To Mrs. Obama-Health & natural resources

Dear Mrs. Obama,

You have selected the Nations health and particularly the health of our children to be your focus during your time as first lady. Nothing is more important and yet more ignored. You will not be celebrated for any success except by those decades in the future that will look back at this time in awe at what we are doing to our health and our natural resources. I recently did a satire on our web blog fixingourfood.com on how someone from outer space seeing the destruction of our rivers, estuaries and water species from space then visits earth. The visitor hears first hand that the food our system is producing is also responsible for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and stroke and out of control health care cost. The spaceman goes back home but says nothing to his friends because no one would believe that even humans could be that stupid.

What has happened is that most of our farmers, and our processed, and animal food producers are dependent on the much touted industrial system for their personnel economics which has become the basis for local economics and that a majority of  food consumers are addicted to the relatively inexpensive fat and sugar based food that they produce.

I did not vote for your husband in 2008, but if he embraces your efforts and restarts our food system on a sustainable path, I would salute your influence and give him my vote in 2012. Of course he has an opportunity to change our direction because the farm bill also comes up for renewal in 2012. Good luck in your important efforts.

Sincerely,

Donald R. Kerstetter

Ps I know that Iowa will be important to reelection. Iowa is changing and perhaps this time Francis Thicke a pasture farmer, soil scientist and a Democrat who got a large percentage of the Iowa Sec of Ag vote last year could help.