Award-winning author Michael Pollan speaks candidly about organic; Organic Gardening magazine
Submitted by The Organic Beauty Expert
Award-winning author Michael Pollan speaks candidly about what’s truly organic, First Lady Michelle Obama, and what he sees for the future beyond organic in an exclusive interview in the November/December/January 2009-2010 issue of Organic Gardening magazine now on newsstands.
Pollan sat down with Organic Gardening Managing Editor Therese Ciesinski for an interview in his garden situated in the hills of Berkeley, California. During this controversial conversation, Pollan reveals his opinion of what’s truly organic stating that “organic is in danger of being co-opted” and that he’s been on organic factory farms and “…if most organic consumers went to those places, they would feel they were getting ripped off.” He went on to say he thinks “…organic risks a real crisis of perception if the values that they’re selling don’t accurately reflect the practices they’re engaging in. They’re organic by the letter, not organic in spirit.”
Pollan went on to praise First Lady Michelle Obama for her efforts to emphasize the importance of fresh food. “She talks about organic, but she [also] talks about fresh. Basically, getting away from processed food is key. And if you’re eating produce, and it’s not organic, it’s a big step up from eating processed food. All these partial steps are very important.”
During the interview Pollan also discusses what he sees for the future beyond organic, what’s missing from our food chain, and the question, “Can organic feed the world?.”
“Michael Pollan and essayists like him are nightlights in the hallway of the world, guiding us around the issues and controversies of our times; we may not always agree with where he is taking us, but there’s no denying he makes us think and look from different angles, which is why Organic Gardening is pleased to welcome him to our pages for this exclusive interview,” said Ethne Clarke, Editor in Chief of Organic Gardening.
Pollan on what’s truly organic…
“Organic is in danger of being co-opted. I’ve been on organic factory farms, and if most organic consumers went to those places, they would feel they were getting ripped off. I think organic risks a real crisis of perception if the values that they’re selling don’t accurately reflect the practices they’re engaging in. They’re organic by the letter, not organic in spirit.”
Pollan on if he prefers local foods to organic foods…
“No, I don’t. I support local, because in my experience here in California, local is organic…But if I were a supermarket shopper I would, because you can’t meet farmers face to face and you don’t really know what they’re doing, so to the extent people depend on the supermarket and are not interested in the farmers’ market, we need organic. If people are willing to put in more time and like the farmers’ market experience—because it is more than food that’s on offer there—[then] local, definitely.”
photo credit: Ken Light
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