Why I Consult with Food Industry, and omg Monsanto
While my younger sister and I always had a bowl of rice to eat at the end of the day, I know now that was not always the case for my immigrant parents and brother. That’s me in in my mom’s arms, next to my 15 year old brother in front of my parent’s Chinese hand laundry. You can see the bundles of wrapped shirts through the window. And “hand” is descriptive as my mom washed shirts by hand before they could afford buying washing machines. At 7 cents a shirt, we didn’t have much money and certainly were not food secure.
At age of ten, when I complained about having to work on industrial-sized shirt presses, my dad would say, “We work hard to save for your education. Once you have an education you will never have to do a white man’s shirt again.”
It was no surprise that I decided to major in foods and nutrition at college. When one experiences hunger, food becomes an all-encompassing focus both mentally and physically. With a dietetics degree I did what dietitians traditionally do — concentrate on food after it hits the dinner plate. But in 45 years of practice, I also became engaged in learning all I could about food production-how food is produced before it lands on the plate.
For someone who was raised just outside of Boston this was a novel adventure and included visiting apple orchards, egg production, potato, avocado, almond, rice, vegetable farms; learning from farmers who grow conventional, organic , or genetically modified crops — and many who grow all three. I was a shareholder in a cooperative organic farm for three years and spent hours upon hours picking Harlequin beetles off of brassica and drowning them in a tin of water. I put on a shoulder length plastic glove and plunged my arm into the backside of a cow.
I think dietitians should be engaged in every aspect, every level and all types of food production, and yes, that also means working with “industry.” I know dietitians make a contribution in helping companies shape healthier food offerings. And I was drawn to Ag seed companies and Monsanto not only due to the very robust science, and the capacity of genetically engineered crops to contribute to a more secure food supply, but also growing higher quality of foods through biofortified crops.
Well, it’s pointed out — I could be more transparent about my consultation position with Monsanto. I thought I was. The photo is the Disclosure slide I use before every presentation and add various companies and non-profits names as the occasion warrants. As for my bio’s on Twitter and Linked In — I will change to be beyond transparent. And here’s the thing, as those of you with older parents and grandparents may have experienced; while I’m pretty good with biotechnology, for me IT and social media is more elusive, evidenced by the time I registered for Facebook and selected that I was interested in both men and women. It took my son calling me to explain what that meant. Once I posted my bio, I did not update again as I added new consulting work. So give me a little time. It will probably take me longer to figure out how to post this article someplace, than to write it.
Here is my food production philosophy. Given the agricultural, environmental, food and nutrition challenges the world faces, we need to harness the best practices of ALL food production systems. Conventional farming will not kill you. Organic farming is not the solution. Local food cannot feed the masses, and GMO’s won’t cure world hunger.(1) Rather, we need a selection and combination of the best of each for the specific food production environment.(2)
I had the privilege to hear Ambassador Tony Hall, Executive Director Emeritus for the Alliance to End Hunger, speak. He spoke of the need for thoughtful application of production practices, and strategies such as microcredits, investment in Ag infrastructure, educating girls and empowering women in global farming communities, and most critically overarching all, good governance. And to that I add good will, and a respectful and courteous dialogue, not a food fight, or else no one “wins” and people go hungry.
Mom will turn 100 this year. Thank you to her and dad and for their sacrifices. Today I can shop for food at Kroger’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Costco, Ocean Pacific, H-Mart and the little grocery around the corner. I’ve not been hungry for a long time, and I wish that for the world’s people as well.
By the way: I married a white man. After a couple of weeks he asked if I was going to do his shirts. I said, “Nuh uh. I got an education so you’re on your own for laundry.” And for 43 years this wonderful man has ironed his own shirt every morning.
Mary Lee Chin MS., RDN, of Nutrition Edge Communications, speaks to businesses, non-profits, health professionals and consumers on some of the most provocative and contentious food topics of today, including genetically modified foods, and modern agricultural issues. She consults with food industry and commodity groups; including Monsanto, Ajinomoto and NCBA, focusing on modern agriculture, and examining the role of dietitians can play at the intersection of food & nutrition, health and food production. Aware that many divisive and emotional food issues ignite a firestorm of debate she advocates moving from polarizing rhetoric to open and professional courteous discourse.
(1) Michele Payne. No More Food Fights! Growing a Productive Food & Farm Conversation. 2013. Also recommend her new book - Food Truths From Farm to Table: 25 Ways to Shop & Eat Without Guilt. 2017. Disclosure: Had opportunity to review and comment content.
Recommend: Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Farming by Pamela Ronald and R.W. Adamchak.
Recommend a phrase from my friend who farms in Brighton Colorado: “Somebody has to feed you people.”
Recommend: How to Start Farming Without Screwing Up Your Life, https://shift.newco.co/series-intro-how-to-start-farming-without-screwing-up-your-life-aa6c780b7810 because I respect anyone who farms at any type of production system-it’s harder than it’s romantic.
{
