! has created a list of 12 candidates for the crucial Under Secretary positions that will stand up for family farms, safe food, clear air and water, animal welfare and soil preservation.
We need your help to continue to spread the word to your friends and colleagues to reach our goal of 100,000 signatures in the next two weeks before the Inauguration!
These 12 candidates have spent their lives fighting for family farmers and we're calling them the Sustainable Dozen. Help us send them to Washington.
If you've already signed the petition, please forward this to one other person who cares about these issues to help us reach our goal of 100,000 Americans for a sustainable food system for the 21st century.
Once the Secretary of Agriculture is confirmed, we will deliver this letter with your comments to him and President Obama in Washington DC.
We at Food Democracy Now! are continuing to give voice to these concerns with policy makers at the federal, state and local levels, to gain a seat at the table and keep these issues at the forefront of future policy decisions.
Currently we are MORE THAN 60,000 voices strong. Please help keep this conversation going...Donate today. By donating as little as $5 or $10 you can make a difference in shaping the conversation at the USDA. Through our collective efforts, this letter has successfully reached "the right people" in Washington and we need to continue this vital work to create a future that we can ALL BELIEVE IN.
From all of us at Food Democracy Now! - Have a Happy, Sustainable New Year!
Best,
David Murphy
Food Democracy Now!
http://www.fooddemocracynow.org

The links did not come through when I copied and pasted that message, so please click over to the site to read more.

I've put Food Democracy Now's "sustainable dozen" list after the jump.

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Denise O'Brien on Vilsack

Denise O'Brien is a loved and respected voice in the sustainable agriculture community, especially in Iowa, where she ran for Secretary of Agriculture and nearly won. She sent out an email with her comments about the Vilsack appointment after it happened and I asked her permission to post it here. Enjoy!

The phones, emails and blogs are abuzz with the latest Obama appointment - former Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa for the new United States Secretary of Agriculture. On the one hand people are ballistic because he is a trial lawyer and doesn't come "from the farm." On the other hand many who have known and worked with him in Iowa are not happy with him and his relationship with big ag, especially Monsanto.
Here's the story. Vilsack was the first Democrat to hold the office of Governor in Iowa in forty years - yes, forty. The last Democrat holding the seat was Harold Hughes when many of us were children or not even born yet.

More below...

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More reaction to Vilsack's nomination and good ideas on food policy

by: desmoinesdem

Sun Dec 21, 2008 at 03:05:41 AM PST

( - promoted by Jill Richardson)

I don't recall nearly as intense a reaction to Bill Clinton's or George Bush's nominees for secretary of agriculture. Either food and farm issues are more salient now than they used to be, or I am noticing it more because Barack Obama is tapping an Iowan to head the USDA.

A few days ago I posted a Vilsack reaction linkfest at the Iowa progressive community blog Bleeding Heartland, but the hits just keep on coming.

Follow me after the jump for more.

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