A Fast Food Chain Leads

In reporting on the American food production system most of the news is bad particularly over the last few years with medical reports connecting red meat to cancer and heart disease and record sediment and nutrient contamination of Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico caused by overuse of fertilizer, short cuts in soil management and a glut of CAFO manure. It is therefore indeed good news reported by the Soil and Water Conservation Society in distributing the Chipotle animated tape featuring Willie Nelson which was aired last week at the Grammy awards showing farmers dismantling their food animal confinement operation. These so called factory farms and the corn feed that  drives them are the single largest source of pollution in the US and a fast food chain is leading the way to healthier food and a healthier environment as well. Kudos to Steve Ells and Chipotle.

Our Food our Genetics

Former FDA Commissioner David Kesslor in his book, “The End of Overeating” explains how consumers are manipulated by food companies to eat their products using just the right amount of sugar, fat and salt to appeal to the consumers pleasure center and overcome the bodies natural mechanism to control overeating. On December 27^th the 60-minute program showed these food technologists tasting various combinations of flavors and making the decision on which food would appear on the supermarket shelves. The host questioned whether this process was in the best interest of a population suffering from epidemics of obesity and diabetes. That question was answered in the Harvard debate of December 20^th (see our blog post) by two of the top nutritionists in the Country who agreed that 75% of the food on supermarket shelves is unhealthy. The World Council on Genetics in the attached paper explains that agriculturist and food technologists make these decisions based on the food that they want to produce and sell. Increasingly that food is corn based. Our genetic makeup was formed beginning 10,000 years ago when people ate mostly vegetables and the animals were all grass fed. Our Genes were formed when we had an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 0.79-1. Today the healthier societies such as the Greek orthodox societies who have restrictions on the amount of animal products and the Island of Japan have n6 to n3 ratios between 2-1 and 4-1 while corn based societies have unhealthy ratios of 15-1 with the US approaching 17-1. The food on supermarket shelves is therefore not compatible with our genetic makeup and is the cause of our epidemics of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. In addition the grain, mostly corn is produced using too much fertilizer, pesticides, and soil production shortcuts which cause the destruction of water quality and massive soil loss in the US and other producing Countries.

NO MEAT-NO CANCER

Since early 2009 when the National Cancer Institute published their dietary study     of 500,000 older Americans (our reference #16) we have had many research studies showing the strong connection between red meat consumption and early death caused by cancer and heart disease, including the American Cancer Research Institute’s study of the Worlds Cancer research and long term epidemiological studies published by Harvard University. Last night on 60 minutes we were introduced to direct physical evidence of this strong connection. The 2000 plus monks who have lived isolated in the monasteries on Mount Athos in Southern Grease for nearly 2000 years have never had cancer nor heart disease. They grow their own food, tend their own vineyards, consume plenty of their own wine, and eat a lot of fish from the Aegean Sea. They have two 10-minute meals per day and do a lot of physical work. They eat no red or white meat.

But corn fed meat consumers in addition to exposing themselves to cancer and heart disease also bear the major responsibility for loss of our topsoil, water quality and species loss in all the rivers and estuaries East of the Rockies, caused mostly by short cuts in soil management, overuse of fertilizer to grow corn feed and the glut of manure from CAFO’s. Maybe realization of the real cost of meat will cause consumers to think twice before ordering their next fast food bacon burger, hot dog, sausage, or Philly cheese steak. We can only hope the consumer will wake up to this reality because government agencies responsible for protecting our natural resources and our health have abdicated their responsibility under pressure from the American Farm Bureau Federation, the Fertilizer Institute, The Corn Growers Association and some Academic Institutions who still support our failed Industrial Agricultural Production System.

Chipotle-Higher Quality Food

Chipotle Mexican Grille opened a new fast food restaurant in Easton, Maryland last week. We attempted to eat there on December 20^th but the lines were too long. By using organic vegetables and pasture raised meat, locally raised if possible, Chipotle is setting a much higher standard of quality for all restaurants. Steve Ells the founder decided to use pasture raised animal products, after visiting Factory Farms (CAFO’s) in 1999. Another benefit of pasture raised animals is reduction in corn feed production which along with CAFO manure is primarily responsible for the nutrient contamination of every river and estuary East of the Rockies including the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay. Both of these estuaries had near record oxygen dead zones in the summer of 2011. Short cuts in soil management to produce corn have caused the U.S. Corn Belt to lose half its topsoil. Chesapeake Bay had record sediment intrusion in March of 2011. Long-term studies by Harvard University, the National Cancer Institute, the American Institute for Cancer Research, and the World Cancer Research Fund cite overconsumption of red meat and process meat, mostly CAFO raised, along with high fructose corn sugar and refined grains as primarily responsible for our epidemics of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Why are lines so long in Easton as well as the restaurants on M street in Washington, DC and in Annapolis? Certainly it is not the ambiance. The tacos and burritos are served on paper plates with plastic utensils and it is bench seating with little or no privacy. Could it be that young people (most of the customers are in their 20’s) are interested in healthier food that is produced in a way that is sensitive to the welfare of animals and restoration of the environment? We went next door to Bob Evans which was half empty. I did have the opportunity to suggest to the manager that he tell ownership of this shift in demand for higher quality food.

HARVARD FOOD DEBATE

The Harvard School of Public Health Debate held Oct. 20, 2011 on the health impact of the US food system plus environmental Impact notes in bold added by the writer.

SUMMARY BY PARTICIPANTS:

Walter Willett the Chair of the Nutrition Department at The Harvard School of Public Health. -  Judging by its impact on human health the American grain based food supply is a disaster with 75% of supermarket food unhealthy. We have too much refined grain, too much sugar and too much red meat in the American diet.

Barry Popkins Professor at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. – We did it to ourselves. In the 50’s we ate healthy food and the American people were healthy. We believed that animal protein was healthy. The science changed but the grain based food system and the lobbies that support it remained. Today 75% of the food supply has too much sugar, too much fat, too much salt and is unhealthy. Also in the 50’s, the Chesapeake Bay, the Gulf of Mexico. Pamlico Sound, and all Eastern Estuaries began to suffer from hypoxia and sedimentation due to excess fertilizer applications particularly to nitrogen uptake inefficient corn and mismanagement of tilled farming systems. By the 70’s the underwater grass (SAV’s), which provided habitat and food for Bay species, disappeared. Today all species have declined substantially and the system is facing ecological collapse. Record Oxygen dead zones and record sediment intrusion occurred in both the Gulf and Chesapeake Bay in 2011. These Eastern Estuaries are thermometers for the ecological health of nearly 50% of the US. Land area. 

David Ludwig Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. – The mother of an 8 year old girl patient who weighs 200 pounds caused by diet not genetics tells me the child is influenced by icons on the food at the supermarket due to clever marketing by children’s TV programs. We evolved from a diverse system of many foods to a food system using four grain based raw materials: corn, soy beans, wheat, rice and the animals which eat these raw materials. We eat a lot of high calorie food, which has little nutrient value. Example: nuts are high in calories but are of value because they are also high in protein and other nutrients.

Gary Williams Agricultural Economist at Texas A&M and a defender of the status quo. – He was dead wrong in his theory that low income causes poor food habits. Many studies including China studies by Barry Popkin and Cornell University’s China Study show that increased consumption of grain based meat and sugar causing poor health increases with affluence. His assertion that unhealthy food tastes better than healthy food is again not true. We eat a lot at a Northern Italian restaurant in Easton MD. owned by a world-class chef formerly of Harry’s Bar in Venice and Paris. This food makes the steak and potatoes based food at Ruth Chris Steak House seem like the junk food served by MacDonald’s. He made two valid points (1) can we produce sufficient healthy plant food in the climate and soil of the US corn belt which requires research into the ultimate capacity of greenhouse production now in its infancy in the US but showing great promise? And (2) will China step in and produce bad food if we do not? Judging by the number of Countries involved in the ongoing world cancer study including China and the recent move by Denmark to tax pizza and other unhealthy Western foods, I believe a world agreement on restricting unhealthy food production is possible.

CONCLUSION;

Rather than taxing unhealthy food an approach being tried in New York and Denmark, which concerns some people. I believe a better approach is public education (see the HSPH My Plate recommendations) combined with nationwide regulation of fertilizer application rates, mandated cover crops, and the many public health and environmental issues associated with CAFO food animal production. These actions will make unhealthy food more expensive. Everyone on the panel agreed that price has an affect on food choices. 

Notes

Opinions of the writer are in bold                                                                                    Clik on Harvard Debate to see the full video debate

The Bazaar Truth

Harpers Bazaar Magazine published by Hearst Magazines is a leading women’s fashion magazine. Since being thin is fashionable and compatible with the clothing that they advertise they often feature articles under the heading Bazaar Diet. The article in the November 2011 issue titled “Eat your Way Thin” included many foods to avoid. Foods to eat included: “Organic free range chicken, turkey, and eggs and grass fed beef, bison and lamb. For quality protein avoid mass produced meats. Factory farmed animals are kept in close quarters and fed things they aren’t supposed to eat like corn, soy and hormones. This fattens them up quickly but also makes them sick so they are given antibiotics. When you eat the meat you ingest what they eat” Wendy Schmid the author of the article got most of it right except that the “free range label does not preclude confinement production. A better term is pasture raised for chicken as well as beef and other red meat. She apparently is not aware of recently published long term epidemiology studies by Harvard University and the World Cancer Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research which concludes that many cancers, heart disease, obesity and diabetes are caused by over-consumption of factory farmed beef, pork and processed meat. She is apparently unaware of record oxygen dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay in 2011 caused by nutrient contamination of all Rivers East of the Rockies mostly from corn production and Factory-Farm manure. It is encouraging to see a major publication begin to understand the truth about our failed Industrial Food Production System.

WORLD SERIES OBSERVATIONS

I was watching the World Series the other night. The camera was focused on the crowd of 50,000 people. Everyone appeared to be eating either a hamburger, a ball park hot dog, a sausage sandwich or a Philly cheese steak. Everyone had a large  corn based sugary beverage as well. My thought process in watching this chopping and sipping was; how many ecosystems are being destroyed? How many arteries are being clogged? How many cancerous tumors are being developed? How many animals were abused? How much fertilizer is required to fulfill the pleasure of these fans? I guess friends and relatives are right when they say. “Don’t spoil my pleasure by exposing me to the truth”. Finding the right eating lifestyle, while not easy, is the only way to save this planet and our collective health.

Last night in watching the World Series again the intermissions featured a cancer fundraising campaign showing ex-ballplayers all standing up 2 cancer including the Philly cheesesteak king and cancer survivor Jon Kruk. If they read the World Cancer study they would know that eating beef, pork and processed meat is the major cause of many tumors.  Grilling meat produces 2 known carcinogens. All these people need to do in order to stand up to 2 cancer is avoid ball-park food. Major League Baseball along with other big stadium sporting events are a major cause of our environmental and health disaster.

Scientists Disagree on Solutions

There is no disagreement among scientists that the following 3 issues are of vital importance. However, there is significant disagreement on solutions.

1. Americans are statistically among the unhealthiest in the world with epidemics of heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and out of control health care cost.
2. In 2011 we experienced record oxygen dead zones and sediment intrusion in the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay. These Watersheds representing over half of the Nations land area are facing ecological collapse.
3. Excess greenhouse gases mostly coming from food animal production threatens global warming, and tidal level increases with unknown ramifications.

Recently as posted earlier, we had an e-mail debate between leading agronomists, and environmental scientists and a leading nutritionist. The agronomists and environmentalists proposed various solutions including increasing the uptake efficiency of corn, reduced fertilizer application rates, cover crops and etc. The lead nutritionist at Harvard University proposed significant dietary changes. Reducing consumption of grain based red meat and reducing corn based sugar would solve all three Issues. He suggested a healthier Italian diet, which would cut grain production and fertilizer application in half. Vaclav Smil writing about the glut of world nitrogen in his book “Enriching the Earth” published in 2004 reached the same conclusion. He suggested that a healthier Mediterranean diet would solve the world glut of nitrogen. The USDA “my plate” initiative as modified by the Harvard School of Public Health website is a big step in this direction. Will Americans modify their diets or will major restrictive dietary regulation be required as recently instituted in Denmark? Doing nothing is not an option.

Possible Good News for the Chesapeake Bay?

Environmentalist including those at The University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, The Chesapeake Bay Program, and The Chesapeake Bay Foundation all expressed enthusiasm for a USDA $850,000 grant to install experimental Combustion and or Gasification systems to treat chicken manure on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in an article published in the Star Democrat on October 4. The grant is administered by The Fish and Wildlife Foundation who will decide where to install the systems in the next few months.

This is an important development for Bay restoration since chicken manure is second only to fertilizer application as a source of Eastern Shore nutrient pollution. According to USGS chicken manure is 35% of nitrogen pollution, while CBF states that it is 26% of Phosphorous pollution. This grant comes in a year when record oxygen dead zones were recorded in The Chesapeake Bay. These technologies produce not only needed green energy but also biochar a soil supplement that can improve soil tilth and reduce erosion. March of 2011 also saw record sediment intrusion into the Chesapeake Bay.

Scientist Debate Food System

PARTICIPANTS:

SCIENTISTS:

Ken Cassman- Department Head Agronomy and Soils University of Nebraska

Don Boesch- President of The University of Maryland’s Horns Point Environmental Lab.

Dean Hively- USDA ARS Research Scientist

Tom Fisher- Horn Point Scientist and 25 year monitor of the Choptank watershed

Francis Thicke- Author, Iowa organic pasture dairy farmer and soils scientist

Russell Brinsfield- President of the University of Maryland’s Wye Agro-Ecology Center

Walter Willett- Nutrition Dept. Head- leader of Harvard’s long-term epidemiology studies

INITIATOR

DONALD KERSTETTER- Trappe Landing Farm & Native Sanctuary

CONCLUSIONS: Submitted by DRK for comments

It is important that we reach a consensus on the actions required to stop the nutrient contamination of rivers and estuaries and the excess production of food responsible for causing our epidemics of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. This year 2011 we experienced near record oxygen dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay caused mostly by application of fertilizer particularly to corn and a glut of CAFO manure. We also experienced record sediment intrusion from unprotected farm fields into Chesapeake Bay. Also much has been written about the poor health of Americans and out of control health care cost. It is important that the scientific community including nutritionists and environmental scientists work together to find a strategy that works for all including the farmer who starts the food growing process in May of each year. The solution would be much simpler if we left out nutrition and the health of the American people. As Ken Cassman of the University of Nebraska points out improvement in nitrogen uptake efficiency of 20% has been achieved and with more research there is promise of further improvement. Cover crops will help uptake of excess nitrogen and will also help mitigate erosion and sediment intrusion. But as Walter Willett points out these environmental improvements will not solve the health issues which require a substantial reduction in corn based products including sugar and red meat and increases in fruits and vegetable consumption. A healthy American diet is outlined by Harvard’s “Healthy Plate” shown on their website http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/. This provides further definition of the USDA’s “My Plate” initiative. I hope we can all agree that healthy food produced in a way that protects the environment is the goal. Ken Cassman expressed concern that developing Countries will fill the void if the U.S. reduces its corn output and they will have less concern for world ecology, I believe many of these countries are equally concerned and will follow our lead. I base this opinion on the active involvement of China India and other developing Countries who our part of the World cancer study. This dialog points to the need for environmental and health scientists to work together to reach conclusions and recommendations. In my view the following mandatory actions implemented worldwide are required based on these discussions. May I have your comments please!

1. Reduce nitrogen application rates to corn and beans by 50%.
2. Require winter cover crops on all tilled farm fields
3. Require the pyrolysis of all CAFO manure
4. Ban the use of antibiotics and growth hormones in CAFO production
5. *Require a representative of the Humane Society to monitor all CAFO and slaughterhouse operations to verify humane treatment of food animals.

*While we have not discussed #5, I believe that you would agree if you view a video of the horrible conditions in America’s CAFO’s and slaughterhouses. If you wish I will forward the video to you.

The primary objection to these Government actions will be corn yield loss. This will force farmers to seek revenues from higher value crops including a variety of vegetables, fruits and nuts. This will make these healthier products more available and help the USDA’s effort to increase consumption of these healthier foods as proposed by their “my plate “ initiative. Americans are suffering from an addiction to the very foods that are destroying their health. Demand for these unhealthy products will increase until the cost goes up which will happen as supply goes down and price goes up. The USDA must also implement an educational campaign to sell consumption of healthy food in addition to the 5 recommended actions. It has taken us decades to create this environmental and health disaster. It will likely take decades to correct.

 

I thank all who participated in this discussion.

DON KERSTETTER