Last year, Michael Pollan raised the question of “whether or not there is a ‘food movement’ in America worthy of the name — that is, an organized force in our politics capable of demanding change in the food system.” He wrote this in regard to Prop 37 in California—a battle the food movement did not win—though NRDC supported the initiative.
But here in New York City, food activists are beginning to show some real political muscle—including getting involved in NYC mayor’s race. This past summer, six of the then-candidates came together for the first-ever Mayoral Forum on Food. The moderator, NYU professor and longtime food movement leader, Marion Nestle, asked candidates to tackle issues of hunger, infrastructure, and sustainability. More than 2000 people attended the forum—showing the growing strength of the movement. For a summary of that fantastic event, be sure to check out Johanna Dyer’s blog.
Then, yesterday, City Council members held a hearing on the status of the New York City food system. Speaker Christine Quinn’s office recently released an update to her forward-thinking 2010 FoodWorks report and the related food legislation from summer 2011. The purpose of the hearing was to better understand the progress we’ve made in recent years and to see where we still have work to do.