An Opportunity for State Health Officials to Educate & Advocate

Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D.Center for Science in the Public Interest

What is Food Day?

Think Earth Day for food issues.

Thousands of events, large and small and coast to coast, aimed at educating the public, improving food policies, and strengthening the burgeoning food movement.

Why Do We Need a Food Day?

• Huge diet-related health problems:– 2/3 of adults are overweight or obese– High-sodium diets killing tens of thousands– We spend $90 billion/year on lipid and blood-

pressure drugs and on heart surgeries– Companies market junk foods to little kids– 1/5 people get ~33% of calories from sugars

Diet-induced Atherosclerosis

opened and flattered arteries

Why Do We Need a Food Day?

• Food insecurity– SNAP and other food programs are valuable,

but provide modest benefits– Food banks are overwhelmed– Food deserts (or “food swamps”) make it

tough for many urban and rural people to obtain healthy, fresh food

• Environmental harm– Pesticides harm wildlife and farm workers– Huge use of energy to produce fertilizer– Overuse of fertilizer causes water pollution– Factory farms cause air and water pollution– Bottles, cans, and other containers add to

solid waste

Why Do We Need a Food Day?

130 Billion Beverage Bottles and Cans are Consumed in a Year

Why Do We Need a Food Day?

• Collateral damage– Farm workers are exposed to pesticides and

under-paid (NCI Agricultural Health Study associated an increased risk of prostate cancer with six pesticides)

– workers in slaughterhouses and meat processing plants endure dangerous conditions and low pay

– Factory farms often raise poultry, pigs, and cattle in inhumane conditions

Sow Gestation Crates

Food Day’s Programmatic Focus

• Food Day is committed to:– Reducing diet-related disease by promoting

healthy foods – Supporting sustainable farms and cutting

subsidies to agribusiness – Expanding access to food and alleviating hunger – Protecting the environment and animals by

reforming factory farms – Promoting health by curbing junk-food marketing

to kids

Other Benefits from Food Day

• Help people in different silos (hunger, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, animal welfare) meet one another and build alliances

• Give people experience as organizers

Partners (very partial list)

• American Dietetic Association• American Public Health Association• NACCHO• National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition• Humane Society of the United States• Bolthouse Farms (major carrot grower)• National WIC Association• Union for Reform Judaism

Advisory Board (very partial list)

• Chairs: Sen. Tom Harkin, Rep. Rosa DeLauro• Georges Benjamin, APHA• Walter Willett, Harvard School of Pub. Health• Kelly Brownell, Yale – Rudd Center• Michael McGinn, Seattle mayor• Alice Waters, owner/chef Chez Panisse• Jim Crawford, organic farmer in Pennsylvania• Jane Fonda, actress and health advocate

What Will Happen on Food Day?

• Vegetable tastings in kindergartens

• Discussions about hunger in churches

• Debates sponsored by LWV chapters

• Collegians demand better food policies

• Publicity events at farmers markets

• Healthy potluck dinners at people’s homes

• Companies unveil healthier packaged foods

What’s Happening So Far?• City- or statewide organizing is going particularly

well in Arkansas, Rhode Island, Hawaii, New York, and Washington state

• Planning is underway at the University of Vermont, Stanford, Yale, University of North Carolina, NYU, and others

• California activists are planning statewide policy advocacy focused on Sacramento

• Iowans are organizing a national conference in Sioux City on how small and mid-sized farms can gain better access to markets

• NYC food market Eataly is bringing in 20 farmers on Food Day to talk to customers

What Could a Health Department Do?

• Publicize FoodDay.org to local health departments through listservs and website

• Announce healthier food policies (e.g., getting junk foods out of and more-healthful food into government buildings)

• Convene a State Food Policy Council to devise and press for smarter policies

• Announce projects with the Agriculture Department and/or Education Department

What Could a Health Department Do?

• Press legislature for a loan/grant program to end food deserts

• Encourage all companies to have employee gardens, diet/health assessments, CSAs

• Build and display a Junk Food Hall of Shame in a prominent location

• Announce a campaign to discourage consumption of sugary drinks

How Could You Use Food Day?

Food Day is an opportunity to take the initiative on food issues. What could you

and your department do?

www.FoodDay.org

www.FoodDay.org